Buddy (2026) starts like a fake children's show—giving major Don't Hug Me I'm Scared and Amanda the Adventurer game vibes—before going off the rails.
After showing fake Barney-style episodes, it abruptly shifts to a real-world family. The mom realizes something is wrong after her daughter gets dragged into Buddy’s dimension. The mid-movie dimension hopping between mom's real-world investigation and the weird realm felt unnecessary and like a totally different film, but once mom enters Buddy's world, it gets good again. Unique plot for sure!
It has solid body horror, though it honestly could’ve used WAY more gore for a mascot slasher!
The ending is pure gold: a 50/50 mix of wholesome "Aww happy ending!" and "Wow, well that shit SUCKS for you!" 😂
Verdict: Confusing mid-movie shift aside, Buddy is a hilariously tragic, dark, nostalgic horror trip.