Chucky is usually left out of the horror movie talk. It’s always Jason, Freddy, Michael Myers. You’d hear Pinhead and Leatherface long before Chucky too. Being a murderous doll does have it’s disadvantages (a solid kick will probably save you). Child’s Play hit theatres in 1988, at that point Friday the 13th was up to it’s 7th movie. So while he’s always been in the shadows of the bigger horror icons, Chucky’s fan base still appreciates him. The series continues to pop up over time and this year we get the 6th movie, Curse of Chucky.

The last 2 movies strayed from the mold of the first 3, adding doll family members and more comedy to the mix. The series went in the direction that the Nightmare on Elm Street veered into, leaving straight horror for more camp. Curse of Chucky pulls things back to the original, the trapped soul of a serial killer hiding in plain sight, bumping off people one by one to get to his goal. They really tried to make a straight forward horror movie while expanding the lore of the franchise. For the most part, it worked.

It’s a great low budget movie. Made for a few million dollars, all that money appears on screen. Most of the movie takes place in an old house, so the scope is very narrow and precise. Chucky is delivered to Sarah, who we find out is part of Chucky’s past. She opens the box and it’s just a funny looking doll, so she sets it aside for her granddaughter at the request of her daughter, Nica.

Chucky is wisely in hiding for the entire movie. He only reveals himself to people when it’s too late for them to defend themselves. It works to build tension and suspense really well and the pay off is usually great. There’s a body count of 6, which isn’t too much, but it fits the series and the deaths are well done. The puppet work is really outstanding, with little CG added (only when he’s seen walking down stairs). There’s a real life to him and the voice of Brad Dourif is perfect as usual. My only complaint is that he seems to change in size from scene to scene. When he knocks someone down and walks up to them with an ax, you can see his legs are maybe 4 inches long. He’d never be able to walk downstairs normally with legs that long. He’s huge when people pick him up, but not nearly as big when standing on his own.

The story is solid as it’s a mystery in the beginning that slowly unravels right into the end. I was really surprised at the end as it’s not something you see much. If you like the Child’s Play movies, check this out for sure. If you’re in the mood for a different kind of slasher movie, go for it and have a good time.