Dolly ★★★

Released: 6 March 2026

Director: Rod Blackhurst

Starring: Fabianne Therese, Seann William Scott

Directed by Rod Blackhurst (Amanda Knox) and starring Seann William Scott (Final Destination), Dolly is a grim, 70’s inspired horror bound to satisfy fans of gross-out gore. The story follows a young woman named Macy (Fabianne Therese) fighting for survival, after being abducted by a deranged, monster-like figure who wants to raise Macy as their child. With a snappy runtime, solid performances and the most grotesque of gore, this low budget horror might lack in the story department, but makes up for it in carnage candy and entertainment value.

Forget ghosts, jump scares or haunted houses, the horror inside Dolly is the visceral kind. Bodily fluids, a creepy human villain and gnarly violence ensure it’s not for the faint hearted. Harking back to the 70’s grindhouse, French Extremity style of horror, it’s the sort of scary movie that makes you want to take a shower after. Feeling grimy and dirty from the first frame to the last, it does a good job replicating that signature style reminiscent of Texas Chain Saw Massacre and similar efforts. From the masked, deranged villain to the rural setting, it wears its influences on its sleeve and pays homage to them rather than directly imitating. Though there’s not a huge plethora of kills due to how the story plays out, any that do occur are both inventive and nasty. It’s not the kills you should be worried about, though. Once Dolly has a hold of Macy and aims to become her mother in the most disgusting ways, you’ll begin to wish this was just a regular slasher flick. Exceeding in its gore, kills and tension building, the horror elements are extremely well crafted and effective. Just approach with caution.

It might be Seann William Scott’s credit that makes you want to check this out, but you’ll be sticking around for Fabianne Therese (Starry Eyes). Putting in an excellent shift as the kidnapped Macy, she displays the exact behaviour that any horror fan wants from their final “girl” – her anguish and terror is believable, yet she has a lot of fight and doesn’t give up. Macy actually tries, making it super easy to root for her; Therese brings her to life well, creating a memorable protagonist. It’s not that Scott isn’t commendable as Chase, as of course, he is excellent every time he is on screen. It’s just best to temper expectations regarding screentime. After that first act seeing him and partner Macy venture into the woods, it becomes much more her story – she’s definitely up to the task. Playing our titular villain ‘Dolly’ is American professional wrestler Max Lindsay. They put in a menacing and believable physical performance, using simplistic yet effective movements to sell you this unsettling character. Ethan Suplee (Babylon) also shows up in a limited yet convincing supporting role. The cast are great across the board.

In terms of storyline, Dolly is a bit of a nothing burger. It’s much more interested in getting under your skin rather than developing any characters or themes, in true grindhouse carnage candy fashion. Aside from a small amount of set up during the first act regarding Macy and Chase’s relationship, there’s not much to grab on to. Though some viewers may be let down by the lack of tangible storyline, it’s easy to question whether a more in depth story would’ve dampened what is an effectively grim watch. The biggest turn off this movie possesses is within the editing, specifically the title cards that pop up very frequently throughout the movies runtime. Not only do they feel completely pointless, but actively spoil the upcoming plot at times. Purely there for a bit of style, it feels like a baffling choice rather than an interesting one. Admittedly, Dolly is very underbaked, and the more stylish elements appear to be present to detract from that point. In terms of shocking its audience and presenting unrelenting set pieces, it hits the nail on the head, but as far as substance is concerned, you’re best looking elsewhere.

Dolly certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel, and is built for quite a specific horror audience. However, those that enjoy their films on the grim, grotesque and violent side will find a lot to admire here. From the commendable performances to the sun-baked mash up of Texas Chain Saw and Barbarian, Dolly serves up brutal kills, disturbing ideas and a deranged villain. Playing out like a demented nightmare, it might just cause you to suffer one of your own.