By Frank Kemp
Hollywood is no stranger to remaking horror films, and the track record for the quality is always a bit of a gamble. For every IT, there is a Flatliners. With Child’s Play we are lucky that over all, it is a well made remake that left me smiling in the theater with a grin bigger than Chucky himself.
This is a movie that knows exactly what it is and embraces it. At 90 minutes it is a fast watch that feels a lot longer in a GOOD way. Characters are built up wonderfully, from Karen (Aubrey Plaza) a young hard working mother to Andy (Gabriel Bateman) the new owner of a Buddi Doll. When Mark Hamill was announced to play the voice of Chucky I was nervous that his voice would distract from the over all film. I have never been more happy to be proven wrong. Hamill’s voice is perfect in the film with subtle nuances taking Chucky to a new level.
Child’s Play 2019 is a horror film so at times the blood and gore may be a bit much for some viewers. Outside of the violent deaths the movie does tend to to rely on a couple of jump scares that are only scary due to sudden loud noises playing for no reason and I wish the movie could have worked in the scares more organically. DO NOT get me wrong, Chucky on his own is terrifying. Getting scares from loud noise in a quiet scene will always be a cheap gag.
I wish I could say Aubrey Plaza was under used in this film because she doesn’t not get enough screen time but that is what the story calls for. Hopefully if they can make a sequel from this they create a story requiring her character to be more of a presence. It is called “Child’s Play” for a reason so it makes sense that she isn’t in every scene. They could always make “Adult’s Play” with her as the star but I have a feeling that is not the sort of thing she would want to star in. [Note to the editor: Feel free to remove that joke.] [Note to Frank: Leaving it in. That was funny]
Directed by Lars Klevberg a relatively new feature film director with only one other film under his belt (Polaroid), Child’s Play shows much promise in the world of horror. With Child’s Play being his sophomore outing I can say for certain that he will be someone who’s filmography I will be keeping a close eye on. Another fantastic score on the film by Bear McCreary himself. A man who is just having a legendary run this year. In 2019 he has completed the scores for films like Happy Death Day 2U, Rim of the World, and Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
The recipe for this film comprised of getting all the right people to come together to make a solid film that let you enjoy the ride. Without getting into spoilers my only issue with this film has a lot to do with the detective of the movie played by Brian Tyree Henry. I felt he only existed to act as a guide to weave in and out of the story to help hand hold the audience when they should have given him a bit more emotion building up to the end of the film.
With everything said and done, this movie is a strong recommend for people that want to see a killer doll film.
Grade: B