I recently watched Puppet Master: Doktor Death (2022) on Tubi. The storyline follows a group of medical students working at a mortuary, unaware that it's home to a possessed puppet with its own sinister plans. The students soon find themselves the unwilling subjects of the puppet's deadly experiments.
Directed by Dave Parker (Tales of Halloween), the film stars Jenny Boswell (Call Me), Emily Sue Bengtson (Frost), Erin Eva Butcher (Saint Clare), Ashton Wolf (Mayberry Man), and Bill D. Russell (Evil Lurks).
This entry is a significant improvement over the Blade spinoff. It truly feels like a Puppet Master film from start to finish. The Doktor Death doll is an excellent villain (or hero, depending on your perspective), and the kills exceeded my expectations. The sound effects and soundtrack were solid as well. My only critique is that the scenes where characters wrestle with the puppet look awkward, but the rest of the kill sequences are entertaining. The direction of the ending was exactly what I hoped for, and I'm looking forward to a sequel. My only real gripe is that the film should have been feature-length rather than just an hour-there was potential for more development.
In conclusion, Puppet Master: Doktor Death is a strong addition to the Puppet Master universe and offers hope for a solid relaunch of the series. I'd give it a 7/10 and strongly recommend it to fans of the franchise.
