Sybil (Libbie Higgins) is a sad, lonely loser who lives with her overbearing stepmother (Lynne Acton McPherson). Her only comfort comes from making YouTube videos where she shows off her massive doll collection. When one of her fans sends her the remains of the Demonic Toy, Baby Oopsie in the mail, she painstakingly restores it to its former glory. Naturally, Baby Oopsie comes back to life and goes after everyone who’s wronged Sybil.
I was not a fan of the Demonic Toys movies, but this spin-off really worked for me. The secret to the film’s success is the deft way writer/director William (The Resonator) Butler grafted the loser’s revenge narrative to the typical killer doll shenanigans. (Think Carrie Meets Child’s Play.) By making you sympathize, like, and even root for Sybil (which is a testament to Higgins’ excellent performance), it takes some of the heavy lifting off of Oopsie. That way, the doll is less the centerpiece slasher of the film and more a foulmouthed instrument of revenge. (Also, with the doll not being front and center so much, it doesn’t wear out its welcome, which tends to happen in these sorts of things.)
That little twist on the usual formula made all the difference. Instead of going after stupid stoners or horny teenagers, Oopsie’s targets are bullies, bitchy bosses, and wicked stepmothers. It’s just more fun that way. (To me, at least. Your mileage may vary.) After sitting through so many bad killer doll flicks from Full Moon, this felt like a breath of fresh air.
Sure, the finale is a bit rushed, and the last twist feels kind of forced. However, it’s really not such a dealbreaker when the rest of the movie is so much fun. Naturally, Oopsie gets the best line of the film when she sizes up a doll that looks like Annabelle and says, “Conjure THIS!”
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