Child's Play 2 (1990)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

John Lafia

Writers (WGA):

Don Mancini (characters)
Don Mancini (written by)

Release Date:

9 November 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Look out Jack! Chucky's back!

Plot:

Chuckie's back as the doll possessed by the soul of a serial killer, butchering all who stand in his way of possessing the body of a boy.

Plot Keywords:

Chucky | Doll | Toy Factory | Factory | Sequel

Cast

Alex Vincent	...	Andy Barclay
Jenny Agutter	...	Joanne Simpson
Gerrit Graham	...	Phil Simpson
Christine Elise	...	Kyle
Brad Dourif	...	Chucky (voice)
Grace Zabriskie	...	Grace Poole
Peter Haskell	...	Sullivan
Beth Grant	...	Miss Kettlewell
Greg Germann	...	Mattson
Raymond Singer	...	Social Worker
Charles Meshack	...	Van Driver (as Charles C. Meshack)
Stuart Mabray	...	Homicide Investigator
Matt Roe	...	Policeman in Car
Herbie Braha	...	Liquor Store Clerk (as Herb Braha)
Don Pugsley	...	Technician

Also Known As:

Child's Play 2: Chucky's Back (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Singapore:M18 | Finland:K-15 (re-rated) | Spain:18 | New Zealand:R16 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:18 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

According to 'Don Mancini' on the commentary for the first film on DVD, the reason the rest of the "Child's Play" films are released by Universal instead of MGM/UA, (despite the first film being very successful)was that United Artits was bought out by a company that wanted to abstain to a "Family Friendly" slate of films. So the property was sold gladly to Universal.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Miss Kettlewell says "No? Then who did?" all the children leave the room, and the door closes. In the next shot we see the door closing again.

Quotes:

Chucky: How's it hangin', Phil?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Beverly Hills, 90210: Chuckie's Back (#2.17)" (1991)

Sorry Jack, Chucky's back!

Universal must have realized the potential this franchise had and quickly snapped up the rights from MGM after the first movie came out. Writer Don Mancini also must have figured out that his creation of a foul-mouthed killer doll was too good for just one film. The Chucky series would seriously evolve and change over the years but even in this first sequel things are already looking quite different.

Now that the cat is out of the bag and we know that Chucky really is alive and it isn't just Andy's imagination, our killer doll gets much more screen time and his wicked personality has more time to develop. The animatronics have improved and a lot of Chucky's character comes through in his wild facial expressions.

Director John Lafia shoots the film with a bright, playroom color pallet with a higher quality film stock, giving it a more sophisticated sparkle. He's also fully aware of how silly the killer doll concept is and seizes the opportunity for a little bit of that self-aware, sometimes sarcastic humor seen in the later films.

Graeme Revell usually does the most generic horror scores, especially in recent years, but surprisingly he gives Child's Play 2 the best score of the series. With a full orchestra at his disposal, he doesn't hold back on the action cues and even delivers a couple of pretty good themes. So much better than the rotten score to the first film and probably one of the best horror scores of the early 90s.

There isn't much of a story to Child's Play 2 however. It's just the same as the first, with Chucky going after Andy, who is now staying with a foster family, once more. The body count is higher and there are some good kills. I've heard people complain about the 'silly' spanking death of the schoolteacher. Well, this ain't true. Chucky is actually hacking at her. If you look closely you'll see the blood all over the yardstick.

The slick quality and silly nature of CH2 is probably what prompted Universal to stick with the franchise for good and 15 years later the Chucky films are still coming out. To think that if MGM held on to the rights, we may never have had them.