Released at the beginning of October, the
newest film to feature the familiar, foul mouthed, possessed doll, Cult Of
Chucky continues the story from the previous film. The Child’s Play/Chucky
franchise is another I need to revisit, as I’m not too familiar with it. I
haven’t seen all of the films, and the ones I’ve seen haven’t been watched any
time in the last few years. As such, I viewed Cult of Chucky more in the
context of an individual film than a continuation of the franchise. At least in
the sense of watching the films back to back, or in order.
At the beginning of the film, Andy (a
familiar character central to Chucky’s story) is revealed to have the severed,
burned, mutilated head of Chucky in his home. Chucky is still very much alive
in his decapitated form, and still very much the smart-ass we’re used to. It’s
also revealed that Chucky’s victim (from the previous installment in the
franchise), Nina, is confined to a mental institution as the result of being blamed
for Chucky’s crimes. Dr. Foley, the psychiatrist in charge of both the
institution and Nina’s treatment, has been working to convince Nina she’s
guilty, not believing that a possessed doll exists. Which is understandable.
Would you believe someone if they told you stories of a kid’s doll possessed by
a serial killer? That being said, Dr. Foley isn’t exactly a likeable character
himself, proving to be an opportunistic sexual predator.
When the ‘Good Guy’ doll shows up in a
group therapy session, the institution door is literally opened to Chucky’s
diabolical and murderous rampages. Predictably, the rest of the film revolves
around Nina trying to convince other characters that Chucky is real and capable
of committing the subsequent (and pretty entertaining) murders that occur. Andy
appears in the film several times, attempting to fulfill his apparent quest to
destroy Chucky.
Cult of Chucky leans more toward the
slasher sub-genre of horror, unlike some of the other films in the franchise.
There is still humor in this one, but definitely less so than some of the
previous movies. This, for me, is a good thing. I’m not a huge of comedic
horror and the entire premise and character development of Chucky himself is
one that I find comedic. And that’s not even venturing into Chucky’s dialogue
and actions. So the slasher element, minus some of the stupid comedy present in
some of the other films, makes this one decent. It might actually be an
accessible movie for someone who isn’t already a Chucky fan.
There are no major surprises or twists, but
Cult Of Chucky is still an enjoyable watch. And if you’re excited to see the
little bastard come back, the film’s ending definitely sets this up. There’s
nothing new or brilliant, but there aren’t any major disappointments or holes
either. Overall, if you’re looking for a fun horror watch, give it a try.
Worth watching: Probably
