"Bride of Chucky" (1998) Review

One month after "Child's Play 3," Chucky is resurrected by his old girlfriend, Tiffany. Once brought back to life, he (minor spoiler) kills Tiffany, and places her soul into a female doll. Chucky and his bride then take a road trip of mayhem in this fantastic sequel.

"Bride of Chucky" is a 1998 horror-comedy written by Don Mancini and directed by Ronny Yu. Starring Jennifer Tilly (Tiffany), Brad Dourif (as the voice of Chucky), Katherin Heigl (Jade), Nick Stabile (Jesse), and John Ritter (Chief Warren Kincaid). The highly anticipated return of Chucky blends comedy with horror, and sends the viewer on an edge-of-your-seat ride chock full of thrills, chills, and laughs. 

There was a long wait for audiences between "Child's Play 3" and "Bride of Chucky," and the excitement going into this film is, what makes this one the best Chucky sequel, hands down! With its dark and creepy intro, the Rob Zombie tune cranked up, and the pervasive gothic vibe, "Bride of Chucky" is where Chucky becomes really interesting. 

In a classic reveal, we are introduced to Jennifer Tilly as Tiffany, and she is perfect in the role. She's sexy, silly, and doesn't shy away from killing people--she's definitely Chucky's match! Brad Dourif as Chucky, delivers the rom-com lines with ease, while still preserving Chucky's stubborn and evil personality. John Ritter is great as always as Jade's uncle Warren, and you can tell he had fun with his part. Unfortunately, our main protagonists aren't very good in "Bride of Chucky," and they can be cringeworthy. Katherine Heigl (Jade) and Nick Stabile (Jesse) seems to struggle, and their lines come off as quite wooden and awkward. It may have been a script issue, but I really think it comes down to their chemistry--that is probably the film's biggest eyesore. 

Ronny Yu did an outstanding job directing this movie, and that's quite surprising, because he doesn't come from the American film industry. He was able to take his style from his previous effort, "The Bride With White Hair," and paint Chucky with new shades of light and darkness. I really dig "Bride of Chucky" because of its use of light, and the cinematography gives the film a gothic yet modern feel. There's really no time to breathe in this movie, and the action sequences and set pieces are fast, vicious, funny, and necessary. Don Mancini and Ronny Yu worked well together, and the results are on the screen--it's a lot of fun!

Finally, Kevin Yagher and his team returned to the "Chucky" series by giving Chucky his new look, and it's great. The stitched up, ugly visage of Chucky gives him a menace not seen in the other sequels. Yagher provides the dolls a rich dimension and depth, and the amount of emotions they show really make Chucky and Tiffany multilayered characters.

"Bride of Chucky" is an exciting blend of horror and comedy. With a lean plot and fast-paced action and kills, "Bride" raises the bar and thrusts Chucky into a new, bold direction. You'll scream, you'll laugh, you'll have a blast! Check it out! 

Good-

• A perfect mix of horror and comedy
• A creepy vibe that fits perfectly
• A quick story with no frills
• Some creative kills (and they're on screen!)
• Impressive directing by Ronny Yu
• Outstanding special effects by Kevin Yagher
• A rockin' 90s soundtrack! 

Bad-

• Some awkward lines and deliveries

"Child's Play 3" (1991) Review

It's now 8 years after "Child's Play 2," and Andy has enrolled in a military academy. When the Good Guys Dolls brand makes a comeback, so does Chucky, and this time it's war!

"Child's Play 3" is a 1991 horror film written by Don Mancini and directed by Jack Bender. Starring Justin Whalin (Andy Barclay), Perrey Reeves (De Silva), Travis Fines (Shelton), and Brad Dourif as the voice of Chucky. The third entry in the franchise changes the scenery, and gives Chucky some new and interesting ways to wreck havoc. 

Viewers would expect by this point, that the filmmakers would start running out of ideas, but it's not entirely the case here. Yes, it's essentially the same story again, but there are just enough new ideas thrown in to keep it entertaining. Brad Dourif steps it up one more time as Chucky, and you can tell he's really relishing the role. Chucky is in top form, and his one-liners are great.

Much like "Child's Play 2," the third installment is fast-paced, but there's a bit of tension injected into the film for good measure. The opening scene with the toy company's boss harkens back to the slow-build of the original film--I like that a lot. The newly added suspense (particularly at the beginning of the film) is very much welcomed.

As far as acting goes, the cast does a serviceable job. Justin Whalin plays Andy as a paranoid and frightened teen--which is understandable. Travis Fines' role as Lieutenant-Colonel Shelton is pretty standard, and Perrey Reeves' De Silva is a strong female character, and she's good as well. The burden of weakest link belongs to (child actor, at the time) Jeremy Sylvers who plays Tyler. Honestly though, if you're three films deep into this franchise, you're really only here for Chucky, and Brad Dourif delivers!

I don't see why "Child's Play 3" gets all the hate, but I get that the film does feel a bit tired. But just as you're about to nod off, the film throws you a curve ball. I won't give away any spoilers, but I commend the movie for knowing when to toss in the twists. While "Child's Play 3" seems like a bit of a retread, it does introduce some memorable characters (Sergeant Botnick), and allows the viewer to invest--even just a little bit--in what's happening on the screen.

Finally, I can't overstate how fantastic the special effects are in this film. Kevin Yagher did a superb job once again, and Chucky looks great in all his violent, wise-cracking glory. 

Don't listen to the haters, and give "Child's Play 3" a chance. Yeah, it's not a remarkable sequel, and it's still the same 'ol story, but the twists show up at just the right time. I almost forgot to mention that the last act of this movie is epic. It takes place in a spooky carnival ride, and the vibe is outstanding!

Despite being in the same vein as its predecessors, "Child's Play 3" manages to mix in a batch of fun ideas to keep the audience entertained. Turn your brain off, and just have some fun with this one!

Good- 

• Brad Dourif as Chuck (You can't keep a Good Guy down!)
• Kevin Yagher's special effects work
• Thrills and chills at just the right moment
• A bit more suspense than before
• An EPIC last act!

Bad-

• The little kid, Tyler
• The story hasn't changed much

"Child's Play 2" (1990) Review

Two years after the events of the first "Child's Play," Andy is living in foster care, and still dealing with the trauma of escaping Chucky. Meanwhile, the company that manufactured the Good Guys dolls decide to remake Chucky to show the public that everything's cool--big mistake. Once reborn, Chucky continues his relentless search for Andy so he can possess his body. 

"Child's Play 2" is a horror film from 1990 written by Don Mancini and directed by John Lafia. Starring Alex Vincent (reprising his role as Andy Barclay), Christine Elise (Kyle), Gerrit Graham (Phil), Jenny Agutter (Joanne), Grace Zabriskie (Grace), and of course the incomparable Brad Dourif as the voice of Chucky. Without missing a beat, this sequel ramps up the pace of the first film, but still offers enough chills and kills to please any horror fan.

Oftentimes, horror franchises misfire with their second installment ("A Nightmare On Elm Street" even faltered), but "Child's Play 2" succeeds and overcomes the sophomore slump with grace. Straight away, our favorite killer doll, Chucky is front and center, and his vicious personality drives the film. This sequel trades a slow drag opening and quieter buildups for an in-your-face approach, and it all works!

Our cast, this time, is comprised once again of a small group of characters. Each actor gives a decent enough performance, and even Alex Vincent is a bit better this time! Christine Elise may be your typical 90s teen, but she still proves to be a strong supporting character. Far and away though, Brad Dourif steals the show as Chucky, this is where the Chucky character shows his true self, and the writers knew it--this is his movie.

A big flaw of "Child's Play 2" is that the story is essentially the same as before, except that we're already familiar with Chucky's backstory. The film does have some exposition scenes thrown in, unfortunately, but they don't really slow its momentum. What the film lacks is suspense, and in its place is a pedal-to-the-metal pace--not exactly a bad thing for a sequel. One more gripe of mine is that there aren't many onscreen kills in this one--what's up with that? The filmmakers have pretty much embraced the slasher genre here, but a lot of the kills aren't shown...bummer...

Once again, Kevin Yagher and his team improve upon the Chucky doll design, and give the character a much more emotive performance. They did an excellent job, and it made (along with Brad Dourif) Chucky the memorable villain that he is today!

If you're a fan of the first film, I would definitely recommend "Child's Play 2". It's not a perfect sequel--there were some changes made--but they ultimately set Chucky in the right direction. Grab some friends and drinks, strap yourself in, and enjoy the ride!

Good-

• Brad Dourif as the voice of Chucky
• Excellent special effects by Kevin Yagher
• A fast-paced story with plenty of thrills

Bad-

• Not much suspense or mystery
• Alex Vincent as the protagonist--he did better though
• Not many onscreen kills!

"Child's Play" (1988) Review

It's Andy Barclay's birthday, and he really wants a Good Guys doll. To his surprise, his mom actually buys one for him, but that's not the only surprise he'll get! Andy's Good Guys doll is possessed by Charles Lee Ray, a serial killer who has transferred his soul into the doll. Can Andy convince his mom that the doll is alive before Chucky takes over his own soul?

"Child's Play" is a 1988 horror film written by Don Mancini, John Lafia, and Tom Holland and directed by Tom Holland. Starring Alex Vincent (Andy Barclay), Catherine Hicks (Karen Barclay), Chris Sarandon (Mike Norris), Dina Manoff (Maggie Peterson), and Brad Dourif as the voice of Chucky. "Child's Play" uses a small ensemble cast and modest budget to evoke big scares while keeping the viewer on the edge of their seats.

Every first entry in a horror franchise is a reluctant effort, and this film is no different. Despite this obstacle, "Child's Play" manages to reel (get it?!) the viewer in with a mysterious and intense first and second act, and a satisfying conclusion that would set the standard for the franchise's subsequent sequels. 

A very young Alex Vincent portrays Andy Barclay, our main protagonist, and he does the best he can as a child actor. There are some moments where he struggles with his lines, but that's expected--he does a decent job in the film. Catherine Hicks, Andy's mom, gives a good performance here as well, and she's believable as a mom who is trying to protect her child. The highlight of "Child's Play" is of course, Brad Dourif's ire-fueled role as the murderous, foul-mouthed Chucky. 

There isn't much to nitpick about with "Child's Play" because most aspects of the film (except for the effects) are concise and simple. The plot is creative, but it's streamlined enough that the viewer never gets bored watching the film. "Child's Play" stands out amongst other horror films because of its long lead into the reveal of Chucky. There aren't many thrillers these days that can pull that off, and you can feel the rubber band of a plot stretch out only to snap when Chucky comes to life--it's excellent!

Finally, the special effects in "Child's Play" look great for 1988. Kevin Yagher did an outstanding job with the Chucky doll, and his work would only improve with the next films in the series. A stunt double was used for the more complicated action shots with Chucky, but I suppose that can be forgiven--it was the 80s. 

If you're looking for a taut and scary horror flick, definitely check out the original "Child's Play." It may not seem fit into the realm of a slasher film, but once the mystery is unravelled--in classic fashion--the movie shows its true colors, and then things get really good! 

Good-

• A tight and scary story 
• Creepy doll effects
• Believable performances (Alex Vincent, meh...)
• Brad Dourif as Chucky

Bad-

• Sometimes Alex Vincent

"Metamorphosis: The Alien Factor" (1990) Review

A secret corporation known as Talos has been experimenting on cell samples from outer space. One night, Dr. Michael Foster (George Gerard) accidentally becomes infected and begins to transform into a hideous alien creature. It is now up to the Talos staff to put an end to the carnage before the monster can escape their grasp. 

"Metamorphosis: The Alien Factor" is a 1990 science fiction thriller written and directed by Glenn Takakjian. Starring Tara Leigh (Sherry), Dianna Flaherty (Kim), Katherine Romaine (Dr. Nancy Kane), Marcus Powell (Dr. Viallini), and George Gerard (Dr. Michael Foster), "Metamorphosis" features a cast of mostly unknowns. Distributed by Trimark/Vidmark, the same company that brought us such classics as "Leprechaun" and "Warlock: The Armageddon," this low budget creature flick actually boasts some really cool special effects work. 

Any sci-fi creature feature needs some good special effects to make the main monster believable, but the characters are what will really sell the film to the audience. "Metamorphosis" doesn't exactly hit the mark here, but the central characters in the film have just enough depth to carry the film. Don't get me wrong--there are definitely some moments of bad acting, but that's expected of an early 90s b-movie. 

In particular, Dr. Viallini (Marcus Powell) has this strange wannabe British accent, and it's well...awkward. Brian (Patrick Barnes) is quite bad, and even our lead character Sherry (Tara Leigh) has some cringeworthy lines. My favorite would have to be Sherry's sister Kim (Dianna Flaherty), she's cute and spunky, but is comparable to Tara Leigh in her cheesiness. Honestly, I actually like my sci-fi and horror with extra cheese--so it's a good thing in my book!

Where "Metamorphosis" falters is in its story arc and execution. The film begins in the middle of the action, backtracks, and then catches up with itself. Personally, I don't always enjoy films that use that method, but that's just me. By jumping around in time, the viewer loses track of the story, and can become lost. Secondly, there's a lot of exposition going on in the flashback scenes. I know that it's a bit necessary here, but I just feel there's an easier way to explain the story without bogging the viewer down with jargon and information--show me, don't tell me. 

Additionally, there's a lot of extra time spent on characters wandering the halls of the Talos facility searching for the monster. If the filmmakers had given the creature some sort of motivation, it would have helped give clues as to where it would show up. Instead, the slimy behemoth that was formerly Dr. Foster just appears after a character takes a long stroll down a corridor. There's no actual jump scare either! It literally just shows up!

Finally, and this is just a personal gripe of mine, but I think this film needed to have a couple more aliens eating people. This is something that's only hinted at, and it's a letdown that it wasn't used more prominently in the film.    

Flaws aside, I think "Metamorphosis: The Alien Factor" is a fun b-movie sci-fi flick. I'm slightly partial to it because I can remember watching the trailer way back when I was a kid. You'll have to check your brain at the door with this one, but I really like movies you can just have fun watching. 

A really cool side note: "Metamorphosis" began as the sequel to the cult classic "The Deadly Spawn"!

Good-

• Really cool creature effects
• 90s cheese 

Bad-

• Slightly off story arc and execution
• Some bad acting

  

"Cube Zero" (2004) Review

Taking place before the original film, "Cube Zero" follows a worker who watches over the unfortunate participants inside the cube. When a woman whom he recognizes appears in the cube, he becomes determined to find a way to save her. "Cube Zero" takes a different perspective on things, and manages to emerge as a mildly entertaining film. Let's take a look and see its fresh ideas are able to keep the viewer interested.

Released in 2004, "Cube Zero" is the prequel to 1997's "Cube." Written and directed by Ernie Barbarash, this film attempts to fill in the gaps left empty in the first movie--it's a so-so attempt, but a commendable one. Of the three films, "Cube Zero" lands in second place just below the initial "Cube."

Starring Zachary Bennett (Wynn), David Huband (Dodd), Stephanie Moore (Cassandra Rains), Martin Roach (Haskell), Terri Hawkes (Jellico), and Michael Riley (Jax), "Cube Zero" actually has an alright cast with characters! The screenwriter actually figured out that characters need some dimension to them! The cast isn't amazing, but at least the suspense of "Cube" is back.

The main character, Wynn, is likable enough with coming off as annoying, and his counterpart, Dodd plays off of him well. Rains, Haskell, and Jellico have more conventional roles, but there's more mystery behind them. The weirdest character is Jax, who's sort of a James Bond type of villain. At first, he comes off as being cheesy, but by the end, he's quite entertaining. 

I have to give credit to Ernie Barbarash, who wrote and directed this film. This is a standalone story with nice twists and enough action sequences to move the film along at a fast pace. That's a big thing that was missing from "Cube 2." Moreover, it seems the filmmakers allocated their budget well this time around, the sets are reminiscent of the original, and the traps are very grotesque--that's good! The special effects in the movie actually worked out nicely! 

Sure there's some bad "dream state" visual elements--there's fuzzy lens effects used, but the overall VFX in the film actually look a lot better than both of the previous "Cube" movies. It feels like a higher-end SyFy Channel film with a decent script.

I'd say give "Cube Zero" a watch if you enjoyed the first one. It's definitely not Oscar-worthy or anything, but for a sci-fi thriller fan, it's worth a watch.

It's on NetFlix right now! 

The Good

• Solid story with some surprises
• Good cast with depth
• Cool and fun traps!

The Bad

• Poor VFX for some shots
• Cheesy main villain
• Lazy tie-in to the first "Cube"

"Cube 2: Hypercube" (2002) Review

In the sequel to the original "Cube," 8 strangers wake up confused in a cube without any idea of why they're there. This sounds really familiar... Let me guess, they have to find a way out before it's too late?... Yes! That's exactly it! But wait! They're not trapped in a normal cube, this time it's a HYPERcube. Essentially what that means is, it's a cube with no logic or rules. Parallel universes exist, time and gravity shifts upon entering different rooms--nothing makes sense. That's what's wrong with "Cube 2" it makes absolutely no sense. 

"Cube 2: Hypercube" is a 2002 film written by Sean Hood, Ernie Barbarash, and Lauren McLaughlin and directed by Andrzej Sekula. Sadly, this sequel misses the mark and rehashes the premise of the original film while fumbling through some flimsy new ideas. So does "Cube 2" measure up to the first movie? I think you can tell which way I'm leaning, but let's see!

Starring Kari Matchett (Kate), Grace Lynn Kung (Sasha), Neil Crone (Jerry), Matthew Ferguson (Max), Barbara Gordon (Mrs. Paley), Geraint Wyn Davies (Simon) and Lindsey Connell (Julia), "Cube 2: Hypercube" fails to create a cast that brings something new to the table. Unfortunately, the characters in this film are either typical (Simon), bland (Kate, the main character!) or just plain annoying (Mrs. Paley). While the first film was able to maintain a good amount of tension with a small cast, "Cube 2" features none of the suspense of the original.  

What hurts this sequel so much is the overall story. It seems like the writers were being too ambitious on a low budget, and had to wrap things up abruptly--the story feels unfinished. The acting isn't great, but it wasn't great in the first film either. It's frustrating to me that the mysterious look of the original has been replaced by a sterile and boring aesthetic. Everything looks the same this time around--it's enough to drive the viewer crazy!

From a technical aspect, I suppose the director did an okay job, but some of his shots have some bad framing issues--there's some random closeups. For some reason, there's slow-mo shots and weird grainy effects used which takes the viewer out of the film. 

I think it was a combination of poor screenwriting, sub par acting, boring set design, and lame visual effects that damage "Cube 2" severely.

Did I mention how lackluster the traps in this one?! What a letdown! They don't even show up until almost half way through the movie, and they suck! Yeah, the idea of parallel universes is kind of cool, but at least make the traps interesting.

As you can tell, I was disappointed with "Cube 2: Hypercube." If you enjoyed the first film even a little bit, I would still steer clear of this one.

It's on NetFlix right now, which is right where it belongs! 

The Good-

• Some interesting concepts are introduced

The Bad-

• Lazy screenwriting and story
• Bland and annoying characters
• Lousy visual effects 
• Poor set design