‘Curse of Chucky’ is a Blessing for the Series [4K Review]
Nearly a decade after pushing Chucky into full-blown comedic territory with Seed of Chucky (2004) creator Don Mancini decided to go full circle and take everyone’s favorite Good Guy back to the beginning. Curse of Chucky (2013) tonally feels more in line with Child’s Play (1988) and its first sequel than anything else in the series.
The film also introduces us to a new character tied to Chucky in more ways than one: Nica, played by Fiona Dourif, daughter of Brad Dourif. Nice touch. Mancini’s ability to steer this series in a consistent and clear direction is more than admirable when considering how sloppy most popular horror series became over the years. Not only does Curse of Chucky successfully bring the film back toward true horror but the story presents new threads that tie back to the very beginning in a way that feels organic. As if all of that isn’t enough, the movie also starts the process of “getting the band back together” for the set-up sequel Cult of Chucky (2017).
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Nica Pierce (Fiona Dourif) and her mother, Sarah (Chantal Quesnelle) live a quiet life far from the outside world, in a countryside home. Nica is a paraplegic, bound to her wheelchair. One day a large package arrives and within it is a Good Guy doll. Nica and her mother are confused about why it was sent. Later that night Sarah dies in a tragic accident and members of the family come to visit the grieving Nica. Her sister, Barb (Danielle Bisutti), her husband, Ian (Brennan Elliott), their daughter, Alice (Summer Howell), live-in nanny, Jill (Maitland McConnell), and a priest, Father Frank (A Martinez). Chucky doesn’t remain quiet for long, getting up to his usual antics and terrorizing everyone in the family. But the reason why he chose this particular family will reveal awful hidden secrets Nica never knew about her lineage.
A good portion of the film has Chucky working behind the scenes, sneakily killing or poisoning his victims. Even though he arrives during the opening it’s a full 45 minutes before he reveals himself in an electrifying way. Sure, he’s still got quips and that streak of gallows humor but the campy tone of the last two movies is gone. Mancini, once again directing, brings Chucky back to his roots as a vicious little maniac with an attitude to be feared. Killing a family is dark as it is but Mancini writes in a new backstory for Charles Lee Ray provides a solid motivation for Chucky’s wrath and, eventually, Nica’s desire for revenge. There’s also no dead air here. The pacing continually drives the story forward, giving us enough time with these characters to feel a little something when they go—and they do go often.
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What a lovely addition to the series Nica is, played beautifully by Brad Dourif’s own daughter, Fiona. Nica might be confined to a wheelchair but that only aids in ratcheting up the tension since it puts her on a more even playing field with Chucky. She’s also the most capable foe Chucky has had since Tiffany entered his life (and we haven’t seen the last of her either). Fiona Dourif is also just a good actress, bringing a steely-eyed resolve to the role that echoes her father’s acting. What are the odds, right?
Make sure to stick around through the credits for a surprise cameo, too. I will say Curse Of Chucky ends with some threads dangling and more than a few questions lingering, all of which Mancini wraps up nicely in the sequel, Cult of Chucky.
I couldn’t see a single problem with the film’s 2023 remaster, and for once Scream Factory has given the unrated cut the full-blown 4K treatment. The 1.78:1 2160p image is a stunner; crisp and clean and consistently pleasing from start to finish. This is a noticeable upgrade over the previous Universal Blu-ray and certainly the definitive edition to own.
The audio is just as impressive, featuring the same English DTS-HD MA 2.0 and 5.1 tracks found on the last Blu-ray. The surround sound option has a strong presence, with a few nicely enveloping moments (such as a raging thunderstorm), though the audio also capably handles subtle sounds, too, when Chucky is creeping around the home. Joseph LoDuca’s score complements the action well by balancing malevolence and mischief in equal measure. This is the same guy who scored the original Evil Dead films, after all. Subtitles are available in English SDH.
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On the 4K, the only bonus feature to be found is an audio commentary with writer/director Don Mancini, head puppeteer/associate producer Tony Gardner, and actress Fiona Dourif.
That same commentary can be found on the Blu-ray, along with a host of interviews and other bonus features.
“Andy’s Secret Return – Alex Vincent on Curse of Chucky” (HD, 7:03), the actor talks about his time on the series all those years ago, the sequels that he didn’t get to make in between, and his feelings about returning to Chucky’s world.
“It’s Got a Death Curse – Tony Gardner on Curse of Chucky” (HD, 7:41), the FX legend talks about the series legacy and his involvement with it, while also discussing the puppeteering and animatronics work used to bring Chucky to life.
“Twist of Jill – Danielle Bisutti on Curse of Chucky” (HD, 13:13), she’s more than just the nanny and Bisutti talks about joining the series and the dynamics of her character.
“Playing with Dolls: The Making of Curse of Chucky” (HD, 15:34) is the typical behind-the-scenes look at Chucky’s return to screens after nearly a decade of absence.
“Living Doll: Bringing Chucky to Life” (HD, 8:38), as you can guess this is all about the engineering and ingenuity involved in operating the Good Guy.
“Voodoo Doll: The Chucky Legacy” (HD, 7:08), is another featurette on the series.
“Storyboard Comparisons” (HD, 25:18) showcase Mancini’s original ideas alongside the finished footage.
A reel of deleted scenes (HD, 6:19), a gag reel (HD, 1:27), TV spot (HD, 0:33), and a trailer (HD, 1:15) finish off the extra features.
Special Features:
DISC ONE: 4K BLU-RAY – UNRATED VERSION
- NEW 4K MASTER OF THE UNRATED VERSION OF THE FILM
- Audio Commentary with writer/director Don Mancini, special makeup effects artist Tony Gardner and actress Fiona Dourif
- Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, 2.0
- Optional English subtitles for the main feature
DISC TWO: BLU-RAY – UNRATED AND R-RATED VERSIONS OF THE FILM
- NEW 4K MASTER OF THE UNRATED VERSION OF THE FILM
- NEW Andy’s Secret Return – Alex Vincent of CURSE OF CHUCKY
- NEW It’s Got A Death Curse – Tony Gardner on CURSE OF CHUCKY
- NEW Twist of Jill – Danielle Bisutti on CURSE OF CHUCKY
- Audio Commentary with writer/director Don Mancini, special makeup effects artist Tony Gardner and actress Fiona Dourif
- Playing with Dolls: The Making of CURSE OF CHUCKY
- Living Doll: Bringing Chucky to Life
- Voodoo Doll: The Chucky Legacy
- Storyboard Comparisons
- Deleted Scenes
- Gag Reel
- Trailer
- TV Spot
- Optional English subtitles for the main feature
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Curse of Chucky
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Special Features
Summary
Chucky is back – and almost better than ever. This is a film has yet again re-calibrates the series, veering away from full-on humor and reminding people why they were afraid of this diminutive doll in the first place. Scream Factory’s 4K release features razor-sharp video, immersive audio, and a wealth of bonus features worth checking out.
