Back of Box:
Nobody believes 6-year old Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent) when he says that "Chucky," his new birthday doll, is alive.
And when Andy's baby sitter is violently pushed out the window to her death, the boy tells his mother (Catherine Hicks) and
the detective (Chris Sarandon) the simple truth--"Chucky did it."
In this "clever, playful thriller" (New York Times), voodoo and terror
meet when an innocent-looking doll is inhabited by the soul of a killer who wasn't ready to die. Only young Andy realizes
that Chucky, who promises to be his "friend to the end," is responsible for the ensuing rampage of gruesome murders.
But the real terror takes hold when the deranged doll becomes determined to transfer his evil spirit to a living human being!
Director Tom Holland, creator of the popular Fright Night, "treats his
audience intelligently" (New York Times) in this stylish trill-a-minute chiller co-written by Holland, Don Mancini
and John Lafie. Filled with startling special effects and heart-pounding suspense, Child's Play will terrify
you like no other film can. "Look out Freddy, here comes Chucky" (Boston Globe)!
Plot: I'm not going to
lie, I really like the premise for this film. It appeals to the kid in me. The plot sets the backdrop
for a fun, popcorn film from the very beginning. However, It's also set up to not be taken too seriously, luckily
it doesn't take itself too seriously.
Acting: I really like the
acting in this film. It seemed that all the actors were having a good time. It really came through in the performances.
I will also say that the relationship between Karen Barclay (Catherine Hicks) and Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent) was simply amazing.
Andy (Alex) tries so hard to get his mother to listen to him, crying for help, and Karen (Catherine) wants to believe her
son so bad but can't accept it, torn. Great acting.
Gore: Body Count (6)
There's not too much in the way of blood and gore. Falling out of a building onto a parked car, an electrocution,
and a rather large explosion. There's one particular scene that involves a voodoo doll that's pretty hard to watch,
but other than that the deaths are pretty basic. I think the best effects, however, are saved for the final confrontation.
Suspense: This film is
a little too childish to capture what one might call suspense. However, this movie does have a few scenes
that mildly jumpstart the heart. There's a wonderful scene set in a car out of control and a decent little scene in a
children's hospital. One scene I must mention. It's the only scene that manages to get a real chill
out of me and it's one of my favorite horror film moments ever. The scene where Karen (Catherine) discovers Chucky
is without batteries, Chucky's head spins around, and we here the classic line, "Hi, I'm Chucky, wanna play?" Gold.
Directing: Not much to
add in this one. I give the director credit for Fright Night, but I must say he didn't really do much in this
film. The camera work wasn't bad by any means, it just wasn't anything special. He's got a hell of an eye for
setting up death and the film's final shot is great, I'll give him that. Other than that, not much to add here
at all.
Tech: I think the lighting
for this film works extremely well. It is aided quite nicely by the backdrop of the big city. The soundtrack wasn't
very effective, but it added what it could. The sound did its job with effectiveness. It doesn't disappoint either.
Chucky is one creepy looking doll. Kind of like My Buddy, only tripped out on acid. Kudos to
the design team. I also want to applaud the team in charge of controlling Chucky, the animatronics worked and it looked
amazing.
Other: One of the funniest
lines of cheese ever uttered, "This is the end, friend." Genius! That's it.
Final Word: Well, what can I say? I love
this film. Every bit of its cheese filled goodness makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside...hmm. Anyway, its
not the end all of horror, but it does offer up a good time, more than I can say for a lot other films. Just watch
this one and don't expect too much, I guarantee you won't be disappointed.
