The fans wanted another Chucky movie and original Child’s Play scribe, Don Mancini, delivered.
Mica (Fiona Dourif terrific), a young woman confined to a wheelchair, is left grieving after her mother kills herself in horrific circumstances (which suspiciously coincides with the arrival of a mysterious package containing a Good Guys doll). When Mica’s older sister arrives with her dysfunctional family and nanny in tow, bickering and arguments ensue, but their night is about to get a whole lot worse when everybody’s favourite killer doll lets loose.
While Mancini is more concerned with scares than laughs for the latest Chucky instalment, he’s not able to fully suppress his wicked wit, and indeed Curse of Chucky’s sly sense of humour is what makes the film so enjoyable. The doll itself (voiced by Fiona Dourif’s dad, Brad) is as charismatic and hilarious as ever, and the one-liners and facial expressions are both creepy and comical, in equal measure.
Setting most of the movie during one night and in one location (a big creepy house) adds a traditional simplicity to the proceedings (bringing to mind Stuart Gordon’s killer-toys cult classic, Dolls (1987)) and for a good hour or so, Mancini’s script is tight, to the point and brought to life by a great cast.
Unfortunately, the film doesn’t quite know where to end; following an unnecessary backstory (reminding us just how absurd the whole Chucky concept is) the film unleashes about four different endings that attempt to bring the Chucky tale full circle. There are some nice references for the fans during the final segments (the post-credits scene is particularly good), though Curse of Chucky might have been far more effective as a simpler standalone movie.
Overall Verdict: A fine Chucky instalment that would have benefitted from fewer endings.
Reviewer: Lee Griffiths