Child's Play 2

There's something to marvel at while watching "Child's Play 2." From a grandiose score courtesy of the wonderful Graeme Revell. To some really fascinating set-design. To quirky, stylized direction from John Lafia. And even a few key scenes that have a timeless, mythical feel. It seems that the creative team behind "Child's Play 2" sought to not only create an effective sequel, but also build the character of Chucky into the sort of thing that legends are made of. This is a big, bombastic, wild ride of a film, constrained within the guise of being a standard slasher-sequel.

But, there's something important to think about. A key question. Does it work?

And the answer to that question: Sort of, I guess.

Following a wild opening in which Chucky (voiced by the fantastic Brad Dourif) is re-constructed in a way that I actually found quite intriguing, he escapes and sets off to find his old target- young Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent), who is in the process of being placed into a new foster home. With his new body, Chucky hopes to finally be able to transfer his tormented spirit into a human host once and for all. And so a sort-of deadly game begins, as Chucky infiltrates Andy's new home, and toys with him, causing him distress and picking off the people around him, leading up to a final confrontation that I can only describe as epic in scope and quite satisfying.

Returning screenwriter Don Mancini seems more at home this time around (after some apparent drama with the first film going into rewrites), and relishes in the chaos of the storyline. You can feel a writer just having fun with the material when you watch this film. Everything is bigger. Stakes rise to new heights. Set-pieces are more encompassing and wild. And there are new ideas being explored left and right.

John Lafia's guidance as director is quite good. While the original film was slick and grounded, Lafia here goes for stylized visuals that lend a unique quality to the film, making it feel more akin to a fairy-tale. And I really enjoyed that aspect of the production. Although at times it does take you out of the movie, because things are a little TOO stylish. (A scene where a character has to run around a maze of boxes, while suspenseful, will probably make you chuckle and exclaim "Who stacks boxes like that?!")

I found the performances admirable. Alex Vincent grows quite a bit as a young performer. Though I didn't mention it in my review of the first film, I never found his acting organic or believable. He was just a little too young and a little too cute for you to believe the emotions he was trying to convey. But here, he knocks it out of the park. He's a bit older, as had more experience acting, and is able to give a really remarkable, compelling performance for a child-actor. Supporting roles by the likes of Christine Elise and Jenny Agutter are also quite good. Particularly Elise as "Kyle", Andy's older "Foster Sister", who becomes the person he connects with most in the story. She has a lot of heart in her performance, and comes off well on- screen, and along with Andy, is the one person you really care for.

And of course there is Brad Dourif. He IS Chucky. His role is a perfect blend of different elements, combining to create a near-ideal slasher-movie villain. Dourif's voice is commanding and threatening, yet also oddly endearing and amusing when it needs to be. His delivery is spot-on in every scene. And he is able to take charge of every scene he's in.

All of this being said, I do think there are a lot of fundamental issues with the film. And I do believe that despite rampant strengths, it just doesn't quite "gel together" as it did in the first movie.

Despite the more grandiose scale and qualities of the film, I thought it didn't do quite as good a job at forging human connections. With so much chaotic content, the smaller moments just seemed to become lost in translation, which is a pretty big issue. This is a film of style over substance.

I also felt that the film lost me at a few times. Some of the performers aren't up to snuff (despite the main cast being great), some of the deaths are bizarre and weak, and some moments just seemed silly, or went on for far too long.

If the film could have gone through just a little bit more trimming and re-editing, I think it could easily have matched the quality of the original.

But still, as it stands, "Child's Play 2" is highly enjoyable, albeit flawed. And I think that in the grand scheme of things, it's definitely worth checking out for all fans of horror. If the story doesn't win you over, the crazy, mythical style just might.

I give it an average 6 out of 10.

The not-so-innocent movie about a child's doll continues with Andy Barkley (Alex Vincent) being sent to live in a foster care home while his mom is recovering from a mental hospital. Nobody believes Andy's story about Chucky the killer doll, but that soon changes when the doll returns, possessed once again by serial killer Charles Lee Ray. It goes on another rampage, this time trying to free his evil soul from the doll and transfer into Andy's body.

The plot's pacing, script, and music score work fine in this movie, with a some good humor and suspense, and some creepy moments. The acting was pretty good for the most part - especially enjoyed the characters of Andy and Kyle. Vincent portrayed Andy with innocence but determination and Christine Elise gave a rebellious yet tender-hearted and strong portrayal of foster teenager Kyle. Brad Dourif gave another sinister, dark, and sarcastically funny portrayal of Chucky.

The overall horror elements may seem tame by more recent standards, but it's still a rather entertaining horror sequel.

Grade B

Chucky is one of those dolls that can't stay dead, still inhabited by an evil spirit. The little boy he turned into an orphan is leaving the clinic now that he's over the traumatic situation (or so the head of the clinic tells his adoptive parents). His adoptive parents take him home and you know things aren't going to settle down when a Chucky doll drops from the top shelf of a closet he's exploring.

The evil Chucky doll finds his way to the household, switches places with the toy doll and buries it, setting the stage for things to come. Credibility really is strained by the time we get to the schoolroom scene where Chucky has followed the boy to school, lands magically in his classroom and manages to start trouble between the boy and the teacher, who subsequently gets killed by Chucky after the boy has climbed out a window. Takes quite an imagination to think of these plot lines, but when the imagination runs wild plausibility begins to suffer.

Following the schoolhouse segment, the bizarre incidents keep piling up as Chucky gets away with more and more havoc and no one believes the boy is telling the truth--just as in the original.

None of the incidents are as startling or as well staged as in CHILD'S PLAY, but it still manages to hold the interest with some original touches tinged with fright and a weird sense of humor. Especially good are the effects toward the end when Chucky holds the spunky adopted girl and boy captive as the story speeds toward an ending in the toy factory. The factory sequence has some grotesque chills as one of the workers gets caught up in the doll machinery and Chucky himself suffers quite a few "happenings" at the toy factory before he's liquidated by the boy.

Entertaining nonsense despite the strain on credibility.

"Child's Play 2" is the first sequel to the popular 1988 original. The first film was a very entertaining horror film. The second movie in the series isn't as good, but it's not real bad either. However, the filmmakers took the gory route for this one. All the graphic violence makes it less effective. The first movie worked so well because it kept the violence down to a minimal. Oh the first film was violent, but not as violent as this one. But it's stylish look somehow makes it watchable. And, like the original, it's entertaining to watch. Young Alex Vincent reprises his role from the original as Andy Barclay, the boy who in this movie goes to live with foster parents while his mother seeks psychiatric help (from the events in "Child's Play"). Andy himself still isn't all together, and when Chucky the killer doll re-enters his life again, watch out! "Child's Play 2" may not be as good as "Child's Play", but it sure is better than the next movie in the series, "Child's Play 3" (which I thought was awful). I haven't seen the fourth movie yet ("Bride of Chucky"), so I can't voice my opinion on that one at the moment.

**1/2 (out of four)

So I watched the first Child's Play a couple of months ago. I hadn't ever seen it growing up, even though I started really getting into slashers when I was about 16. I finally decided to watch it, and had a perfectly fun time, but not much more. I hadn't had the desire to rewatch it, or buy it. That said, I did still have a slight interest in seeing this one. Today, I finally did...and I'm really glad I did. I found this one more entertaining than the first one in every way. The movie flew by, and every scene I was intrigued to see where it was going. I found myself very invested in Andy's character, and seeing how he deals with the aftermath of the first one. I also found Kyle to be a really likeable, older sister type character. Between Chucky's one liners, the atmosphere, the pacing, and the acting, I was hooked. Not to mention the finale has an awesome setting. I'm glad I checked it out, and as a horror fan, I may just need to add it to my collection.