By the premise alone, we know before watching that 'The dollmaker' explores very familiar horror tropes. I kept scrolling any time I saw it come up because I couldn't imagine it would actually be worth my time. Color me surprised, though - once I decided to press play, I've been impressed.
Dead child, creepy doll, vague warnings of rules - these are notions that countless genre stories have dealt with. To my pleasant surprise, 'The dollmaker' takes these familiar ideas in a rather different direction. The sense of horror it presents isn't down to blood or gore, jump scares, or even a thoughtfully constructed atmosphere. The horror in this short is of a more esoteric and lasting variety - the feeling of witnessing or learning about a tragedy that we're helpless to intervene in or stop, let alone undo.
'The dollmaker' focuses not on staple tools of the horror genre, but on simply telling its story. In so doing, it far exceeds the capabilities of most tales that scamper on the same playground, and still comes off as being very creepy - and more than a little sorrowful. Al Lougher's direction and editing work wonders to bring Matias Caruso's smart little story to life, an entrancing vision that well exceeds expectations. The cast performs admirably, with Perri Lauren capably realizing Jenna's descent into fantasy, and Sean Meehan giving a forceful portrayal of put-upon husband Rick. Special commendations, though, to Daniel Martin Berkey, appearing as the unnamed dollmaker: even with limited screen time, he commands a presence that immediately reminds of similarly well-dressed, imposing figures from much more renowned films.
The nature of the narrative at hand means that horror fans who aren't receptive to less visceral entertainment may feel put out. Conversely, viewers who don't generally indulge in horror may find this very appealing. 'The dollmaker' walks a fine line, but does so with laudable skill of both filmmaking and storytelling - this is well worth 10 minutes of our time.
