Child’s Play (2019): ‘Updating Toys’ – A Film Review

Introduction

One of the many Horror Remakes to have made its way onto the screens recently is Child’s Play (2019), the film about a killer doll. The mediocre horror film franchise gained quite a notoriety in its day. Whilst it wasn’t exactly a believable subject, it managed to pull enough scares and laughs to have an enduring icon with a successful franchise. In recent years, similar to the Spider-Man films, Child’s Play (1988) has broken off into dividing franchises with the original creators continuing their franchise into a TV series and existing in a separate universe to this remake under ‘Child’s Play‘. Despite this confusion, Child’s Play (2019) is like a reboot in all ways and acts like an update on the existing franchise.

A Good Remake?

It is perhaps worthwhile to note that this Horror/Comedy does hold a ridiculous concept – it’s about a killer toy. Like Small Soldiers or even Toy Story but a lot more sinister – in fact the release of Toy Story 4 is on a similar date to Child’s Play. They tied this into the marketing, as both are about a toy that comes alive owned by a kid named Andy. Strangely enough the concept isn’t too ridiculous to be able to buy. The set up for Child’s Play (2019) roots itself in the updated technology. The original came out in 1988 and was relevant then to the toy-making abilities of those at the time, but technology has developed to a much more integrated and reliant part of society, and Child’s Play (2019) doesn’t miss this trick. This is perhaps the best reason to remake the franchise. Beyond this Child’s Play (2019) loves what it is. The marketing, that parodies Toy Story, revels in this and easily sets this tone. What is produced is a massively darkly comic horror that seriously manages itself through all proceedings.

Crossing the T’s, Dotting the I’s

This couldn’t have been achieved without the cast and fine direction. It’s a hard tone to reach. Combining a comedy and horror in the face of a hard-to-believe concept. It looks amazing and the CGI takes full advantage of the change in Technology in society from 1988 to 2019. This makes for a great look, complimenting a tone that should easily please Horror fans and make for a surprisingly refreshing look on Child’s Play (1988). Where most remakes come across as poor imitations and an unneeded retread of the original, Child’s Play (2019) manages to delight in itself and with the original film.

Conclusion

It’s quite unexpected but quite powerful. Child’s Play (2019) develops an existing concept and feels relevant and excels itself in the original film. The only problems arise with the standard set up of characters the film wants you to hate – but hate you do SPOILERS and delight you do when they die. END OF SPOILERS. Whilst the branded and titular character, Chucky, the grandiose show-stealer from all Child’s Play films, slowly comes into his own. Only really becoming the character that audiences love later in the film. This makes the film an odd origin story and remake all at once and, despite its strengths, keeps audiences from our star for a while. Child’s Play (2019) finishes as an effective and new take on the franchise, making for one of the better Horror films to come out this year.

Synopsis

The Buddi doll is developed to imprint on a child and to be connected to all technology in an all purpose tool and play friend to children. Before one of the factory workers commits suicide he makes the last doll without the inhibitions of violence controls. So when the doll fits in with a broken family, a lonely child of a single mother, Chucky finds new ways of solving their problems.

Ratings

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A Note on My Reviews

Please read ‘On Reviews‘ for a guide to how I write film reviews. Any spoilers are appropriately marked and, though I personally prefer to know little about a film before seeing it, there is a synopsis below the review for any who wish to see one.

Films Mentioned

Child’s Play (d. Tom Holland USA 1988)

Child’s Play (d. Lars Klevberg France/Canada/USA 2019)

Small Soldiers (d. Joe Dante USA 1998)

Toy Story (d. John Lasseter USA 1995)

Toy Story 4 (d. Josh Cooley USA 2019)

Child’s Play (2019): ‘Updating Toys’ – A Film Review

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