Figures from the curse of Chucky Chucky, the notorious killer doll, has been terrorizing audiences for years. From his first appearance in 1988's "Child's Play" to his most recent outing in 2017's "Cult of Chucky," Chucky has become a horror icon. **Chucky** himself is a pint-sized menace with a diabolical sense of humor. Though he may be small in stature, his murderous tendencies are anything but. With his piercing blue eyes, red hair, and ominous grin, Chucky strikes fear into the hearts of his victims. **Tiffany** is another iconic figure from the Chucky franchise.
Nica (Fiona Dourif) is as compelling a main character as Andy was in the first three films. And Fiona Dourif brings her to life in such an impressive, enjoyable way that she quickly ranks among the best characters in the franchise. She’s immediately likable, she’s able to stand on her own against Chucky, and she’s actually given a bit of a character arc. It’s been a while since we’ve had a main character that wasn’t Chucky or Tiffany, so Nica feels like quite the breath of fresh air.
And you d think that wouldn t work, given the fact that it doesn t really work in the first Child s Play movie, and the franchise has always shown Chucky killing people pretty quickly thereafter. But Bride of Chucky successfully reinvented the franchise as more of a horror-comedy a trend that was continued with more mixed results in Seed of Chucky.
**Tiffany** is another iconic figure from the Chucky franchise. Formerly known as Charles Lee Ray's girlfriend, she becomes a killer doll in her own right after transferring her soul into a doll's body. With her seductive charm and deadly wit, Tiffany is a force to be reckoned with.
REVIEW: “Curse of Chucky”
At this point, I think the Chucky franchise’s greatest strength is its ability to reinvent itself any time its formula gets too stale. The first three films were pretty standard 1980s slashers. But Bride of Chucky successfully reinvented the franchise as more of a horror-comedy—a trend that was continued with more mixed results in Seed of Chucky. And 2013’s Curse of Chucky successfully reinvents the franchise once again, this time as a return to the realm of scarier horror films—now with a bit of a gothic flare. Curse of Chucky is a compulsively watchable film, led by a thrilling performance from Fiona Dourif, a solid story, some super fun kills, and a surprising amount of restraint. (4 out of 5 wands.)
NOTE: This review contains spoilers.
Curse of Chucky
Written and directed by Don Mancini
Out for revenge, Chucky (Brad Dourif) the killer doll infiltrates the family of a woman, her sister and her young niece.
There’s a couple of things that immediately jump out when watching Curse of Chucky. The first is just how good it is. The sixth film in any franchise has no right being this good. And yet, almost every aspect of Curse of Chucky works very well. The pacing is excellent, building up an incredibly creepy atmosphere before all hell reigns loose. The more expendable characters perfectly straddle that line between unlikable enough that you root for their deaths but not so unlikable they make watching the movie a drag.
Nica (Fiona Dourif) is as compelling a main character as Andy was in the first three films. And Fiona Dourif brings her to life in such an impressive, enjoyable way that she quickly ranks among the best characters in the franchise. She’s immediately likable, she’s able to stand on her own against Chucky, and she’s actually given a bit of a character arc. It’s been a while since we’ve had a main character that wasn’t Chucky or Tiffany, so Nica feels like quite the breath of fresh air.
The other thing you immediately notice is how restrained Curse of Chucky is. Again, we’re six movies into the franchise. At this point, everyone knows the Chucky doll is possessed by the soul of Charles Lee Ray. We all know the doll is gonna start killing people at some point. And yet, Curse of Chucky holds back on fully revealing this to the audience until nearly halfway through the movie. And you’d think that wouldn’t work, given the fact that it doesn’t really work in the first Child’s Play movie, and the franchise has always shown Chucky killing people pretty quickly thereafter.
But it does work. Mostly because Curse of Chucky feels like a soft reboot, as though it’s going to ignore the films that came before it. So, the movie assumes the audience doesn’t know anything about Chucky and spends a lot of time reintroducing them into the world. And it gives us a chance to actually get to know Nica and the rest of the characters, to form an attachment to them, to get invested in the storyline. And it works. It feels like a really well-executed horror movie that just happens to be a part of the Chucky franchise.
But lest you fear this is just another reboot, as the film goes on it becomes abundantly clear that it’s set in exactly the same timeline as the previous five films, and Mancini has no desire to ignore any of those movies. Yes, Curse of Chucky is not a direct sequel to Seed of Chucky. And yes, Glen/Glenda isn’t mentioned at all here, nor are most of the plot developments from the last few films. But a whole lot of other elements are. Numerous characters from previous films are referenced – including Andy and Tiffany, both of whom appear towards the end of the film.
While the Chucky doll initially looks quite different from previous designs, it’s pretty quickly revealed that he’s just got a new layer of skin on top of the same, stitched-up face found in the previous films (and the big reveal of his face is a pretty fun one). And, most importantly, Chucky still retains his trademark personality. In the latter half of the film, when he’s fully active again, he’s making quips and killing people in quite disturbing ways and it’s so much fun. As usual, all of the kills in this movie are excellent, showcasing a lot of creativity and brutality. And Brad Dourif seems to still be having an absolute blast voicing the killer doll.
If I had one complaint about Curse of Chucky, it would be the big reveal about Chucky and Nica’s backstory. I really just… don’t like the idea of connecting Chucky and Nica like this. The idea that Chucky is responsible for Nica being in a wheelchair because he had some creepy infatuation with her mom and then stabbed her in the stomach when she was about to give birth to Nica just… doesn’t sit right. Like, yes, Chucky is a murderer and a thief and not somebody to root for in any regard. But this whole plotline is just… unpleasant. And not in a fun way.
And I like it even less that this event directly leads him to the situation that begins the first Child’s Play film—where he breaks into the toy store and transfers his soul into the doll. And now, all these years later, he’s looking for revenge on the family that led to his predicament? Chucky has never needed this kind of motivation before to kill an entire family before, so I’m not entirely sure why he needed it here. Within the context of this particular movie, I guess it works just fine. But within the context of the franchise as a whole, I could’ve lived without it. It’s not a deal-breaker or anything, and it is rather fun seeing Brad Dourif as the human Chucky again. But it just didn’t really work for me.
On the whole, though, Curse of Chucky is a lot of fun. As someone who liked Bride of Chucky and didn’t hate (but didn’t love) Seed of Chucky, it is nice seeing the franchise hew closer towards scary again instead of horror-comedy. I mean, I love a good campy horror-comedy as much as the next person, but I love a scary movie with a sense of humor even more. And that’s exactly what Curse of Chucky is. It takes itself just seriously enough (but not too seriously) that it feels like a respectable entry in the film. The plot is simple but well-executed. The kills are as fun as you’d like them to be. Fiona Dourif’s Nica is a great addition to the franchise (and it’s really fun seeing the actress go toe-to-toe with her father in the scenes they share). The only thing I didn’t like was the additions made to Chucky’s backstory, but it’s something easily overlookable as it doesn’t seem like they’ll be super important going forward.
Curse of Chucky is such a fun movie and a breath of fresh air, and it leaves off with a post-credits scene that makes me super eager to watch the next film. So, that’s definitely a bonus. If you’re a Chucky fan, you know this is a movie worth watching. And if you’re more of a skeptic, there’s still a lot here to enjoy.
4 out of 5 wands.
The other thing you immediately notice is how restrained Curse of Chucky is. Again, we’re six movies into the franchise. At this point, everyone knows the Chucky doll is possessed by the soul of Charles Lee Ray. We all know the doll is gonna start killing people at some point. And yet, Curse of Chucky holds back on fully revealing this to the audience until nearly halfway through the movie. And you’d think that wouldn’t work, given the fact that it doesn’t really work in the first Child’s Play movie, and the franchise has always shown Chucky killing people pretty quickly thereafter.
**Andy Barclay** is a key character in the Chucky series. He becomes the first target of Chucky's murderous rampage in the original "Child's Play" when his mother gifts him the doll. Throughout the series, Andy grows up and becomes more adept at fighting off Chucky's attempts on his life. **Nica Pierce** is introduced in "Curse of Chucky" as a wheelchair-bound woman living with her family. She becomes the target of Chucky's evil after a mysterious package arrives at her doorstep. Nica proves to be resourceful, using her disability to her advantage in the fight against Chucky. **Glen/Glenda** is a unique addition to the Chucky family. Introduced in "Seed of Chucky," Glen is the child of Chucky and Tiffany. Unlike his parents, Glen is not inherently evil, struggling with his nature throughout the film. Glen's struggle adds a layer of complexity to the narrative. These figures from the curse of Chucky have become legendary in the horror genre. Each character brings their own unique abilities, weaknesses, and motivations to the story, making for a thrilling and terrifying ride for audiences. Whether you love or fear them, Chucky and his cohorts have left an indelible mark on the world of horror..
Reviews for "The Curse of Chucky: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Haunted Dollhouse"
1. John - 2/5
I found "Figures from the Curse of Chucky" to be quite disappointing. The storyline seemed weak and unoriginal, and the characters were unconvincing. The film failed to create any real tension or fear, and the jump scares were predictable and cliché. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied with this installment of the Chucky franchise.
2. Sarah - 1/5
I have been a fan of the Chucky movies for years, but "Figures from the Curse of Chucky" was a huge letdown. The plot was nonsensical and confusing, and the acting was wooden and unconvincing. The scares were few and far between, and the movie relied heavily on cheap jump scares that failed to elicit any fear. I was extremely disappointed with this film and would not recommend it to any Chucky fans.
3. Mark - 2/5
As a fan of the original Chucky movies, I was excited to see "Figures from the Curse of Chucky." However, I found it to be lackluster and forgettable. The storyline felt forced and uninspired, and the characters lacked depth. The film relied too heavily on gore and violence, at the expense of a compelling plot. Overall, I was disappointed with this installment and hope that future Chucky movies can recapture the magic of the original films.
4. Emily - 2/5
I was expecting a lot more from "Figures from the Curse of Chucky," but it fell far short of my expectations. The plot felt disjointed and hard to follow, and the pacing was off. The character development was also minimal, making it hard for me to care about what happened to any of them. The film relied too heavily on shock value and gore, rather than creating genuine scares. Overall, I was not impressed with this movie and would not recommend it to others.
5. Alex - 1/5
"Figures from the Curse of Chucky" was a complete waste of my time. The storyline was unoriginal and predictable, and the acting was subpar at best. The scares were minimal and failed to create any real tension or fear. I had high hopes for this movie, but it ultimately fell flat. I would not recommend wasting your time with this lackluster installment of the Chucky franchise.