Le Fils de Chucky

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.

The Child's play series, Chucky to most of us started back in the late 1980's with a film of the same name. Child's Play hit the cinema screens across the world, What followed was a small uprising of people wanting to get the film banned, Children even been scared of there Barbie dolls?.

The film was the tale of a serial killer been forced into the body of a "Good Guy" doll,With a little help from Voodoo mixed in,After the success,But also the banning of that film it spawned two more films.

All was quiet on the western front when in 2000 we was treated with the fourth film, The Bride OfChucky.

Chucky been with a bride now they went on a killing spree, Yet again. All was thought lost in that film when they died at the end but we was given with that film a glimmer of hope for we was treated with the vision of a baby.Two doll's having a baby?

Here we are in late 2004 and the fifth film in the Horror/Comedy films is here, The Seed of Chucky is based around that very baby and his quest to find his mum and dad "Tiffany And Chucky".

With them been back in there original doll form they are been used as Hollywood stars for a series of horror films based on there "Urban Ledgends" of chaos as none of the previous killings had been solved. With a little help from Mr Voodoo, "Sh**Face" brings his mum and dad back into shape and Chucky Been Chucky now wants to teach his son the tricks of the trade.

What i like from the off in the Child's play films is the fact that it's the same person doing the voicing for good old Chuckster. Brad Doughry is behind the voice as he was in previous films.

With this a latest incarnation it's still keeping the funny factor, Scenes of Chucky ramming Britney Spears off the road brings a smile to my face for some reason, Seeing also a doll giving Bishop a good stroke has got to seem funny, Even in writing.Saying the film is still a sick and twisted little picture but yet again, The series has been revived in a good way.

www.MovieReel.net

Towards the climax of "Seed of Chucky", Chucky himself manages to subvert the ENTIRE concept of the ENTIRE series so far, and thus most films of its kind, by using simple reasoning. I have been dying to hear that from a "slasher villain" for, well...since the birth of slasher villains.

What a great time this movie is! "Bride of Chucky" reinvented what had become a dull, unscary franchaise as black comedy. "Seed" takes that ball and runs with it. Don Mancini, who created Chucky many years ago, finally gets a chance to direct and I think this film will get him jobs outside the series. He not only makes the fifth take on Chucky feel fresh- a major accomplishment in itself for any series that has gone on this long- but shows a flair for satirizing movie clichés (a certain object flies upwards towards the camera at one point and it's a gas considering how overused that shot has been in action movies of recent years)and has a strong visual sense- check out the floor of Jennifer Tilly's foyer for an unexpected laugh. And I've got to hand it to Ms.Tilly- the girl's a trooper for sure,letting herself be the butt of jokes, both cruel and crazy. This is balanced by a great scene- a lot of directors would have left it for the DVD- where she reveals that she's not the one note Hollywood caricature she's been built up to be. Add that to a gender confusion subplot, and a piss take on twelve step programs, and you've got something a hell of a lot smarter than most horror films. Hell, than most comedies.

Speaking of Hollywood, the refreshing thing for a movie that takes place there? It isn't married to tired in jokes- save for one great one for B-Movie fans- the name of Chucky and Tiffany's child- which I will leave you to discover for yourself.

"Seed" has the over the top humour of the best obnoxious comedies ("American Pie" comes to mind, but better examples probably escape me), and a surprisingly graphic amount of gore- this thing doesn't skimp on the blood. For the latter reason, no way will it cross over to a mainstream audience. It is what it is and is the most entertaining version of what it is, I think, possible.

What it all comes down to is, if you're on this page, reading reviews, you're probably a partial convert to a movie like "Seed of Chucky", and if you're wondering if you'll like it, I have to tell you, this movie doesn't skimp. It's got all the slasher movie essentials like gore and nudity, married to a crude, black, very funny sense of humour, and even some semblance of humanity.

What I'm saying is, you'll like it.

Having been on a roll watching and reviewing gradually over time films belonging in horror film franchises, the Chucky/'Child's Play' films were the most recent to get this treatment. Part of my want to see them was my fascination to see if killer doll Chucky deserved his horror icon status. My conclusion seeing the films is that he does deserve it and a hugely entertaining and creepy character, that is quite a bit better than the films.

The Chucky/'Child's Play' films are a mixed bag. The best of the series is still the first film followed quite closely by 'Bride of Chucky', enjoyed both immensely while acknowledging their imperfections. Did sort of like the second too while being mixed to indifferent on the third (which gets a lot of dislike but for me it wasn't that bad). 'Seed of Chucky' is a step or two down from 'Bride of Chucky' and my feelings are the same as those for 'Child's Play 3', thinking it was not that bad but didn't do an awful lot for me at the end of the day. Whether it's the worst of the series is debatable, have heard from friends that the films that followed are worse, having said that it is not hard to see why it is one of the lower rated films of the series here and why many dislike it. This is disappointing as this did have potential to be one of the best Chucky/'Child's Play' films if it was as good as 'Bride of Chucky', considering that Chucky and Tiffany return and there is again emphasis on comedy.

Lets start with the good things. 'Seed of Chucky' looks great. It is filmed with a lot of atmosphere, has a suitably eerie look and the special effects are nothing short of terrific. The music score is one of the best of the series, its hauntingly ominous sounds not easy to forget in the long run. Tiffany steals the show here pretty much, being both amusing and creepy, and Jennifer Tilly does have a ball playing her, wisely not taking it too seriously. Brad Dourif is still deliciously malevolent as Chucky, though he should have had more to do.

While not near as fresh or witty as the humour in 'Bride of Chucky', there are some darkly funny parts and lines. The parodies and in-jokes need familiarity in order to get them, being familiar with a vast majority of them this was not a problem for me, but some do work. The memorable being a quite hilarious cameo from John Waters. Another scene stealer was Glen/Glenda, hilariously played by Billy Boyd.

'Seed of Chucky' however has a number of serious problems. The story is both daft and lacking oomph, also suffering from trying to cram in too much and struggling to balance it all and properly exploring it. Meaning it all feels muddled and over-stuffed with the Glen/Glenda being particularly over-complicated. With the funny moments, there are moments but it's not consistent. Other parts feel very limp and stale.

Found that the supporting cast on the most part were very bland, with one of the biggest faults of the film being the utterly wretched performance from Redman, out of place and annoying. 'Seed of Chucky' is severely lacking in the horror elements, where there is pretty much no atmosphere or mood. It is more reliant on gore rather than suspense or creepiness, and it is a big problem as it is overused to the point of abuse and too much of it is rather gratuitously tasteless. The kills are neither creative, palm-sweating or nail-biting, instead being predictable, sometimes silly and the overuse and gratuity of the gore hampers them. Don Mancini's directorial ineperience is all over.

Altogether, a lot of serious faults here but there are things that prevent it from being a complete waste of time. 5/10 Bethany Cox

Shitface, the son of Chucky and Tiffany, travels from England to Hollywood to meet his parents he had seen on TV. He accidentally resurrects them, and they try to transfer their souls to the body of Jennifer Tilly and Redman.

"Seed of Chucky" is a funny and very gore black humor comedy. There are many bloody jokes, and the movie presents a witty Jennifer Tilly, mocking with her weight, her shape, her voice and her behavior. I found this actress very brave in performing such a outrageous role, and I liked her a lot. John Waters is also hilarious in the role of a snoopy paparazzi. The music score is also great. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "O Filho de Chucky" ("The Son of Chucky")