La bambola assassina 2

If you never saw the first 'Child's Play' film... it's about a serial killer whose soul gets trapped inside a children's doll and then goes on to persecute the poor little boy (Andy Barclay) who buys him. Now, after sending the offending dolly back to hell, he's back again (you don't need to know how - basically the same way Freddy, Jason or Michael Myers always comes back - yet - again). And, guess what, Andy Barclay is top of his 'hit list.' Brad Dourif returns to voice the killer doll, Chucky, and he gets it right on the mark again. However, the story does get a little bit repetitive after a while. It focuses around no one believing Andy that his doll is alive (and evil), only to find they're proved wrong when the doll kills them in a grisly manner (rinse and repeat). Plus you can tell who's going to die a mile off - all the adults are pretty horrible and you won't really shed a tear when any of them get gutted. Then there are the lapses in physics, i.e. when a plastic doll can regularly overpower fully-grown adults.

However, despite all its flaw, Child's Play 2 just about does the job. If you liked the first one, this one does its best to keep the franchise going along the same lines. However, if you're new to the films, I'd start off with the first one (it's easily the best and scariest) before seeing if you want to watch this one, too.

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The not-so-innocent movie about a child's doll continues with Andy Barkley (Alex Vincent) being sent to live in a foster care home while his mom is recovering from a mental hospital. Nobody believes Andy's story about Chucky the killer doll, but that soon changes when the doll returns, possessed once again by serial killer Charles Lee Ray. It goes on another rampage, this time trying to free his evil soul from the doll and transfer into Andy's body.

The plot's pacing, script, and music score work fine in this movie, with a some good humor and suspense, and some creepy moments. The acting was pretty good for the most part - especially enjoyed the characters of Andy and Kyle. Vincent portrayed Andy with innocence but determination and Christine Elise gave a rebellious yet tender-hearted and strong portrayal of foster teenager Kyle. Brad Dourif gave another sinister, dark, and sarcastically funny portrayal of Chucky.

The overall horror elements may seem tame by more recent standards, but it's still a rather entertaining horror sequel.

Grade B

"Child's Play 2" is the first sequel to the popular 1988 original. The first film was a very entertaining horror film. The second movie in the series isn't as good, but it's not real bad either. However, the filmmakers took the gory route for this one. All the graphic violence makes it less effective. The first movie worked so well because it kept the violence down to a minimal. Oh the first film was violent, but not as violent as this one. But it's stylish look somehow makes it watchable. And, like the original, it's entertaining to watch. Young Alex Vincent reprises his role from the original as Andy Barclay, the boy who in this movie goes to live with foster parents while his mother seeks psychiatric help (from the events in "Child's Play"). Andy himself still isn't all together, and when Chucky the killer doll re-enters his life again, watch out! "Child's Play 2" may not be as good as "Child's Play", but it sure is better than the next movie in the series, "Child's Play 3" (which I thought was awful). I haven't seen the fourth movie yet ("Bride of Chucky"), so I can't voice my opinion on that one at the moment.

**1/2 (out of four)

Chucky is one of those dolls that can't stay dead, still inhabited by an evil spirit. The little boy he turned into an orphan is leaving the clinic now that he's over the traumatic situation (or so the head of the clinic tells his adoptive parents). His adoptive parents take him home and you know things aren't going to settle down when a Chucky doll drops from the top shelf of a closet he's exploring.

The evil Chucky doll finds his way to the household, switches places with the toy doll and buries it, setting the stage for things to come. Credibility really is strained by the time we get to the schoolroom scene where Chucky has followed the boy to school, lands magically in his classroom and manages to start trouble between the boy and the teacher, who subsequently gets killed by Chucky after the boy has climbed out a window. Takes quite an imagination to think of these plot lines, but when the imagination runs wild plausibility begins to suffer.

Following the schoolhouse segment, the bizarre incidents keep piling up as Chucky gets away with more and more havoc and no one believes the boy is telling the truth--just as in the original.

None of the incidents are as startling or as well staged as in CHILD'S PLAY, but it still manages to hold the interest with some original touches tinged with fright and a weird sense of humor. Especially good are the effects toward the end when Chucky holds the spunky adopted girl and boy captive as the story speeds toward an ending in the toy factory. The factory sequence has some grotesque chills as one of the workers gets caught up in the doll machinery and Chucky himself suffers quite a few "happenings" at the toy factory before he's liquidated by the boy.

Entertaining nonsense despite the strain on credibility.

So I watched the first Child's Play a couple of months ago. I hadn't ever seen it growing up, even though I started really getting into slashers when I was about 16. I finally decided to watch it, and had a perfectly fun time, but not much more. I hadn't had the desire to rewatch it, or buy it. That said, I did still have a slight interest in seeing this one. Today, I finally did...and I'm really glad I did. I found this one more entertaining than the first one in every way. The movie flew by, and every scene I was intrigued to see where it was going. I found myself very invested in Andy's character, and seeing how he deals with the aftermath of the first one. I also found Kyle to be a really likeable, older sister type character. Between Chucky's one liners, the atmosphere, the pacing, and the acting, I was hooked. Not to mention the finale has an awesome setting. I'm glad I checked it out, and as a horror fan, I may just need to add it to my collection.