Le Fils de Chucky

'SEED OF CHUCKY' is perverse, absurd, disgusting and fun as all hell.

Anyone who goes to see a CHUCKY movie expecting a horror film is not living in reality. CHUCKY has become a comedy series of the blackest sort and that's certainly not a bad thing. While 'SEED' is no 'BRIDE', it still manages to deliver the goods and there are about a million in-jokes to test your movie IQ. Go to see this in the proper frame of mind and you won't likely be disappointed.

---My only serious criticism would be that this whole movie stars spoofing themselves (John Malkovich, Neal Patrick Harris, etc., and now Jennifer Tilly and Redman) has been played out. It's great to see that they have a sense of humor about themselves but it's getting old.---

Picking up a couple years after the last outing ; Chucky and Tiffany are now ordinary dolls being used in a Hollywood slasher called 'Chucky goes Psycho' inspired on the urban legends of these killer dolls. While, in Britain their innocently sweet son is part of an ventriloquist act. When not performing he spends most of the time having bad nightmares and trying to figure out who are his parents. When watching TV he comes across Chucky and Tiffany and he immediately realises they're his parents and so he heads to Hollywood to find them. Using the amulet he brings them back to life and to their surprise they discover they have a son/or maybe daughter. So the three set a plan to take over the body of a b-grade star Jennifer Tilly and director Redman, but Tiffany wants to give up on violence and hopes Glen/Glenda and Chucky will join her. Although, Chucky wants Glen/Glenda to come on a killing spree with him.

Being a fan of the series I've enjoyed every single one, so I was expecting the same for this particular spin. I remember when I saw it at the cinema, I was somewhat disappointed that it went more for comedy angle and I didn't think too much of it after Ronny Yu's vastly better and refreshing twist on the franchise with 'Bride of Chucky'. It was good to see that the original creator and writer for all five films Don Mancini decided to take the director's helm, but on this occasion it just didn't work out. I just managed to catch the film on cable and I was hoping maybe since now I know it's aiming for the funny bone that'll will totally get into it. Well, it didn't entirely go to plan. Yeah, it's mildly humorous at times, but I thought it tries too hard to make you laugh with an instant gag after another and they do become rather repetitive with its heavy handed parody on the materialistic glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Yeah, we get the point, but no, they continue the self-knowing attitude and in-jokes that makes you think that maybe the whole film is a big joke. Well, the film within a film set-up gives them ammunition to mock their own franchise, references to family values to fighting temptations and there's some homage's to other horror flicks too. The cheeky script is very much tongue-in-cheek with a full blooded unpleasantness to it's humorously, stabbing irony and extremely twisted violence. The outlandish violence is simply spiteful with blood and gore running freely… it's definitely one nasty habit the family share, but they do provide some innovative kills. Forget about tension and scares because it's far from frightening and this ain't your usual stalk and slash vehicle. Actually, you say it's a vehicle for Jennifer Tilly to strut around by playing (or poking fun at) herself. She gives a knockout performance by carrying the film and she raises most of the laughs. Surprisingly John Waters is quite good too as a snooping paparazzi. When ever those two were on the screen they chewed up the scenery, especially Tilly. It was the Jennifer Tilly's show, alright! She also did the voice again for the Tiffany doll and Brad Dourif returns to voice Chucky. This outing Chucky feels like a lesser figure with most of the attention on Tilly and their child Glen/Glenda who's voiced by Billy Boyd. The identity crises joke about their child was funny at first and intro is pretty hilarious, but it started to wore thin after a while when it was straining for laughs.

The film is highly glossed up and it looks great with done-up treatment all round with the puppets' appearances more striking then ever. The soundtrack is rather boisterous, but fits into the overall mood of the film. I've got to hand to Mancini for the originality and for the film's unpredictable energy and surprises, but despite that there are times when spots do seem to drag (even for such a shorting running time) and the plot comes across as a bunch of muddled ideas that don't always entirely gel. The film is not great, but it's far from awful.

'Seed of Chucky' seems like it wants to make joke out of everything with a lot of things totally missing the point and the film after awhile just lost its way for me. Simply, pure mockery that likes to continuously wink at you.

For some odd reason I liked Bride of Chucky (my guess is I was 15 at the time and thus really cheaply thrilled) but just an ounce of gained intelligence was all I needed to be turned off by the newest addition. As easily predicted, it follows Chucky's son (or daughter, but who cares?) (Billy Boyd) to England where he is a sideshow attraction. Later as he's watching TV (because even living dolls just can't resist a little telly) he sees replicas of his parents. soon he's in Hollywood resurrecting Chucky (Brad Dourif) and Tiff without even knowing it. Then they kill a bunch of people, the end. Jennifer Tilly is in this one as well but this time as herself, as well as Tiffany's voice (if your going to use the same person for two parts could you pick someone with a less distinctive voice? this is the first of a wide array of faults mainly with the script. knowing it lacked in the horror department Marcini attempted make it part-comedy but the jokes proved worse than the watered down plot which was the biggest iceberg of this box-office Titanic.

Like the Nightmare On Elm Street series before it, the Child's Play films have taken on a very humorous turn. What started out as a very straight forward horror film has over the past four sequels turned into a comedy with gore in it. That's not to say that Seed Of Chucky is a bad film by any means. It's actually really funny. While many compared New Nightmare to the Player for its blending of reality and fantasy, this film actually does it as well but manages to stick more to the satiric humour of The Player. There are Hollywood jokes galore and references to past films. Chucky's Ode to The Shining is pure hilarity and even Jennifer Tilly herself isn't safe as she manages to send up her own image more than even the rest of the cast around her. While Seed of Chucky is enjoyable for what it is, I can only hope that they decide to return the series to its terror roots if another is to be made.

Chucky's son, picked up at the graveyard where he was born in the last film by a British bloke, now work as a 'dummy' to his ventriloquist. He's having recurring dreams of murdering, and wondering who his real parents are. After seeing Chucky and Tiffany on Access Hollywood, he runs away from his home to America. Once there he reads from the magical necklace and resurrects the two dolls. When finds out his parents are murderers he pees himself (a recurring gag) See he's pretty much a pussy who doesn't know if he's a boy or girl. So Chucky calls him Glen and Tiff calls him Glenda. (laughing yet) While the first three Chucky films were played straight, and "Bride of Chucky" seemed to be a horror comedy. This one is Comedy, with some horror. I found myself amused to a point. Din't really care for the son character. But that's just my opinion. Definitely better than Child's Play 3, but I liked it less then the original, part 2, and "Bride of Chucky"

My Grade: C

Eye Candy: Stephanie Chambers gets topless; we also see Tiffany's doll parts