I didn't really know what I was getting myself into when I sat down in 2020 to watch the 2014 horror movie "Night of the Dolls". I stumbled upon it by sheer luck, and with it being a horror movie that I hadn't already seen, of course I opted to give the movie a chance.
Well, 35 minutes later I got up and turned it off. This movie was just downright boring and pointless. The entire movie was just lacking anything interesting to offer the audience. And it is a movie that just screams low budget in every aspect. Not that there necessarily is anything wrong with low budget movies by default, but "Night of the Dolls" just didn't fare well.
I never got immersed into the storyline, right from the very beginning I must admit that writer Tom Komisar and director Daniel Murphy were losing me as an audience because what transpired on the screen was just pointless and was just dripping with that bad low budget feel.
The acting in the movie was dubious at best, and it didn't really help that they virtually had nothing to work with in terms of a proper storyline or interesting characters.
Honestly, I can't say that I enjoyed the storyline, much less the characters in the movie - well in the 35 minutes of torture that I sat through, at least. I didn't find anything enjoyable in the storyline as written by Tom Komisar, nor were I finding any enjoyment in the characters milling about on the screen.
Sure, there are far worse movies out there, trust me. But "Night of the Dolls" was definitely a movie to be given a wide berth. I am rating it a two out of ten stars.
Plot summary
It's been 20 years since the Sheriff's Department made the gruesome discovery in the basement of the Brookhurst Sanitarium. Unspeakable crimes of freakish experiments performed on female patients at the hands of the sick and demented monster, Dr. Graves. Kari, the lead singer of the all girl punk band The Lolita Dolls has been obsessed with the story about his victims since childhood. After receiving a mysterious e-mail, Kari befriends a 'Fan' online who invites the Band to the Sanitarium to film a video for a song off of their new CD, Fallen Angels. With the help of a Van and their friends Lenny and Steve, the Girls set out on a punk rock road trip of a lifetime, only to discover that the legacy of terror hidden behind the walls of the Brookhurst Sanitarium is far from over.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.WEB 1080p.WEBMovie Reviews
This was a swing and a miss...
Night of the Dolls Review
First off I must say that when watching any indie horror film especially on micro budget, one has to lower their expectations. But I can gladly say my expectations for this film were blown away. Night of the Dolls truly special quality is the story. It's a story that keeps you interested and makes you want to invest your time in seeing this story play out. A Majority of the cast did a great job with a few sub par performances here and there but it's an indie film after all. I will say Deb Perkins gave an exceptional performance as Margaret as did RJ Cecott. The only negative I can say about this film is the third act although chilling and intense feels somewhat rushed at certain moments and I would have liked to see a little more gore. But this isn't enough to take away from the amazing accomplishment that Tom Komisar and Dan Murphy achieved with this film. I will say the ending reveal I never saw coming and in today's age of predictable horror that's always a positive. I found myself in the film's conclusion saying "WHAT?!?!?!?" Hopefully if a sequel materializes The boys at HM&M will show a little more of the Red Stuff. This film is an enjoyable popcorn horror flick that sets the foundation for future installments and if you haven't purchased your copy you should do so! It's one I'll enjoy watching time and time again!