Evil doll stories are a mainstay in horror. From the iconic "Living Doll" episode of Twilight Zone to the never-ending Child's Play series, stories featuring puppets, toys, and decorative dolls that come to life for nefarious means have terrified audiences for decades. There are layers to the horror that are just taken for granted at this point--corruption of the innocent, uncanny valley, fear of immaturity defined by imagination, betrayal of everyday objects--that can still create wonderful scares when embraced and explored.
The Boy is not a great film. The narrative is needlessly complex and the dialogue leans too heavily on literal exposition. Yet, as an exploration of the evil doll trope, it succeeds on so many levels.