Curse of Chucky Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Curse of Chucky Blu-ray Movie Review

Chucky's back, in more ways than one...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown October 4, 2013

Director Don Mancini's Child's Play trilogy and subsequent Chucky sequels aren't exactly unique among fan-favorite horror series. The first installment remains unmatched. Reinvention is the franchise's lifeblood. Camp slowly displaces straight scares. The diabolical baddie becomes more central to the story with each passing film. The human element becomes more and more inconsequential. The kills gorier, the deaths zanier, the body count higher, the satire more pronounced, the entries more niche, and the true series fans that much more ravenous. Like the Friday the 13th, Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street sagas before it, the Chucky movies aren't so much about developing a terrifying mythos as they are keeping a franchise alive and kicking. And, like the well-established icons of the genre before it, the series' undying killer has become an indelible fixture in horror, no matter how hit or miss the original Child's Play sequels may be. Chucky has slashed his way through four different decades -- the 1980s (Child's Play), 1990s (Child's Play 2, Child's Play 3, Bride of Chucky), 2000s (Seed of Chucky and 2010s (Curse of Chucky) -- and I suspect this won't be the last.

"It's time to play!"

Chucky of course is actually Charles Lee Ray, or the Lakeshore Strangler if you're feeling morbidly nostalgic; the briefly disembodied spirit of a voodoo-practicing serial killer forever possessing a Good Guy doll, best friend to children everywhere. More than that, Chucky is voice actor Brad Dourif's rampaging id. Murderous, maniacal and armed with a barbed wit and twisted sense of humor, Dourif (and Mancini's puppeteers) summon the obsessive drive of Jason Vorhees, the mercilessness of Michael Myers and the riotous, madcap lunacy of Freddy Kreuger. (As a grown man with a wholly irrational and debilitating fear of dolls, I can attest to Manchini's grasp of precisely what makes the knee-high ankle-slashers the stuff of cold-sweat nightmares. It doesn't mean Mancini is the greatest writer or director, mind you, but a healthy twinge of genre terror goes a long way, even through the silliest of sequels.)

The series story thus far? Like any undead horror series, it's less of a story and more an episodic murder spree. In Child's Play (1988), Chucky was hellbent on transferring his soul into sweet, innocent little Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent). It didn't go so well for Chuck. In Child's Play 2 (1990), the pint-sized fiend returned two years later, hot on the trail of the Barclays. When possession failed, he quickly settled for revenge, which... didn't go so well for Chuck. Child's Play 3 (1991)? Andy (Justin Whalin), now graduated to sixteen-year-old military school cadet, was reunited with his old pal, who in turn set his glassy sights on a new boy (Jeremy Sylvers). And, you guessed it, nothing seemed to go in the demon doll's favor. Fast forward to Bride of Chucky (1998). The series vaulted into the late '90s -- and horror comedy -- as Ray's girlfriend (Jennifer Tilly) succeeded in resurrecting her dearly beloved Chuck, only to end up with her soul trapped inside of a bride doll herself. Things... kinda went well, although not so much for the former Lakeshore Strangler. Seed of Chucky (2004) cranked the comedy and weirdness one notch higher, introducing the fruit of Chucky and Tiffany's plastic loins, Shitface (Billy Boyd), soon named Glen by his pops and Glenda by his mother. Chucky didn't make it to the end of that one either, naturally, but managed to somehow hold onto the not-so-mortal coil.

And so we come to Curse of Chucky (2013), another departure of sorts, and all at once something of a return to form. It's not only the best sequel of the bunch, it just might be the best film in the series. Whether or not that proves the case for you depends entirely on your affection for the first Child's Play and/or the camptastic Bride and Seed sequels. Love the 1988 original and you're sure to enjoy the darker, more unsettling traditional horror of Curse. Prefer Chucky's sharp right turn into comedy, though, and you'll probably walk away grumbling that the sixth movie in the Chucky Collection takes itself much too seriously. Personally, Mancini's constant reinvention of his devil doll series keeps things fresh, and the latest sequel unfolded as something of a happy surprise. Others who've settled into a comfy groove with the misadventures of Chucky's extended family may wonder where all the delirious self-parody has gone, and lament the victims, rather than the killer, reclaiming the spotlight. Regardless of where you fall, rest assured that Mancini isn't out to erase any film in the series. Elements return from all five previous films (be sure to sit through the end credits), giving the franchise a new future without sacrificing its past with a thinly veiled apology for lesser entries. (Ahem, Child's Play 3.)

Is Curse of Chucky the next great horror sequel? Slow down, it's not that revolutionary. As direct-to-video horror goes, though, it stands out from the pack. And as series sequels are concerned, it goes a long way to righting some old wrongs without trampling on fans that have made the franchise the cult favorite it is. Will there be another Chucky film? A future 7-movie Complete Collection set? You bet. Most of you will be chomping at the bit to see the next installment. The rest of you need only wait for Mancini to change the rules of the game a fourth time. It's bound to happen and, for better or worse, it'll be interesting to see where Chucky ends up.

Curse of Chucky Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Curse of Chucky boasts a killer 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer, without a single problem to report. Michael Marshall's palette and photography are cold and detached, as intended, with chilling blues, sickly browns and aged yellows. Skintones are quite lifelike too, while black levels are deep and fittingly sinister, contrast is consistent, and delineation is excellent. But it's detail that steals the show. Edge definition is crisp and clean, fine textures are perfectly resolved, and every pore, hair, speck of blood, stitch and scar are razor sharp. Moreover, there isn't a hint of macroblocking, banding, aliasing, errant noise or any other encoding issue. Chucky's sixth spree couldn't look any better than it does here.

Curse of Chucky Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Curse of Chucky isn't nearly as rowdy as some of the Chucky Collection's more rambunctious sequels, and its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track follows suit, relying on atmosphere and suspense to deliver its scares. LFE output is restrained, yes, but when it strikes, it doesn't pull any punches. The rear speakers, meanwhile, do a fantastic job creating an eerie and enveloping hunting ground for Chucky to stalk, using subtle directional and ambient effects to ratchet up the tension and sell the horror that eventually erupts. Dialogue is perfectly intelligible and decisively prioritized too, meaning there's very little to criticize when it comes to Curse of Chucky's lossless audio.

Curse of Chucky Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• R-Rated and Unrated Cuts: The Blu-ray edition of Curse of Chucky features both a 95-minute R-rated and 97-minute unrated cut of the film. Neither one is particularly superior, although horror fans will favor the added edge of the extended version.
• Audio Commentary: Writer/director Don Mancini, puppeteer Tony Gardner and actress Fiona Dourif sit down for an engaging overview of the sixth film in the Chucky series, hitting on virtually everything fans might want to know about the inception, development and production of Mancini's return to form.
• Playing with Dolls: The Making of Curse of Chucky (HD, 16 minutes): "He's a bad ass this one. No question." The filmmakers discuss the return to the straight horror of the film that started it all, touching on the challenges of going back to the series' roots without overwriting all that has come before.
• Living Doll: Bringing Chucky to Life (HD, 9 minutes): The design, molding, animatronics, costuming, puppeteering and vocal performance of the latest incarnation of the Chucky doll.
• Storyboard Comparisons (HD, 25 minutes): Four storyboard-to-film comparisons -- "Electrocution," "The Attic," "Ian's Death" and "Nica vs. Chucky" -- with introductions by Mancini.
• Deleted Scenes (HD, 6 minutes): Six deleted scenes are available: "Getting Dressed," "Taking a Break," "Looking for Chucky," "Dad Gets a Ride," "Burned" and "Ancient Egypt."
• Voodoo Doll: The Chucky Legacy (HD, 7 minutes): Chucky as a horror icon.
• Gag Reel (HD, 1 minute): For those of you in need of laughs... look elsewhere.

Curse of Chucky Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Curse of Chucky doesn't necessarily breath new life into genre sequels, but it does save the Chucky franchise, which was in dire need of a transfusion. A welcome return to form, it's scarier than the previous four Child's Play sequels combined, even if it isn't the flawless reinvention some might be hoping for. Universal's Blu-ray release is even better, with a terrific video transfer, excellent DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, and a solid selection of extras, each one presented in HD. As direct-to-video horror sequels go, it's the full package.