"Child's Play" Triple Threat: Original vs 2 vs 3

Lately I've been making movie comparisons on Vocal; first off, it was the comparisons between Tommy Boy and Black Sheep, and recently, it was Billy Madison vs Happy Gilmore. I had others in mind before this one, but I just can't resist doing this. I've been watching the Chucky films a lot lately, and I've watched them for nearly all my life. I've reached a point where I can pretty much recite them bit-by-bit, line-by-line. So I decided that I'm going to compare the Chucky films, but here are the caveats:

First, only the seven films that came out between 1988 and 2017 will be mentioned. Neither the show nor the reboot (especially the reboot) will be mentioned. Secondly, this will be divided into three parts, and it's easy to divide them. This story will focus on the original trilogy, the first three films. A second story will focus on Bride and Seed, the two films that sent the film series into a humorous turn. And the third will center on Curse and Cult, which brought the series back to straight horror.

Regarding the first three films, the original Child's Play was released on November 9, 1988, and set the stage. A pursuit of serial killer Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif) ends with him being shot to death in a toy store, though he manages to possess a Good Guy doll, which ends up being a birthday gift for six-year-old Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent). Upon learning that he could end up in the doll permanently due to slowly becoming human, Chucky seeks to possess Andy to avoid being a doll forever. Child's Play 2 came out exactly two years later on November 9, 1990, and sees Chucky brought back to life in the same doll, after which he seeks out now eight-year-old Andy. Child's Play 3 came out less than a year later on August 30, 1991, but an eight year time jump occurred, with Andy now a teenager, while the resurrected Chucky invades Andy's school and suddenly finds a new victim.

So without further ado, let's get this Triple Threat started:

Best Intro: Child's Play 2

All three films from the original trilogy had very good intros that I watch repeatedly, but if I had to choose the one I loved the most, it's definitely the second film. The intro sets the scene; a zoom out revealing the eye of the charred Chucky head from the first film, and what follows is the bit-by-bit process of getting the doll back together, fully unaware of the evil soul that's inside the doll. The charred are scraped and cleaned off, and it's followed by the skin and body being put together and dressed, all while the Good Guys CEO is on the way. It's a scene that I catch myself rewinding a lot; it's that damn good.

Best "First Kill": Child's Play

By "first kill," I mean first kill of a film, and in the second film, Chucky's first victim was technically, one of the workers who rebuilt him. In the third film, it was the Good Guys CEO. While those scenes were amazing, the best first kill out of the three films was definitely Chucky's overall first one: Maggie Peterson ("Aunt Maggie" to Andy). Maggie was the close BFF of Karen Barclay, as well as her co-worker, and she offered to babysit Andy. It was while she was on the job that Chucky struck; sneaking around undetected, startling Maggie, and by the time she saw the doll--bam!--struck with the hammer, sent out through the window, lands on a car. Dinah Manoff appeared in the first film as Maggie Peterson, and at the time, she was just beginning her run on the NBC sitcom, Empty Nest.

Best Overall Kill: Child's Play 3

Without question, Chucky's best kill in the original trilogy was in the third film, and you know what I'm talking about. When we first see Andy at Kent Military School, he's given the once over by the tough as nails Col. Cochrane (Dakin Matthews), who tells Andy to "grow up" and "forget any fantasies about killer dolls." When we see him again, he discovers Chucky, and is shocked by the doll uttering one of the normal catchphrases. Cochrane tosses the doll in the waste basket, but after hearing a noise, he sees the basket tipped over and the doll's gone. We know what follows. Chucky emerges, knife in hand, gives his yell, and prepares to strike... only for Cochrane's heart to start to give out. Even Chucky can't believe it ("You gotta be fucking kidding me!"), and he watches as Cochrane collapses one final time. Chucky killed an Army Colonel who fought in two wars, and he didn't have to do a thing. If that doesn't make him the GOAT of slashers, I don't know what does.

Best Ally: Child's Play 2

Without question, the best heroic ally in the original trilogy is Kyle from the second film. While Kristen DeSilva did have her moments in the third film, with all due respect, she can't touch Kyle. Kyle, as we know, is Andy's foster sister, with Joanne and Phil Simpson taking her in prior to the film's events. At first, Kyle and Andy's relationship is semi-contentious. She never had anything against Andy, she was your typical angsty teenager. The bond becomes close when Kyle realizes that Andy was right all along about Chucky, and the last one-third of the film sees Kyle become Andy's fiercest protector, even more than Karen Barclay, who was in Mama Bear mode for the entire first film.

Christine Elise played Kyle in what was her very first movie role at the age of 25. This was prior to her appearances on the original 90210 as Emily Valentine, and she would reprise the role of Kyle in Cult and in the TV series. This was Elise's best role; she gave a very amazing performance in this film, and it led to a lot of good things for Elise.

Biggest Jerkass Victim: Child's Play 2

As I got older, I realized that quite a few of Chucky's victims were, well, pricks. TV Tropes has a name for it: Jerkass/Asshole Victim. The second film has the best one, but regarding my choice, one can argue that Miss Kettlewell was a bad one. She was, she clearly came across as one of those teachers who didn't like children. Then, there's Phil Simpson. He's clearly the worst one, right. Didn't seem to be crazy about being a foster father, and he wasn't really sensitive to Andy from jump street. But at least his wife, Joanne Simpson, was the sensible one, right? She was sweet to Andy from the get-go, and she wanted Phil to give him a chance. Well, I've got news for you: Joanne's worse than those other two put together.

We all remember this: Andy seeks out Chucky in the basement, they fight, and Phil catches Andy armed with that motorized knife. He immediately assumes Andy's dangerous and attempts to "calm him down," but Phil gets tripped up by Chucky and sees him for the first--and last--time. Joanne and Kyle hear the commotion, and Joanne is horrified to see her husband deceased. Andy walks up to his foster mother, who suddenly and cruelly shouts, "Get away from me!" Imagine blaming an 8-year-old for a horrible incident that was 0% his fault. But that's what happened. Joanne turned heel after acting so caring and sensitive to Andy, transforming into a cruel woman who blamed Andy for Phil's death. Joanne Simpson was played by Jenny Agutter, a name we all know, because nine years prior, she did a little film called An American Werewolf in London. So yeah, Joanne's heel turn made her quick demise at the hands of Chucky that much more satisfying.

Biggest Damballa Fail: Child's Play 2

Obviously, Chucky has failed to get his soul out of that doll a number of times in the original trilogy, but the "Damballa fail" that stands out the most is definitely from the climax of the second film. Chucky finally has Andy where he wants him. He has him alone, at the Good Guys factory, and nothing and no one can interrupt him. Following his proclamation ("This it, World! From now on, no more Mr. Good Guy."), the Damballa chant is uttered, and it's the most dramatic rendition uttered in the series. It's damn near over-enunciated, but unfortunately, slow and steady did not win the race. Blood coming out of Chucky's nose told him that he was out of time and out of luck.

Needless to say, Chucky wasn't having it. He quickly blamed Andy, because of course it's Andy's fault that Chucky was too oblivious to the fact that he had been in the doll for two whole years! But yeah, that moment definitely stands outs the best Damballa fail in the trilogy, if not the entire series.

Most Naive Character: Child's Play 3

There have been a lot of characters who have been quite naive regarding the concept of Chucky. Already I know what you're thinking: "Clyde, no one in their right mind would believe that a kid's doll is possessed by a serial killer." Which is true, and that's why I don't consider Mike Norris naive. However, when it comes to Ronald Tyler from the third film, that's another story. The minute that Tyler sees Chucky leap out of the box, walking and talking in a very sinister adult voice, Tyler's charmed instantly. Don't give me that, "He's just a kid," jive. Andy wasn't this naive in the first film, and Andy was six in the first film; Tyler has to be a year older than Andy was in that first film. And honestly, I find that "They're just kids" statement offensive, because it implies that kids aren't smart and are easily influenced. These people have never seen a Lifetime movie.

But yeah, Tyler was so naive when it came to Chucky, even dismissing Andy's warnings by accusing Andy of being jealous. It took Chucky taking out that big knife and threatening him for Tyler to see how evil Chucky is. Yeah, that's quite the giveaway.

Most Tortuous Faux Demise: Child's Play 2

You know, I've watched the movies too many times to count, but I am always amazed at the different ways that Chucky's been tortured and decimated before he's eliminated. Each off the three films had their ways about it, but the one that stands out the most is definitely the second film. We already see Chucky lose his hand and replace it with the blade of his knife, but it's what come later that I'm talking about. Chucky surprises Andy and Kyle, only for the latter to knock him down and result in Chucky being stapled onto the platform. The emergency button is hit, and Chucky's being sent back to be reassembled. What follows (after Chucky pleads for his life) is a bunch of gadgets poking and prodding at Chucky as doll parts are forced on him, all while Chucky's giving the most agonizing screams I've ever heard. The result is a hideous mess of doll parts and severed legs, but again, I said faux demise. Chucky survived that.

Best Chucky Demise: Child's Play 3

Following what I described in the second film, Chucky's attempt saw Andy douse the doll with the plastic that he's made of, and finally, Kyle placed an air hose in Chucky's mouth, causing his head to inflate, inflate, inflate, and then explode. As wild as that was, it is painfully clear that Chucky's greatest demise was in the third film. Before I forget, Chucky's resurrection in the third film was caused by a crane causing Charles Lee Ray's blood to squirt out as it was picking up the remains left from the second film, and as it was carrying the body, the blood dripped into a vat of plastic, and as a result, Chucky was alive in a new doll body. Also as a result, the rules reset, as Chucky had just inhabited that doll body, and once he told Tyler who he was, he was fair game.

Chucky's pursuit of Tyler led them to a horror-themed park, and the bit-by-bit demise began with half of Chucky's face sliced off by a swinging scythe. Chucky and his "Two-Face" look continued pursuing Tyler, trapping on top of a display of skulls and making his move, uttering the Damballa chant in dramatic fashion. It was a long one and Andy couldn't make it to the top, so his only chance was shooting Chucky. His first shot missed, his second shot knocked Chucky's left arm off, and his third shot sent him falling. It didn't end there; Chucky made one last desperate attempt to get to Tyler, who hands Andy a pocket knife. Andy cuts of Chucky's remaining hand, and what follows is Chucky giving his "I'm screwed" look before being sent screaming and falling towards a running fan, which decimates him. That moment has stayed with me for years, due to shock, awe, and amazement. It is the greatest Chucky demise of all time, and it's not even close.

The first three films, released under the Child's Play title, were iconic classics in their own right. I always love the first film and its mostly star studded cast, as well as the beginning of how Chucky came to be in his doll body. The second film was very cinematic and did an excellent job picking up with the first one left off. Regarding the third film, I'm still a bit baffled by the time jump, taking place eight years after the second film despite being released just nine months after Child's Play 2. However, the third film was absolutely spectacular and underrated, and gave us what we thought was a true finale--until seven years later, but that's another story for another time.