GL84
Tracking criminals to an abandoned warehouse, a pregnant cop finds that their spilled blood has inadvertently released a horde of demonically-possessed toys killing off several stragglers in order to allow their master to live again and forces her to find a way of stopping their plans.This one here was quite the enjoyable and fun Full Moon killer doll classic. What really gives this one quite a lot to like here is the fact that it really works the film's atmosphere and location quite well, managing to give this a solid and engaging amount of suspense present in an inherently cheesy premise. Using the singular location of the warehouse to great effect in the first half where she's stalking them trying to arrest him unaware of the situation before the dolls come to life makes for a strong set-up and a rather engaging premise that gets exploited throughout the remaining parts of the film by taking the regular stalking of the early sections and pairing that with the more supernaturally-based interaction in the remainder of this one. The dolls themselves get a great first appearance, knocking out and taking care of the security guard when they find them inside the warehouse which is a great scene as well as the multitude of toys taking them on in the vents into the security shack which is a highly enjoyable and chilling battle with all of them swarming over and fighting the both of them. That this leads into the strong main battle at the end with the whole store full of toys coming to life under his possession and leading into the main attack there results in plenty of fun, explosive thrills with them battling off the multitude of creatures in big, fun gun- battles is where this one really works and becomes a series of grand action set-pieces with the dolls coming after them and finally getting the big ending confrontation between the two black magic powers in the sacrificial altar that features some great cheesy action featured here. With plenty to like here with the dolls and the effects work needed to bring them to life, there's even more good fun here which is letting this one's main premise get exploited in the the dolls and different creatures brought to help the struggle, and adding in the gruesome, bloody deaths gives this one a lot of enjoyable elements found here. These are enough to make this one quite a bit of fun and has plenty to like overall, but it does have one main flaw to be found here in the overly fantastical plot line that features the spirit child continually interacting and spelling out his goal for her in mild dream-like manners which are somewhat comical to think that a child speaking in an altered demonic voice is supposed to be scary as well as bringing the film to a halt in order to get the motivation out which is such a change- of-pace that it sticks out quite easily. Likewise, the special effects are a little cheesy and might be a bit outdated, but otherwise it's the weird fantasy elements in the backstory that holds this one down.Rated R: Extreme Graphic Language, Graphic Violence and Brief Nudity.
TheCinephiliacs
After recently revisiting the 1987 killer doll flick "Dolls" I had the urge to check out some other similar movies and while deciding which one to go for I came across this new Blu-ray release from 88 Films of the 1992 cult classic, Demonic Toys.Written by Stephen S. Goyer, who would go on to write the stories for the massively successful Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises and based on an original idea from Charles Band who was also a producer here. Band is well known for writing the Puppet Master movies as well as directing low budget cult fare like Evil Bong, Doll Graveyard, The Gingerdead Man and Trancers. Peter Manoogian (Arena, Enemy Territory) was behind the camera as director, and the trifecta of these three minds would create a horror film that has become a cult classic in the twenty two years since its release.Taking a great amount of inspiration and ideas from Puppet Master, which even plays on a television in the background of a scene in the film, Demonic Toys is a simple premise that is effective enough to drive its point home and provide an entertaining, though thoroughly clichéd, romp of bloody 90's silliness. The film opens with four characters meeting in a dark parking lot to buy and sell some illegal firearms, but two of the characters turn out to be undercover police officers and the deal turns sour, with one police officer being shot dead as the criminals escape into a nearby warehouse and the second police officer, Judith Gray (Tracy Scoggins), giving chase. The warehouse is where we spend most of the movie, which is pretty convenient considering the warehouse in question houses evil spirits and a butt-load of creepy looking toys. We are soon joined by some other characters in our story of malevolent plastic organisms. The lazy warehouse security guard, Charnetski (Peter Schrum), a fast-food delivery guy called Mark (Bently Mitchum) and a homeless runaway called Anne (Ellen Dunning). With one of the fleeing criminals wounded, and the other, Lincoln (Michael Russo) finally caught and handcuffed by Judith, the insanity finally begins. With possession, a creepy kid with a male adult voice, a sharp toothed bear doll and a Jack-in-a-box who will eat your face off while laughing, Demonic Toys isn't afraid to be absurd, and that's why it is still charming to watch.It isn't a ground breaking film, and it can be a little banal at times, but it is charming and the scenes in which the toys are attacking their human victims are fun, gory and humorous. They don't make films like this nowadays and so it is fun to go back and watch them. The music, drenched in synthesized keyboard sounds, is what you'd expect from a film like this at the time it was made, and the special effects, though fine, are nothing special and could have benefited from being crazier and more extreme. I didn't mind the fact that the film takes place, all but for a couple of scenes, in one place, but it would have been nice if there had been some diversity to the areas of the warehouse as a way to make it more interesting to look at. Still, Demonic Toys is what it is, a low budget and pedestrian horror film that, through its fun puppetry and stop-frame animation and silly scenes of evil doll attacks, is memorable and enjoyable.The look of the film on this specific Blu-ray edition from 88 Films is very nice. It's clear and the sound, though not perfect, is fine. The colours are as vibrant as they can be considering the black and grey setting and the cover-art, though not necessarily relevant to the film quality, is nice and eye catching, which should help it sell some copies to people who are unfamiliar with it. The special features are pretty damn poor, with only an original trailer and a featurette from the old VHS release being the only Demonic Toys specific features on the disc. A retrospective, a commentary or even an introduction from Band, or someone who worked on the film, would have been nice. Still, the film was enjoyable, but then again I do like these sorts of b-movies from the 80's and 90's. For those who aren't familiar with the genre and are expecting something fantastically exciting, perhaps this might not tick their boxes
Bonehead-XL
Remember when I said Charles Band's favorite person to rip off was himself? "Dolls" was about people isolated in a mansion with killer dolls. "Puppet Master" was about people isolated in a hotel with killer puppets. "Demonic Toys" is about, guess what?, people isolated in a warehouse with killer toys. I haven't seen "Blood Dolls" but I bet it fits the formula."Demonic Toys" is a blatant attempt to recreate "Puppet Master." Both open with close-ups on its plastic villains while Richard Band's scores play. In "Puppet Master," the murderous marionettes are controlled by an undead sorcerer. In "Demonic Toys," the perilous playthings are activated by a demonic entity. While "Puppet Master's" protagonist had psychic dreams, the policewoman hero of "Demonic Toys" is contacted by the demon in her dreams. This movie appears to have been made on half the budget, since the whole thing takes place over no more then three sets.The toys aren't as memorable as Full Moon's more famous villains. A killer teddy bear (who is, disappointingly, not named Grisly Bear. Come on, guys, that one writes itself) is relatively indistinct while a robot tank has even less personality. An evil jack-in-the-box is a little more memorable. The cackling clown functions like a snake, with a baby's rattle at the end of its tail. The MVP of "Demonic Toys" is Baby Oopsie Daisy, a foul-mouthed baby doll. The Baby is a clear Chucky expy, especially when she gets her face burnt off. The doll's one-liners are groaners but I couldn't help but laugh. Her weird plastic face is probably the closest thing "Demonic Toys' has to a genuinely creepy special effect. (Though a stop-motion tin soldier is a bit uncanny.) The movie makes up for its uncreative threats with surprisingly interesting humans. The fat security guard swears creatively and listens to polka. He watches the original "Puppet Master" on TV, which raises questions about what level of reality this is on. His porno mag provides the gratuitous nudity every Full Moon flick needs. The guard also orders from a 24-hour fried chicken restaurant, an idea in need of further exploiting. The chicken delivery boy becomes an unlikely hero, shotgunning toys and throwing Molatov Cocktails. Even a teenage girl randomly introduced half-way through to drop some exposition is amusing. Perhaps we have future blockbuster screenwriter David Goyer to thank for the memorable characters? "Demonic Toys" is too campy to mine its imagery for scares. But its female lead's anxiety about giving birth, and the movie's co-opting of childish imagery for horror, suggests a possible subtext. That's probably giving the movie more credit then it deserves. "Demonic Toys" is a cheaper, goofier Full Moon offering but still provides chuckles.
