Child's Play

For the next horrible franchise that I will be looking at for this year’s “Halloween Month,” it will be the “Child’s Play Franchise.” I know people are fans of the first one and maybe one or two of the sequels, but I’m not a fan of any of them.

If you thought a horror movie where the slasher villain is a killer doll would become dated after a few decades, you are correct. Even though “Child’s Play” is not the worst movie ever made, it definitely doesn’t hold up since it was released in 1988. Felix Vasquez stated in his review, “It’s not a horrifying movie by any means, but it’s not the worst of the killer doll sub-genre I’ve ever seen. Chucky may not be the Zuni Fetish Doll from “Trilogy of Terror” but he’s a charming horror character you love to hate.”

Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif) is a serial killer running from Detective Mike Norris (Chris Sarandon). The idiot believes that he can hide perfectly in a children’s toy story, but he gets shot and is about to die. Since Charles knows a voodoo spell, this moron decides to grab a doll and transfer his soul into that before he dies. The next day, a mother by the name of Karen (Catherine Hicks) wants to buy the popular Good Guy Doll after being asked by her son, Andy (Alex Vincent), since they are highly popular around the Christmas season, much like the Tickle-Me Elmo dolls, for those who remember that. However, it does what “Jingle All The Way” did and made the doll sold out of every store that Karen can reach, until she meets a street peddler, played by Juan Ramírez, who sells her a Good Guy Doll they took from the factory. Much to her dismay, it’s the same doll that has Chucky’s soul in it. This starts a string of questionable incidents which escalates into a fight for life and death, as Karen eventually starts to believe Andy when he tells her that Chucky is alive and what his plans are in store for Andy.

Vasquez said, ““Child’s Play” tinkers with the idea that perhaps Andy, a distraught latch key kid, is capable of conducting all of Chucky’s murders, or at least was coerced by Chucky in to committing much of the early murders.” Director Tom Holland shoots a lot of the deadly murders to make it look like Andy is the one who committed them, but the story throws that aside at the half when the movie makes it clear that Chucky is alive. I agree with Vasquez when he said, “Perhaps this was meant as a mid-film twist, but it’s poorly constructed and feels more like information the audience knows that the characters should have known long ago.” Brad Dourif is perfect for voicing the killer Chucky, the brutal and killer doll that tries whatever he can to get his soul transferred back into a human body.

When Chucky is told by the voodoo man that taught him the spell, played by Raymond Oliver, that his soul will stay in the doll if he doesn’t find a human to transfer his soul into, Chucky goes insanely violent, and Karen must fight in order to save Andy and from having the soul of Charles Lee Ray in her only son. Vasquez credited, “For all intents and purposes, the puppetry for Chucky is still incredible, as director Holland comprises a mixture of puppetry, animatronics, and dwarves, all of which make Chucky feel like an actual monster with a presence that can make his victims shudder.” “Child’s Play” has a lot of interesting ideas, and exceptional hints about family dysfunction and how Chucky takes in all of that to hash out a plan, but it never makes it a great horror film.

I can understand why people may like the movie or be scared by it, but after I saw Nostalgia Critic’s review and saw the movie for myself after that, I wasn’t scared by it. Simply because I don’t see how anyone could be scared over a doll, especially one that talks by pulling the string, squeezing the hand, and so forth. For me, I agree when Nostalgia Critic says that the movie is dated and silly, but if you want to watch it, you may, and if you like it, I totally understand. This movie was just not in my ballpark. I will say I liked the line when Chucky asks, "Andy no. We're friends till the end, remember?" and Andy responds, "This is the end, friend." You have to admit, that line was awesome.

What can be said about the sequels? Find out tomorrow when I continue my review on the “Child’s Play series” in this year’s “Halloween Month.”