The Chucky/'Child's Play' franchise was the most recent one to be watched and all the films reviewed, as part of me being on a quest watching some of the horror franchises not yet seen (yet the intent had been there for a while). 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 is a hugely entertaining and creepy character, though quite a bit better than the films he features/stars in.

'Cult of Chucky', of the numerous and uneven sequels, is one of the good ones despite its faults. Not a film that blew me away and will never be a favourite but it both scared and entertained me, as the main objective for the franchise that is a very good thing. It does not beat the first film, which would have been a very tall order, but it is one of the better entries in the 'Child's Play'/Chucky series along with 'Bride of Chucky' and 'Curse of Chucky'. Despite saying that the franchise is uneven, that is not saying that any of the films are unwatchable, actually found things to like about the weakest entries, which for me were 'Child's Play 3' and 'Seed of Chucky'.

Really appreciated that 'Cult of Chucky' did the same as 'Curse of Chucky' in returning to its roots, capturing the tone of the first film while also feeling fresh that stops things from getting tired. Although there may not be an awful lot of surprises here, 'Cult of Chucky' continues the feeling felt in 'Curse of Chucky' that the franchise had been revived and given new life. There is again far more of a reliance on horror, and genuinely scary and suspenseful horror it is too, than the comedic approach adopted by most of the sequels, which varied greatly. The opening sequence is truly foreboding and the kills are imaginative, gloriously gory and freaky, without veering on being too tasteless.

Yet 'Cult of Chucky' doesn't take itself too seriously, again the same with 'Curse', the wickedly funny one-liners, dark humour and dialogue remain still and there are some dementedly hilarious moments. Chucky is as frightening and entertaining as ever and Nica is a likeable protagonist that one roots for. Brad Dourif voices Chucky as ever with relish and malevolence and Fiona Dourif gives a spirited performance too. Jennifer Tilly enjoys herself, if not as much as in 'Bride' and 'Seed'. Like the rest of the franchise, 'Cult of Chucky' looks great, very stylish and haunting with terrific effects, even in the lesser films the production values were always among the good things. The music is suitably eerie and could really tell from the direction that Don Mancini had a lot of passion and affection for the franchise.

Not that 'Cult of Chucky' is perfect, but the good things far outweigh the cons. The story is not much special, is pretty thin and a bit low on the surprises, though at least it made sense and wasn't dull. The rest of the supporting cast are a touch on the bland side.

The ending felt anti-climactic and rushed and some of the character decisions are rather silly.

Otherwise, good and one of the best in the series. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent) is still haunted by Chucky (Brad Dourif). He keeps lots of guns and the decapitated head of Chucky. However, nobody is willing to believe him. Nica Pierce (Fiona Dourif) faced electro-therapy after her wrongful conviction for Chucky's murders. She gets 'better' and is transferred to a clinic under Dr. Foley's supervision. Visitor Tiffany Valentine (Jennifer Tilly) claims to be Alice's guardian and after her death, leaves the Chucky doll with Nica. Nica starts to suspect her delusions about Chucky may not be so delusional as Chucky begins his rampage.

Don Mancini continues the Chucky franchise. Unlike other long-running horror franchises, this has not deteriorated into bad camp. Much of that has to be attributed to Don who keeps a singular voice in the series. He isn't going to win any big award but he keeps a cohesiveness in the run. It's nice to still have Alex Vincent even if he's not the greatest of actors. That's part of the cohesiveness despite some conceptual detours. It has some nice turns and horror moves. It continues its dark humor although it's not the scariest of franchise. It is better than most straight to DVD movies. Its cheaper budget does keep it from being theatrical. It's a fun watch especially for any Chucky fans.

Cult of Chucky is one of those polarizing movies. I happen to be on the positive side of the fence. Once again, Alex Vincent returns to play Andy Barclay (of course he had a cameo at the end of the previous one, but that's hardly notable). This film has a couple of guest stars that are well known to those familiar with the franchise, which is a real treat for the viewer. This film is beautiful to look at. The way Don Mancini played with the colouring to make Chucky pop is absolutely phenomenal. And the story, while a continuation from the previous film, is different enough to be much more interesting and engaging for me as a viewer. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot had lots of unexpected turns as well. I found it to be great fun!