By Nick Nitkowski 

Going in to see the movie “Buddy”, I knew very little about it. I knew it existed thanks to the trailer that I’ve seen in movie theaters, but that trailer was so vague, I had no idea what awaited me when I finally sat down to watch it. And I see that as a good thing. No expectations, only anticipation of what could be. I’m very happy to have gone into this movie blind. But is this movie shrouded in secrecy because it’s good, or is it because it lacks substance. I’ve definitely seen plenty of movies like that before, and one would hope that this is not the case for this movie. But now that I’ve seen it, how is it?

The simple way of describing this movie without giving too much away is this: It’s a 90’s style of children’s entertainment television show similar to that of Barney. Kids roam around in a colorful land with a bunch of cheerful and colorful characters all led by Buddy the Unicorn. But as the children’s adventures progress, they start to notice some disturbing things happening behind the scenes, and they start to suspect that Buddy might not be as cheerful as he seems.

This movie was great! It really managed to capture the look, style, and feel of the 90’s kid shows that I used to watch during that time. Yes, I used to watch Barney as a kid and thought he was fun on screen. But he was pure nightmare fuel in real life. Clearly, someone felt the same because they made this movie with a clever concept, “What if Barney was a serial killer?” And the way that they executed it worked wonders for me to the point where it was both funny and unsettling. 

There is one part towards the middle of the film where it kind of lost its momentum for me. It is integral to the overall story, but it did sort of halt the fun that I was already having with the movie. I can’t really think of a better way to incorporate it into the film. Perhaps it could have been the opening scene of the film, and then cut to black at a certain point and then started the film like it normally does. The pace does pick back up afterward, and it becomes fun again.

All of the kid actors did a great job since they are the ones carrying this film. They captured the 90’s kid acting to a T and then managed to switch to fear when necessary. I was also surprised to see some of the voice cast for some of the more colorful characters. I recognized Patton Oswald’s voice immediately, but I was surprised to find out that Keegan Michael Key was the voice of Buddy. And no, I was not aware of the cast beforehand.

Overall, “Buddy” is a very fun and twisted take on 90’s kid shows, and I was all for it. It was funny but also unsettling. Silly, but sinister. And by the end of it, I had a big smile on my face. I highly recommend this film to anyone who likes twisted takes on something that started off innocent. That’s why I keep watching the “Poohniverse” movies. I love twisted takes on family-friendly content. And if that’s your thing too, this is the movie for you. Oh, Buddy! You entertained me so much!

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 stars