Title: Child’s Play
Director: Tom Holland
Year of Release: 1988
Scaredy-Cat Level: 👻 😂 (Funny, with some creepy moments)
Subgenre: Slasher? Creepy doll horror? Honestly, who knows — and who cares!
Plot Summary (Spoiler-Free)
A serial killer tries to beat the Black Friday sales by breaking into a toy store the night before, only to be shot and killed by a cop, but not before uttering some strange incantation to transfer his soul into that of a doll (and also cause a massive lightning storm).
Some poor mother then buys this doll for her son. Everything goes great for the first five minutes of owning the doll, till someone dies under very suspicious circumstances. Then other bad stuff happens, and the poor kid keeps blaming the doll, making him look like the guilty one. The rest is just bananas!
SPOILER ALERT!
The rest of this review contains some details and thoughts that might reveal a bit too much about the movie — you have been warned!
The Scaredy-Cat Experience
Jump Scare Count: I don’t think it had any jumps scares. Maybe one, but it couldn’t have been that memorable.
Tense Moments: As ridiculous as it may seem, there are some genuinely tense moments in this film I was on edge when the mother’s friend hears a noise, and we know it’s Chucky. They really drag that scene out, building the tension surprisingly well. Also, when the batteries fall out of the box — creepy!
Spooky Atmosphere: For me, any scene where the doll is on-screen, but not moving, was really spooky! Dolls freak me out, if I’m being honest. I remember being convinced that my sister’s dolls were moving as a kid, and, even though I hadn’t seen any Chucky films, I blame him!
Bits That Scared Me: Scare is a strong word! Let’s just say there were some creepy moments, and then move on to the funny stuff, okay? Good.
The Funny Bits:
The fall from the window! How many steps back did she take before falling? She pretty much launched herself out the window.
Every scene where Chucky is off-camera, except for his little, mischievous doll-hands. Cracked me up!
"Say something, you little... bastard." — What a line!
The mother miming that the peddler had bad teeth — so harsh!
The cop trying to avoid the knife through the car seat, like some weird reverse whack-a-mole.
"I have a date with a 6 year old boy" - that line has aged like milk.
Chucky muttering "fuck you" after the old lady calls him ugly. Brilliant.
Scaredy-Cat Verdict
This film might not be the scariest, but it certainly is creepy, and, considering how ridiculous the plot is, that is quite the achievement. In spite of myself, I enjoyed it, and it’s hard to imagine any horror fan not feeling the same way.
Final Thoughts
A creepy horror-comedy, that’s thoroughly entertaining. It’s also helped by the fact that the cast treat Chucky (a doll) as a genuine threat, which is so stupid, but it sort of helps you buy into the horror of it. A really dumb film with a ridiculous premise — but a blast to watch!
My (Out-of-Context) Thoughts During the Movie
"Directed by Spider-Man"
"Is that Wormtongue?"
"It's like the worst Black Friday ever."
"Why not just possess the cop?"
"Who's watching this kid?"
"I'd be fuming with that car crash of a breakfast."
"Aaah it's just clothes in the box, how cruel!"
"Her boss is a prrrick!"
"She should have let him watch the news."
"The kid has cracked the case!"
"Maybe Chucky should be keeping a lower profile, or at least covering his tracks a little."
"Andy is the name of the kid in Toy Story as well. Coincidence?"
"She's sending him to school after what happened? Oh, he's bringing his massive creepy doll as well."
"What a minute... he's not going to school."
"Even if you thought the kid was lying, you'd still get rid of the doll, just in case."
"I'm shocked that cop doesn't believe that the doll is alive and also a murderer."
"A peddler and a rapist, apparently."
"He tried strangle him before trying to stab him?"
"Ooh, almost got a knife in the nuts."
"Just stop the car!"
"He never told her about being attacked by the doll."
"This whole soul-transfer thing makes no sense. The rest of the plot is solid though."
"Look at his little legs running!"
"The kid is tooled-up!"
"Why would Chucky care if someone called him ugly? Its not his body, after all."
"Speed is definitely Chucky's weak point. And height."
"How come the whole apartment never went up in flames?"
"Every adult in this film is useless."
"Get your head away from the door!"
"These dolls are really well-made."
"Nobody. Nobody is gonna believe you."
"Directed by Spider-Man" = it’s like you read my mind!
Is it bad that I first watched a Chucky movie in elementary 😭😅??