Child’s Play

Dir Lars Klevberg, US 2019 On UK release

The 1980s were undoubtedly the golden age of outlandish horror movie premises, and 1988’s Child’s Play launched a franchise that certainly fits that bill. While the first emphasised the horror and traumatised viewers by tapping into a common fear of creepy dolls, the film’s possessed plaything, Chucky, became a fan favourite in his own right thanks to the character’s twisted sense of humour and the filmmakers being well and truly in on the joke in the increasingly ludicrous sequels.

Brad Dourif’s voice acting was integral to Chucky’s identity, so fans were worried by the prospect of a different actor taking on the role; however, Mark Hamill, having already delivered an iconic voice performance as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, proves himself more than up to the task. Thankfully, he does his own thing, rather than seeking to match Dourif’s performance in terms of intensity and profanity. Hamill’s Chucky is almost sweet, positively subdued in comparison to Dourif’s stabby, screeching lunatic of a demonic doll.

No longer possessed by the spirit of serial killer Charles Lee Ray, 2019’s Chucky is a reboot –

quite literally. While undeniably still creepy, the deadly doll is not supernaturally animated but instead a piece of tech suffering from a particularly malicious malfunction – which makes it easier to disconnect from one’s strong memories of the Dourif version. Hamill’s Chucky is an entirely different type – albeit one with only a smidgen of the personality of the original.

As for the rest of the film, neither the plot nor the acting is much to write home about; but award-season-worthy filmmaking has never been the point of Chucky’s misadventures, and the people behind this reboot fully understand that the Child’s Play franchise is synonymous with having as much fun as possible with a preposterous premise. Just as the franchise took a turn towards blood-soaked comedy rather than the traditional slasher, the new film picks up this mantle and delivers an utterly silly piece of playful horror cinema.

While mainstream moviegoers will probably find the film incredibly stupid, connoisseurs of crap will recognise that

Child’s Play is the best kind of stupid: completely self-aware and therefore enjoyable in all its disposable, ridiculous glory.

Leyla Mikkelsen ★★★★★