Cult of Chucky — Blue Fairy Film Blog

For any other horror franchise, going straight-to-DVD and on streaming sites would incite disgust from its fans. For Cult of Chucky, the sixth installment in the Child’s Play series, it is a call to freedom. Director Don Mancini was actually the original film’s writer, and since he has taken the helm of the franchise, (beginning with Seed of Chucky) these films have only gotten campier, more humorous, and downright enjoyably ridiculous. This latest film, while not technically groundbreaking or even the best of the franchise, continues the mythology of this possessed doll, while the story plays with darker tones and cruel imagery.

If you haven’t seen any of these films, I would highly recommend them. They are gory, off-beat, black hearted little indecencies that are perfect for those looking for a light thrill. While I don’t find the original film scary, I do think it stands alone in the American horror canon. The nineties ushered in absurdist and funny sequels that featured the very talented Jennifer Tilly. The last studio film was released in 2004. In 2013, Don Mancini put together a much darker, more animated sequel that starred Brad Dourif’s (Chucky) real daughter, Fiona Dourif, as the new protagonist. In that film Chucky has begun a streak of revenge killings, including the person who ratted him out as a serial killer, and some of his original victims. Even Alex Vincent, the original Andy Barclay, makes an appearance.

In this installment Nica (Fiona Dourif) has been transferred to a mental health facility after being convicted of Chucky’s crimes. She is delusional, ill, and constantly paranoid, which is fair since there’s a killer doll on the loose. The other patients are quite entertaining, the doctor in charge is suitably creepy, and the side plots are engaging. Though the effects, again, are not great, the absence of studio interference and meddling make for a truly gruesome and inventive film. I’m not sure if Mancini thinks he’s creating a darker sequel with the use of low light, bleak drone shots, and restrained yet volatile acting, but he definitely did. To me it’s still campy, in the best of ways. The ending proves that this is a film that does what it wishes, to great effect. As a straight-to-streaming film, this is one of the better sequels, and is a less horrifying choice for scaredy-cats who want to get into the Halloween spirit.