My review was written in June 1992 after watching the movie on Vidmark video cassette.
A low-budget variant on "Child's Play", "Dolly Dearest" is a scary horror film about a devil doll. Pic received theatrical exposure in the Midwest in January ahead of its video release.
Denise Crosby and Sam Bottoms move with their two young children to Mexico to set up a doll factory, little suspecting that the decrepit facility is near an archaeological dig that's recently set forth supernatural forces.
The dolls are animated by spirits dating back to a tribe that lived many centuries ago in the region. Crosby's housekeeper Lupe Ontirveros senses the danger but is murdered by daughter Candy Huston's cute little Dolly.
Aided by Mark Snow's spooky and suspenseful music, the film builds to a well-staged climax. Unlike the big-budget Chucky of the "Child's Play" films, Dolly's movements are suggested rather than shown, with quick shots of a live action double (Ed Gale). Even so, the effort is convincing enough. As the young heroine who comes under her Dolly' spell, Hutson is an impressively precocious adorable/hateful character. Rest of the cast, including Rip Torn as a local prof, has less interesting assignments.
Klutzy dialogue is pic's chief drawback. Serious mood is also undercut by corny reversions to the genre cliche (as in the Chucky and Freddy Krueger films) of having the Dollys shout dumb one-liners during the final reel.