Buddy (2026) Movie Review

Buddy (2026) Movie Review: A Disturbing Trip Down Memory Lane

It's been a year of outstanding horror experiences and it's amazing that we're still getting fresh ideas this late into the year. We recently got the chance to watch Buddy at home, and it managed to live up to the hype we had coming into it. Nostalgic, unconventional, and tense-filled at its best moments, the film turned out to be much deeper than we initially anticipated. However, while it's an intriguing experience overall, it struggles to deliver a more substantial story and ultimately loses steam in its final act.

It's Buddy is a children's show centered on Buddy (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key), a talking unicorn who teaches life lessons to his young friends alongside other talking animals, objects, and the adults who bring their world to life. But when one of the kids refuses to cooperate with Buddy, the kid mysteriously disappears and is replaced by a new girl named Hannah. One of the kids, Freddy (Delaney Quinn), begins to question Buddy's explanation for the disappearance and she soon discovers something deeply disturbing happening behind the scenes.

The first 30 minutes of Buddy are inventive and intriguing. Although the film takes its time, it approaches tension and dread in a way that feels different from what we're accustomed to seeing in horror. Its vibrant, colorful, and kiddie aesthetic provides the perfect juxtaposition to the titular character's sinister nature. The young cast led by Delaney Quinn deserves credit for capturing the spirit of the '90s children's shows that the film seeks to parody and they were the best performers in the film in our opinion. Buddy himself is an intriguing character and there are several tense moments that genuinely caught us by surprise.

Unfortunately, the film begins to lose its footing in its final quarter. The narrative struggles to develop its human characters meaningfully and leaves too many questions about Buddy unanswered, particularly regarding his motivations and the reasons behind his disturbing behavior. This is also the same case for the human characters especially the nature of their stay in this alternative world. 

As a horror experience, Buddy is entertaining and delivers its fair share of unsettling moments. However, as a complete film, it lacks the narrative cohesion and polish needed to bring its intriguing ideas together.

Rating: 3 and a half reels