Dolls, the third feature directed by the ever-consistently good Stuart Gordon, takes a slightly different approach to its content than his prior films. Where Re-Animator and From Beyond were horror films, with doses of dark humor scattered throughout, Dolls approaches its subject matter in near opposite fashion. The humour is much less subtle, and is certainly more prevalent throughout the film. The humor is never classless, however, it is achieved through wonderful bits of dialogue, which are either genuinely funny, or deliberately cheesy, and never seem out of place. It's perfectly enjoyable entertainment, if not all that scary.

After being caught in a storm, a number of people seek shelter in the nearest building they can find, which happens to be the mansion of an elderly couple who make and collect dolls, some of which are very creepy. The tone of the film is set from the very first scene, letting us know that there's more to Dolls than just cheap shocks, and other traditional horror conventions. It's obvious the film isn't content with following the traditional horror formula, and it's all the better for it. Stuart Gordon has managed to create a film that transcends genres, yet still manages to be solidly entertaining. This is no easy feat, especially considering the genres of comedy and horror generally don't mix very well.

Dolls was certainly, at the time of its release, Stuart Gordon's most polished work. The film has an incredible atmosphere, especially noticeable when characters are walking around the dark hallways of the mansion. It certainly creates a more involving experience for the viewer, and makes both the humor and shocks that much more enjoyable. Gordon also gets the most out of his actors, as each play their parts marvellously, with equal amounts sincerity and camp. The only exception being young Judy (played by Carrie Lorraine, who was only nine years old at the time), who's dialogue sometimes seems stilted and unnatural.

Dolls isn't Stuart Gordon's best film, in fact it may be among his worst, but it certainly is enjoyable. Being one of the worst Stuart Gordon films isn't a detrimental statement either, as Gordon has proven with his many works, that even when he's not on top of his game, he's still better than the majority of directors working today. He is an incredibly talented film maker, and is incredibly underappreciated. With Dolls he's created a film which maintains its focus, despite drawing from two distinctly different genres. Dolls is, at times, very funny, and has enough unsettling imagery to satiate horror fans, although it's not exactly what I would call scary.