‘Buddy’ Review- Childhood Comfort & Predatory Horror Collide In This Twisted Movie

What if Barney, the much-beloved big purple dinosaur who entertained many millennials as children, possessed the bloodlust of Pennywise, the shape-shifting clown from Stephen King’s IT.  This delightfully deranged premise fuels Casper Kelly’s horror film, Buddy.  

Buddy (voiced by Keegan Michael-Key) is an anthropomorphic unicorn who spends his days teaching his young friends lessons about friendship and compassion. The episode that opens the film takes a disturbing turn when one of the kids disappears after repeatedly disobeying Buddy.  When Freddy (Delaney Quinn) finds her missing friend’s book covered in blood, she begins to suspect that the big orange unicorn has a dark side. Her suspicions are confirmed when she and the rest of the gang witness Buddy killing Nurse Nancy (Phuong Kubacki), which prompts them to flee in search of the fabled Diamond City, and, hopefully, salvation.

Meanwhile, in the real world, Grace (Cristin Milioti) can’t shake the feeling that someone is missing from her family. The unoccupied chair at the dinner table, the empty spot in family photos, and persistent thoughts of the daughter she and her husband (Topher Grace) supposedly never had bring her to a horrific conclusion. Unfortunately, her search for answers puts her on Buddy’s radar, and he just so happens to need a new nurse.

Buddy is a delightfully twisted take on beloved ’90s children’s shows like Barney & Friends and Pee-wee’s Playhouse. There are talking objects like the chatty backpack Strappy (voiced by Patton Oswalt), Mr. Mailbox (voiced by Eric Bauza), and Charlie the Train (Devon Hawkes-Ludlow), along with a catchy theme song and a vibrant, colorful set. Kelly wisely leans into these inspirations, creating an increasingly disturbing contrast once Buddy finally snaps and begins murdering his cast. Even familiar staples of children’s television, like the song that closes every episode or the introduction of new cast members, take on terrifying implications in Buddy’s world.

For example, whenever Buddy gathers his young friends to sing the closing song, their memories are reset. Whatever horrors they endured during the episode are wiped away, allowing Buddy’s show to begin again with smiles, songs, and manufactured innocence. It’s a clever conceit that turns the comforting repetition of children’s television into something deeply sinister.

Growing up, few of us probably questioned the rotating cast of young characters on Barney & Friends, but Buddy provides a terrifying explanation. Simply put, whenever Buddy murders one of his wayward young friends, he plucks another innocent, unsuspecting child from the real world to take their place.

Although Buddy has plenty of fun deconstructing and reimagining the tropes of ’90s children’s television, its world-building is where the film occasionally falters. Within Buddy’s twisted world, we get some excellent pieces of backstory, including the implication that he is an ancient force who has been doing this for a very long time. However, the film’s real-world climax hints at a much larger mythology without giving us enough time to explore it. An abandoned school filled with televisions that seemingly serve as portals and a mural that casually reveals Buddy has a family raise fascinating questions just as the movie is coming to an end. These tantalizing glimpses may leave viewers frustrated by the lack of answers, but they’ll also have them praying Buddy gets a sequel.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the film’s cast. Delaney Quinn absolutely kills it as the strong and resourceful Freddy, rightfully earning her place among the pantheon of memorable Final Girls as one of its youngest members. Tristan Borders and Madison Skyy Polan, who play her friends Wade and Hannah, also do an excellent job selling the fear and confusion that set in as the young characters realize something is terribly wrong.

Cristin Milioti brings both despair and determination to Grace as she attempts to unravel the mystery of her phantom child. Meanwhile, Keegan-Michael Key is the perfect choice to voice Buddy, effortlessly shifting between the character’s cheerful children’s show persona and the threatening undercurrent that emerges as Buddy begins to unravel.

Buddy is an insanely entertaining blend of childhood comfort and predatory horror. This delightfully twisted movie will keep viewers on the edge of their seats while inviting them to laugh at the gleeful bastardization of the entertainment they grew up with.

Buddy is now playing in theaters.