PopHorror Let's Get Scared
I’ll never forget the night that I first saw Child’s Play 2. A friend and I went to see it opening weekend and that night after I dropped him off at his house, I had the misfortune of having my first car accident. I had only had my license for about three weeks and was driving way too fast around a curb and ran off the road and into a field in the middle of nowhere. It all seemed to be happening in slow motion as I was crashing through the barbed wire fence and as “Love in an Elevator” played on the radio all I could think was that Child’s Play 2 was going to be the last movie I ever saw because I was certain I was going to die. I didn’t thankfully, but it was a scary experience and to this day I don’t know what happened to the cigarette that I had just lit before I ran off the road (I think I may have swallowed it, but I am not sure).
Traumatizing car wrecks aside, I really dug Child’s Play 2 when I first saw it that night. I loved the first movie and was very excited about seeing the sequel when I first heard about it. I thought that it was an awesome movie that was even better than the first one and I had a blast with it. This movie helped to cement my love for Chucky, and I remember thinking as the end credits rolled that night that I couldn’t wait to see his further adventures as soon as possible.
I’ve seen it many times over the years and just watched it again over the weekend for the first time in years as my wife and I were doing a Child’s Play movie marathon. Was it as wonderful as I remember or did it have the same effect on me as crashing my car through a barb wire fence?
Keep reading to find out…
Synopsis
Everyone’s favorite killer doll returns to try once again to take over Andy’s body, slaughtering anyone unlucky enough to get in his way.
Without a doubt, Child Play 2 is still my favorite film in the series. As much as I love the original movie, I think that this film is just slightly better and is a tad more fun. Written by series creator Don Mancini (Child’s Play, Cellar Dweller) and directed by John Lafia (Man’s Best Friend, The Blue Iguana), this film just rocks in general and has a lot going for it.
I think that the people behind it did a great job of continuing the story as I like the idea of Andy being in foster care after the events of the first film (though I do miss his mom and Detective Norris and think they both should have at least had cameos this time around). I also dig the way that Chucky comes back to life as I think that it is a neat idea. Of course, I love the fact that Chucky is a lot more vicious this time around as it results in some fun and creative death scenes guaranteed to satisfy.
One of the best things about the movie is the cast. Brad Dourif (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Exorcist III) is phenomenal as the voice of Chucky and does an outstanding job as usual bringing him to life. To me, it just isn’t Chucky unless Dourif is voicing him, and while Mark Hamill tried in the remake, it just wasn’t the same. Alex Vincent (Curse of Chucky, House Guest Massacre) is also equally awesome as Andy, and I think that he knocks it out of the park here.
We’re also introduced to one of the best characters in the franchise here in Kyle, played perfectly by Christine Elise (The Last Big Attraction, Body Snatchers) who owns every scene that she is in. I love the character of Kyle and am glad that she eventually comes back, and her first appearance in this film is another reason that it is my favorite in the franchise.
I also dig the fact that there are a lot of fun and gory death scenes in this movie. Chucky isn’t messing around this time, and we get some awesome deaths such as suffocation with a plastic bag, someone stabbed with a ball pump and then bludgeoned with a yard stick, an electrocution, and multiple good old-fashioned stabbings. One of the best deaths involves some poor guy getting his eyes gouged out by a machine, and Chucky himself gets a painful and creative death this is all sorts of cool. I don’t want to give his death away in case you haven’t seen it, but let’s just say that it’s mighty unique and the audience was cheering when it happens when I first saw it at the theater. If you are into movies that have a slew of awesome and entertaining deaths, you have come to the right place with this movie.
I love most of the Child’s Play films (I’m a little on the fence with Seed of Chucky as I think it is the weakest entry) and think that Child’s Play 2 is without a doubt the best of the series. It has a little something for everyone, and I think that Chucky is at his absolute best here. I’ve always thought that it was a fun and entertaining installment, and while the first movie is a total classic, this one edges it out slightly as the overall best of the movies that feature Chucky. Check it out if you haven’t seen it, as it is nothing short of awesome and helped make Chucky a genuine horror icon.
