Child’s Play (1988)

The more I watch horror movies, the more I realise that although it is not my favorite genre, that I can enjoy quite a lot of movies. As long as things do not head into the direction of gruesome or torture I can watch and appreciate quite a few of the horror classics. Although Child’s Play might not be considered a classic by everyone it is a movie I liked returning to, having last seen it in my teenage years. The movie has spawned many sequels (of which I think have only seen one), but, as is usually the case, the original is the best one

For those unfamiliar with the series, this movie revolves about a possessed doll which holds the spirit of a criminal who is out for revenge. In this movie a mother buys it for her son, who is a huge fan of the cartoon series The Good Guys, which stars the doll. When one of her closest friends dies when watching her son their lives change. The kid says it is the doll who has done it and as no one believes him it means that the doll, named Chucky, can continue with his revenge.

What Child’s Play does very well, is to not overstay its welcome. It offers a tight hour and a half of entertainment, never complicating the story unnecessarily. Chucky is a great character, the evil version of what the Toy Story characters would be like. He is foul-mouthed and often is the source of dark humour. If there would be a hall of fame for great quotes then this movie could provide two. In my opinion ‘Wanna play?’ and ‘This is the end, friend’ are classics.