BUDDY
Starring: Keegan-Michael Key, Cristin Milioti, Topher Grace, Delaney Quinn, Caleb C.J. Williams, Luke Speakman, Tristan Borders, Madison Skyy Polan, Bennie Taylor, Clint Howard, Patton Oswalt, and Michael Shannon
Director: Casper Kelly
NICK
Buddy probably is best suited for streaming — not because of quality, but because a large portion of the film immerses you in a children’s television program, which likely works better at home. Buddy takes cues from programs like Barney & Friends to give it a nostalgic feel, and while this world is clearly scary for its characters, I wish that was also true for the film’s audience. It’s bloody, sure, but Keegan Michael-Key’s entertaining Buddy isn’t quite frightening enough. As an addition to one of my favorite sub-genres (children’s television gone wrong), it’s a fun ride, but the horror could have been turned up a notch.
QUENTIN
The first act of Buddy is something special, playing on the underlying creepiness inherent to the world of shows like Barney & Friends and Pee-Wee’s Playhouse with gonzo aplomb. It’s a clever idea that, had it stopped there, would have made for an amazing episode of a horror anthology series. However, it doesn’t stop there, and the momentum dies with a second-act shift that introduces completely new characters in “the real world.” There are still weird moments throughout, including an appearance by Clint Howard and a Michael Shannon-voiced ventriloquist doll, but it never fully recaptures the absurdly deranged brilliance of the first half-hour.
KATIE
Whilst I was excited by the premise of Buddy, I found it didn’t deliver in terms of being creepy or consistently entertaining. The amount of time spent in the confines of the children’s TV show is initially novel but quickly becomes tedious, and the titular Buddy isn't scary enough, similarly becoming annoying. I found some of the horror really distasteful, and wished it focused more on the stronger of the two narratives. There is a compelling idea at the heart of the film, which is relegated in favour of giving the annoying Buddy the Unicorn character more screen time.
PAIGE
Buddy is an uncanny, bizarre, Barney-esque kids’ show that goes off the rails. This unhinged horror flick pulled me in at the beginning, lost me in the middle, then (for the most part) won me back by the end. Its puppetry, practical effects, and production design are impressive, but tonally, the film is a bit uneven. It feels scattered at times as it tries to balance absurdity, humor, and horror. I wish it leaned more towards the horror of it all because that aspect was far more compelling. In all honesty, though, it’s fun for something this batshit and over the top to exist.
BODE
It takes real skill to make a big swing like Buddy work even remotely. Luckily, I think director Casper Kelly manages to succeed. Making few concessions in his move from Adult Swim to feature films, he mainly makes the most of this bizarre concept, striking the right balance between absurdist humour and unsettling horror. Great puppetry, solid production design, and committed turns from the likes of Keegan Michael-Key (eerily voicing the title character), Cristin Milioti, and a young cast led by Delaney Quinn keep the momentum going right up to its delightfully demented finale. It’s a fun ride.
ADRIANO
Buddy feels more like a bit than a movie. For the first 30 or so minutes, the bit ruled and clashed perfectly with the tension, thanks to its children’s-show-turned-nightmare premise. After a while, though, it spends too much time on things that wind up being washes (most notably Cristin Milioti’s character), and it becomes too reliant on its “this Barney-esque character is a monster, wild right?” premise. The kids are all great, Keegan-Michael Key’s vocal performance is excellent, and I enjoyed it as a mean-spirited splatterfest; it just didn’t have enough steam to not come off as a one-joke trick.
This film was originally reviewed by Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2026 Fantasia International Film Festival.