In RFMC’s “All Dolled Up” series, I’m taking my first journey through the seven original films, one reboot film and one TV series of the “Child’s Play/Chucky” franchise. Spoilers follow.
Overall impressions
After landing a hit with 1988’s “Child’s Play,” series creator Don Mancini writes “Child’s Play 2” (1990) and one of his co-writers on the original, John Lafia, directs. It’s more of the same, but pointedly, it’s much more of the same in terms of letting Brad Dourif – in the same year as his “Exorcist III” turn as a serial killer — give a standout vocal performance with lots of menacing one-liners. Chucky becomes a bona fide icon.
On the downside, this is the same plot as the O.G., with Andy (Alex Vincent) still being doubted by everyone. Awkwardly, but I suppose plausibly, his mom is in a mental ward off-screen and the police have chosen to cover up what really happened, since no one would believe them.
“Child’s Play 2” (1990)
Director: John Lafia
Writer: Don Mancini
Stars: Alex Vincent, Jenny Agutter, Gerrit Graham
Even more implausibly, though, the police have given the possessed Chucky doll corpse back to the Play Pals corporation, which then does the movie-sequel thing of accidentally resurrecting Chucky (who apparently was hanging on to life within the doll’s ruined body).
Outsider status
Orphans. Andy is now not merely “the kid who no one believes” – a sort of Boy Who Cried Wolf except he’s not lying – he is also now a quasi-orphan. He’s fostered by a reasonably kind couple (Jenny Agutter and Gerrit Graham), and his older foster sister, Kyle (Christine Elise), is also quite sympathetic and gives him good — if expected — advice like “The only person you can count on is yourself.”
Comedy quotient
95 percent horror, 5 percent comedy. Chucky is more terrifying in the sequel, starting when he suffocates Play Pals’ corporate yes man with a plastic bag. Clearly and believably, he is dangerous. Aside from the intrinsic dark-comedy nature of a killer doll, the second “Chucky” does not go for chuckles.
Magic and the dolls
Play Pals rebuilds and refurbishes Chucky as part of their investigation into what went wrong with this particular doll, and that’s enough for him to regain his strength. He dispatches his friendly, non-possessed doppelganger, Tommy, and takes over that identity.
Chucky – who we learn had used voodoo rituals in his serial killings when human — has suffered no mental lapses and is ready to use the spell to possess Andy’s body. He’s simply stopped because the timing never works out, and then when he does find time to do it, he’s too ingrained with the doll to be free from it. Convenient, but clearly explained by the script.
Special effects
Animatronics seem to be used more in “Child’s Play 2,” combining with all the standard tricks to again make Chucky a convincing entity. Even more so than in the first film, the filmmakers are not timid about Chucky being on screen.
Best kill
A poor factory worker fixes a jammed assembly line, then Chucky starts it up and he gets his eyes punched with doll’s eyes. Although the disturbing nature of that one can’t be topped, it is pretty epic the Andy and Kyle slather Chucky in hot plastic and then – when he’s still somehow alive – they finish him off by filling him with explosive gas.
Best one-liner
Chucky trips foster dad Phil on the basement stairs, leaving him hanging upside down. He says “How’s it hanging, Phil?” before finishing him off.
References and meta commentary
“A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors” (1987) is a fan-favorite of that franchise, as it focuses on a ragtag group of foster kids. It’s probably a coincidence that foster kids Andy and Kyle are the heroes of “Child’s Play 2,” but regardless, I can’t blame Mancini for using a proven shortcut to creating sympathetic youths.
Continuity and predictions
Chucky is various globs of goo at the end of “Child’s Play 2,” but like the liquid metal T-1000 in “Terminator 2” (1991), I imagine he can be reassembled. It might be via sloppy corporate meddling again, or – if Mancini aims to expand the mythology – it could be by an ally helping Chucky out. We shall see.