Cult of Chucky (Universal Studios Movie Review)

Cult of Chucky Blu-ray Distributed By: Universal Studios / October 3, 2017

Confined to an asylum for the criminally insane for the past four years, Nica Pierce (Fiona Dourif) is wrongly convinced that she, not Chucky, murdered her entire family. But when her psychiatrist introduces a new therapeutic “tool” to facilitate his patients’ group sessions — an all-too-familiar “Good Guy” doll with an innocently smiling face — a string of grisly deaths begins to plague the asylum. Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent), Chucky’s now-grown-up nemesis from the original Child’s Play, races to Nica’s aid. But to save her he’ll have to get past Tiffany (Oscar®-nominee Jennifer Tilly), Chucky’s long-ago bride, who will do anything, no matter how deadly or depraved, to help her beloved devil doll.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Director/Writer/Executive Producer Don Mancini
Inside the Insanity of Cult of Chucky
Good Guy Gone Bad: The Incarnations of Chucky
The Dollhouse
Feature Commentary with Director/Writer/Executive Producer Don Mancini and Head Puppeteer/Associate Producer Tony Gardner
Digital Copy of Cult of Chucky (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.)

Jimbo:	(3.0 / 5)
Jamie:	(2.0 / 5)
Average:	(2.5 / 5)

Jimbo’s Take

Cult of Chucky is now available in all major formats – Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD from Universal Studios. Popular streaming service Netflix licensed the R rated version for which I screened.

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Cult of Chucky is the 7th film in the 29 year old franchise where our favorite killer doll is back for more. Cult immediately assumes you’re up to speed on the franchise, especially the 6th installment, Curse of Chucky. Brad Dourif (voice of Chucky) returns alongside actress/daughter Fiona Dourif (reprising her role from Curse). If you haven’t seen the other films, Director/Writer Don Mancini throws in a few quick lines to introduce newcomers to the cast. But let’s be honest, why are you even here if you haven’t seen the other films?

For the most part, I really enjoyed the film. I have a soft spot for the little red-headed Good Guy and have been excited to see this movie since its announcement. Mancini delivers on the usual tropes fans have come to enjoy about the franchise. Brad Dourif mostly sounds like he’s on auto-pilot, but still manages to give Chucky his usual foul-mouthed flair. The kills are inventive and gruesome as usual too, but the film is not perfect. Cult of Chucky falls well below the standards set by the favorites in the series.

My biggest criticism is the script. The first two-thirds of the film feel like time mostly wasted. Nica (Fiona Dourif) tries to maneuver the politics of an insane asylum where we (the audience and Nica) all know Chucky is real but no one else does. We’ve seen this before…in the first 6(!) Chucky films. It’s not until the third act when Mancini’s script finally gives us something new and different in the franchise.

Mancini introduces a new “twist” (which I won’t spoil) in the third act but handles it clumsily with a throw away line of dialogue. It’s like Mancini had a good idea but didn’t take the time to motivate the new development. It’s lazy. Furthermore, it makes me wonder why Mancini didn’t take the third act and make it the first act of a different story? You could cut out the first two acts of this film and lose nothing in the broader narrative. It’s frustrating but not the nail in the coffin for me.

I have a feeling Jamie is going to be less forgiving than myself. I already know one of his primary complaints is that the film looks cheap. I’ll let him elaborate on those points in a minute. I don’t think the film feels cheap, despite some of the sets betraying the illusion. I like the stark white set design in contrast to Curse‘s mostly black design. I’m also more forgiving because I recently watched another killer doll movie – Full Moon Entertainment’s Puppet Master: Axis Termination. The new Puppet Master represents the absolute epitome of cheap film making. Literally everything is wrong with that “film”.

Cult may not be perfect, but at least it’s not Puppet Master: Axis Termination. Despite my criticisms I was still entertained. I’m hoping Universal and Mancini make enough on their investment to bring us part 8. Cult‘s third act sets up an exciting new direction for the franchise that I’d love exploring.

Jimbo Ranks his Favs:

Child’s Play
Child’s Play 2
Bride of Chucky
Curse of Chucky
Child’s Play 3
Cult of Chucky
Seed of Chucky

Jamie’s Take

I always said my friend Jim was too nice (and he looks like Patrick Sharp from The Chicago Blackhawks). Cult of Chucky is my least favorite installment in the franchise, a franchise that is better than it should be.

Taking place a few years after the first film, Fiona Dourif returns as Nica who is not only confined to her wheelchair but also inside the overly white (and cheap looking) walls of an insane asylum. While we know the real Chucky is locked in a vault inside Andy’s cabin home (an opening I really liked) somehow Chucky, with no wounds at all, in pristine condition, returns to stalk Nica. But then there is another Chucky, and then another…why are there all these killer Chucky dolls? As Jim mentioned the throwaway line is something ridiculous and brushed over quickly just to get past any type of plot or substance. The fact that I am calling this idea ridiculous when I’m talking about the Child’s Play series is pretty bizarre in itself.

What also hinders this installment is some really bad CGI effects. They just can’t master computer effects and using CGI blood looks all the more fake and phony.

I also didn’t care for the abrupt ending, a cliffhanger that just feels like the film maker ran out of film (or battery since film is now dead, sniff sniff). What if they don’t make another entry, the series ends basically without any resolution. Aside from Don Coscarelli, I don’t see anyone enjoying this type of ending.

Now, I saw this on Netflix but rumor has it that there is an Easter Egg at the end of the credits with Christine Elise as Kyle reprising her role in Child’s Play 2. Unfortunately Netflix doesn’t include this, if this is true.