The concept of a killer doll had been around for a long time and was nothing new by the time Child's Play came out in 1988. It harkens back to the days of the original Twilight Zone series from the early 1960s, where they had episodes involving talking dummies with mal intent. Perhaps that's where Child's Play draws its inspiration because it certainly plays out, for at least the first half of the film, like a great episode of that famed spooky series.

     The original film in what became a progressively silly and more dark comedy sort of series, is a genuinely great horror film. It has all the suspense and tension that we've come accustomed to when watching horror flicks of this nature. It effectively builds the tension until its boiling point, and then it turns into more of a slasher film. By the time the great "secret" is revealed, I've already been so drawn into the film, that it didn't matter what happened next. Who cares if it evolved into a slasher film? It's a perfect Halloween movie! 

     The great "secret", and I suppose this isn't a major spoiler, is that the doll, Chucky, is alive! But it really isn't a surprise, as the opening of the film gives it away at the outset. A criminal on the run, who at near death, uses a voodoo spell to transfer his dying soul into the body of a doll. Obviously, this doll is possessed, and we know it. Somehow though, the build up to the moment is still a captivating one.

     The actors in the film definitely sell the concept well. Catherine Hicks plays the mother who bought the Chucky doll, and Alex Vincent is very convincing as the young boy who is tortured by it. Chris Sarandon is great as the cop who was hunting down the crazed criminal in the first place. And Chucky is voiced by none other than Brad Dourif, whose performance is fearless and manic as the famed horror icon. Chucky's dialogue is often menacing and sometimes his immensely foul mouth makes things hilarious.

     In retrospect, Child's Play contains an awful lot of exposition. There is a lot of explanation of the premise of the film, and one could argue that the opening sequence gives away the films biggest plot point instantly, but despite its flaws, it still makes for a memorable horror movie. It scares you, it draws you in, and gives you a little laugh here or there. It can sometimes be a little predictable, but overall, it is quite memorable. Like I said before, the first hour in particular is Twilight Zone-esque at its best. Naturally, this film inspired numerous sequels, but none really compared to the original.

-Kurt L.

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