Child’s Play (directed by Lars Klevberg) is a slight departure from any of the previous releases and for horror purists that is a big no-no. However, if you were to step back for second and look at the broader picture, remake something in the exact same way would have been foolish. Horror fans would have crucified him for trying to latch on to the past. So Klevberg and writer Tyler Burton Smith had to take this iconic figure in a whole new direction while attempting to capture the essence of why fans are drawn to this franchise.
What initially was thought as nothing more than brand exploitation, in reality, is a cleverly updated version on Don Mancini’s classic. Aubrey Plaza, Bryan Tyree Henry, and Gabriel Bateman do nail those melodramatic moments. Hamill’s take on Chucky is creepy as hell and will leave audience members quite unsettled. Being upfront, I fully expected this to be a deplorable experience, but Child’s Play surprised me.
So how does the Buddi end up becoming Chucky? Well, this time, we don’t have any instances of possession occurring. What does happen is a sweatshop worker in Vietnam is fired for being too slow and as an act of vengeance, he ends up turning off all the safety mechanisms which prevented this A.I. doll from going off the deep end. The doll ends up being sold but returned to the store Andy’s mom (Plaza) works at, and she ends up giving to Andy (Bateman) as a birthday present.
Where this version of Child’s Play takes a turn is that Chucky doesn’t use Andy to carry out some twisted plot. He generally wants to be best friends with him but doesn’t to take kindly to anyone who threatens or gets in the way of their friendship. For those fans who yearn for those classic “Chucky” moments, you do get plenty of them in the film. Let’s just say that I’ll never look at taking down the Christmas lights the same way.
Fans will be satisfied with the amount of gore in the film. Is it to the same level as Bride Of Chucky or some of the other movies? Not really, but comparing the two isn’t necessarily easy. In Mancini’s version of Chucky, he was the embodiment of evil, and in this film, he’s now more of a stalker. If he can’t have Andy, then no one can.
Child’s Play does touch on some interesting elements about our world. For starters, how we live in such a connected world. Part of the terror Chucky unleashes is his connectivity to everything. What would happen if something with A.I. took control of all the items in your house? They even make light of it during the film.
Probably, my favorite moment of the film had to have been during the third act where Klevberg truly heighten the level terror as Chucky attempted to finish what he started. Overall, with the exception of some minor nitpicks (Plaza might have been better cast as Andy’s older sister, but that’s just me), I didn’t have a problem at all with the Child’s Play reboot. It was a ton of fun, with just the right amount of mix between suspense and gore.
Do you plan on seeing the film this weekend? Do you think that it lives up to the previous films? Do you think it is a massive waste of time? If you have seen Child’s Play, then let us know what your thoughts are in the comments section below.
Dewey Singleton has been reviewing new releases in television and film for many years. Dewey's reviews have been heard in multiple markets (Houston Atlanta, Tampa). Dewey's past work has been with awardswatch.com, awardsradar.com, and bleeding cool. Dewey is a proud member of the CCA.