We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
“Puppet Killer” is a Lisa Ovies-directed horror-comedy that’s a self-aware genre parody and tribute. While the 2019 film seeks to lampoon the genre, it, unfortunately, falls prey to many of the tropes it embraces. Still, “Puppet Killer” has its moments, and is sure to please horror buffs.
Jamie (Jett Klyne as Young Jamie) lives with his father and horror film-obsessed mother. One Christmas, Jamie’s loving mom gifts him her old puppet, Simon. From an early age, she introduced Jamie to her favorite slasher flicks. But after her battle with cancer and untimely death, Jamie’s stepmom seeks to correct this behavior, confiscating his horror VHS collection and creepy yet kinda cute and cuddly puppet. After an argument with Jamie’s father, the stepmom disappears, never to be heard from again. However, Jamie remains convinced that his puppet, Simon, murdered his stepmother.
Flash forward to senior year of high school, and Jaime (Aleks Paunovic) and his girlfriend Jessie (Lisa Durupt) alongside friends Curtis (Lee Majdoub), Rick (Richard Harmon), Brooke (Gigi Saul Guerrero), and Lee (Kyle Cassie) head to the mountain cabin where Jamie purports that the grisly murder took place. Initially, it’s all Christmas celebrations as the gang decorate the house, get drunk, and smoke weed. However, while searching the basement, Jessie finds Simon and despite Jamie’s protestations brings him up. Initially, Jamie’s concerns are callously brushed off. But Simon begins turning up in strange spots, seemingly talking, and even appears to smoke weed. “I’m too high,” Rick shakes his head after supposedly witnessing Simon take a puff off of a joint.
“Puppet Killer” starts out promisingly enough with a solid set up. However, the film quickly goes downhill, devolving into a trite storyline. Characters are hamfisted caricatures. The third act, rather than presenting a clever meta-parody of horror movies, unravels into a string of fan service-ridden kills. Simon dispatches the group blandly and predictably. It’s unfortunate when the funniest gag in a horror-comedy is the hilarity of having a 40-year-old portray a high schooler. Admittedly though, it’s gut-shatteringly amusing, and a role Paunovic pulls off with aplomb. Moreover, it’s disjointed. A pair of twins show up with an intriguing backstory, but it’s all for naught as they’re quickly laid waste.
Still, “Puppet Killer” isn’t a complete loss. The puppet design of Simon is fantastic, a sort of Muppet Show gone-wrong. Watching a tiny, cute, pink puppet slay Jamie’s friends proves delightful, particularly since the movie wastes no time with character development for his pals.
Where “Puppet Killer” lets down the most is its ample potential. It could have gone the 1978 “Magic” route, relying on sleight of hand to deceive, and keep the audience guessing. Or even used Simon as a means of exploring Jamie’s childhood trauma, similar to “Drop Dead Fred.” Instead, it charges straight into lazy fan service, squandering a decent set up and solid cast. It’s definitely a fun, admittedly forgettable, watch which serves up a few laughs, but “Puppet Killer” is far from the killer horror comedy it could have been.
This post may contain affiliate links. We are a participant in affiliate programs such as the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. However, all products are thoroughly tested and reviews are honest and unbiased.