Child's Play (1988) (R, 2008)

In Chicago, a fleeing murderer named Charles Ray (Brad Dourif), who just happens to be a disciple of voodoo magic, is cornered by tough cop Mike (Chris Sarandon) in a toy store. Fatally shot, the dying villain mystically transfers his soul into a "Good Guy," a popular doll with a battery-operated voicebox ("I'm your friend to the end! Hi-de-ho!") and rudimentary facial expressions. The innocent-looking doll is subsequently purchased by Karen (Catherine Hicks), a struggling young widow, as a plaything for her 6-year-old son Andy (Alex Vincent). At first Andy's stories about being able to converse with the doll "Chucky" and blaming Chucky for nuisances around the apartment, just seem to be the little boy's imagination. When a babysitter is killed, however, it's just the beginning of a new rampage by Charles Ray -- but how can Karen (or investigating officer Mike) believe little Andy's claims that the doll is guilty?

While the premise of an evil toy has built-in appeal for youthful horror addicts, very little of CHILD'S PLAY is easy to take seriously, from its over-the-top '80s-action beginning to its Terminator -like conclusion (you'll be amazed the actors managed to keep from giggling). Some decent moments early on evoke much sympathy for unfairly accused Andy, and there are particularly effective shudders when the script just allows our fear to do all the work envisioning an ambulatory, killer doll at large. Brief glimpses of the small, scuttling figure around corners, quick cuts to Chucky's head barely moving -- suggestions like that are unexpectedly creepy.

But when the filmmakers finally unleash the full f/x, with Chucky snarling, swearing, biting, knifing, and flinging himself bodily at grown-ups, laughter is the gut reaction, and a parade of sequels ultimately degenerated into comedy, at least getting the inherent stupidity of the whole premise out in the open. Fans might claim to find a touch of social commentary in the ancillary detail that the Good Guy doll is supposed to be (like Tickle Me Elmo and XBoxes in past years) one of those in-demand Christmas gifts that cue shopper frenzies to buy them (as parodied in the non-horror Jingle All the Way). But if this was meant as any sort of slam against toy-industry overcommercialization, sorry; Chucky missed that boat several sequels back.

Studio: MGM/UA
Director: Todd Holland
Cast: Alex Vincent, Brad Dourif, Catherine Hicks, Chris Sarandon
Genre: Horror
Run time: 87 minutes
Theatrical release: November 15, 2008
DVD release: September 28, 1999
MPAA Rating: R