Sommerleigh Pollonais, Horror Head Writer
Plot: Jack, a man desperate to improve his life, throws away his beloved childhood plush “Benny”. It’s a move that has disastrous consequences when Benny springs to life with deadly intentions.
Review: This one actually came out in 2019, but due to the insanity that is now our lives it’s only popped up on the radar this year.
Benny Loves You is what happens when you have a love for both horror and puppets. It’s a low-budget British horror comedy written and directed by Karl Holt. And I would bet my plushy Pennywise the Clown that Holt grew up enjoying the over-the-top antics of The Muppets just like I did.
The first thing I liked about this movie was the design of Benny. He’s cute, huggable, annoying, and psychotic — all in one package. Repeating the same catchphrase while he gleefully eviscerates someone (“Benny loves you”) this horror-comedy also gets points for not trying to be like Chucky or Annabelle. And while not an original idea, the movie definitely handles the ridiculous material well.
Say what you want about the low budget look of the film (you could tell most of the money was spent on the puppets and CGI, with not much left for things like location or proper practical effects) but they had a vision here and they stuck to it.
Now I’m not saying this film is ever going to have the kind of following that similar films like Child’s Play or Puppet Master do, as this looks and feels more like a student film project than a professional feature. But if you’re in the mood for something silly and you get a kick out of seeing people maniacally murdered by a two-foot tall plush toy, Benny Loves You isn’t a bad way to spend that time. Also, take a shot every time he says “Benny loves you”—15 minutes in you’ll be so smashed you’ll probably think this was the best movie you ever saw!
Sommer’s Score 5.5 out of 10
For more mascot-themed mayhem you can check out my review of Willy’s Wonderland by clicking here. Or to check out our Chucky vs Ghostface vs Jigsaw vs Pinhead Horror Icon Showdown you can click here.
Sommerleigh of the House Pollonais. First of Her Name. Sushi Lover, Queen of Horror Movies, Comic Books and Binge Watching Netflix. Mother of two beautiful black cats named Vader and Kylo. I think eating Popcorn at the movies should be mandatory, PS4 makes the best games ever, and I’ll be talking about movies until the zombie apocalypse comes.
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