Film Review: Buddy
Arts
Buddy
Director: Casper Kelly
BoulderLight Pictures
In Theatres: 08.28.2026
Indie horror has reached mainstream success this year; Buddy is following the coattails of its predecessors Backrooms and Obsession by uplifting the very overloaded genre of “Mascot horror.” Mascot horror is known by having a character leading their specific franchise (i.e. Freddy Fazbear, Five Nights at Freddy’s). Buddy is more akin to 90s-2000s children’s television programs with a mix of a malicious Wizard of Oz-esque plotline twisted in between. Between great acting and beautifully created, colorful landscapes, you are faced with a plot that has pedophilia/child violence, sexual assault and too many plotlines.
Buddy (Keegan-Michael Key, Key & Peele) is the giant, magical, orange unicorn who lives within a television program, joined by a cast of children, Betty Bunny (Jimmica Collins), a mailman, a rotating nurse cast and an assortment of lively inanimate objects. The movie opens up with the viewer watching an episode of Buddy about an upcoming dance party at the clubhouse. Within the first 10 minutes, there is obvious foreshadowing as the character Josh (Luke Speakman, Weapons) is reading a book about twisting reality. As Buddy proceeds to have a disgruntled conversation with Josh that turns into an argument over Josh not wanting to dance at the party, Buddy proceeds to pull Josh off screen as the viewer hears him yelling for Buddy to stop pulling at his leg and to let him go.
Two other castmates Freddy (Delaney Quinn, If I had Legs, I’d Kick You) and Wade (Caleb Williams) proceed to investigate Josh’s whereabouts. Freddy discovers Josh’s book in the trash bin covered in blood during the ending credits scene. Freddy and Wade — now terrified about what they discovered — bring this up to the only “adults” at the clubhouse: Betty and Buddy. Both deny any wrongdoing in Josh’s disappearance which stirs up more fear. The children proceed to escape their clubhouse world after fighting off Buddy’s antics; this is when the trio of Oliver (Tristan Borders), Freddy and Hannah’s Wizard of Oz story begins as they start their hike to the Diamond City. They are being hunted by a mutilated Buddy before the plot switches to a real-world family situation.
A family of four made up of Grace (Cristin Milioti, The Penguin), Ben (Topher Grace, That 70s Show), Derek (Bryson JonSteele) and Timothy (Seamus Flynn) seem to deal with growing pains together, as Grace feels like there is spot missing between her two children. She creates a theory that she and Ben have a missing child that somehow they forgot about. She proceeds to contact a psychic to identify any strange phenomenon in the household. Buddy’s program randomly turns on their home television, and Grace starts to research about this with no results returning, only for the show to reappear on the television when she is alone and to lure her in through a portal — Grace now replaces Nurse Nancy’s role in the clubhouse.
The children reach Diamond City only to find out it is a miniature version of a castle. Buddy catches them and teleports them back to the clubhouse. He proceeds to restart the day by making them sing the ending credit song, and a new episode begins. As the new episode begins, Freddy has to go to the nurse’s office and meets Grace, who realizes that Freddy is her missing child. Freddy knows the way to “hurt” Buddy and escape is by changing the lyrics to the ending credits, but as she sings the different lyrics, it causes Buddy to mutate into a giant monster. Buddy goes on a violent rampage around the clubhouse, killing different characters and objects while the main characters have to figure out how to escape through the well. Grace proceeds to lead the children to the well but sacrifices herself to let them get down safely. Oliver, Freddy and Hannah find out that the show is being run by different Unicorn mascots, and even a scientific experiment on the children is being conducted. Freddy is the last character standing between Buddy; he chases her through the science lab, and she stabs him with the mailbox. Freddy proceeds through the building to find the exit, discovering the only way out is through CRTVs — she randomly picks one, goes through it and ends up in a family’s home before the movie ends.
The movie had great set design and puppetry all throughout. Each environment felt so different even though the viewer would be stuck on an obvious TV set regardless. The colors are super bright which is also strangely refreshing, as it feels like a lot of movies are lit super dim now. The puppetry for the side characters like Strappy or Mr. Mailbox deserves an award. With all the generative AI slop and the feelings of hitting a creative wall, it was refreshing to see a movie putting so much practical work and effects into it.
I thought this movie had a lot of promise, especially for an indie, mascot horror film. But there were way too many plot lines or “lore bait.” I didn’t really mind the missing child plotline, but I thought it could’ve been explored more because it kept being shown throughout the movie. But the ending quarter felt like the ending in Backrooms, where the viewer discovers it is all being contained. There was no hinting to that sector at all in the early parts of the movie, and that’s what frustrated me the most. I also understand that this movie is seemingly challenging the child actor industry with the feeling of being trapped, never growing up, grooming and being stuck in malicious situations. But it just doesn’t feel worked out enough for the characters, except Oliver who is an obvious sign for returning to an abusive person and Hannah for pedophilia.
After my viewing, I found out that one of the owner studios for Buddy is an Israeli-based company called SIPUR Studios which partners with Saban Entertainment for American distribution. Saban is owned by Haim Saban–one of the biggest donors to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). This has also changed the way I feel about my viewing experience. I do not agree with what Israel is doing in Gaza nor do I agree with AIPAC money being donated to politicians. I understand acting is a very difficult job to come by, but the way this movie was curated goes against my morals. —Olivia K. Smith
Read other horror film reviews from SLUG:
Film Review: Insidious: Out of the Further
Film Review: Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
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