Child's Play

With horror movies constantly getting remakes, sequels, and spin-offs, it becomes crucial for one to seek out the originals. Amid the various re-tellings, it's easy for the original story to get lost in imitation. After all, give credit where credit's due.

It's especially prevalent in slasher pictures. Throughout all the stabbings, dismemberings, and disembowelings, the motive of the killer(s) can get muddled. Granted, some just like to kill for the sake of killing. And that's exactly the case with Chucky.

Tom Holland's Child's Play is what kicked off the nearly forty-year franchise, and it's little wonder as to why it's later after all these years. As Don Mancini's pride and joy throughout this time, it's clear that he knew he had a good idea (even if he didn't like some of Holland's ideas for it); he was going to take it and run with it.

Admittedly, Child's Play is darker than future entries in the franchise, but even then, it has its own macabre charm. Cinematographer Bill Butler (no stranger to horror himself) captures the unease in middle-class life, making it stand out from both its sequels and other slasher films of the decade. It's not that common, that's for sure.

Child's Play is one of those rare horror titles that proves creativity goes a long way. With a sharp wit, it's something often lacking in other films of the genre. After all, you can't spell "slaughter" without "laughter".

My Rating: ****