Cult of Chucky (4 Stars)

Spoilers! When I sat down to write this review my fingers were twitching. I want to tell my readers what excites me most about this film, but it would be such a blatant spoiler that it would ruin the ending for those who haven't seen it yet. I feel like I want to tell you what it is, but I know I shouldn't. It's so frustrating! I'll make a deal with you. I'll keep it a secret until after the next film is released. Either the next film or the Child's Play TV series, whichever comes first. Wait until then.

I was somewhat surprised to see Nica Pierce return in this film. After seeing her in "Curse of Chucky" I thought she was a throwaway one-time character. That was a foolish assumption. She was played by Fiona Dourif, the daughter of Brad Dourif who played Charles Lee Ray in the first film and has provided the voice of Chucky ever since. I should have known her character has to be important. She's an essential part of the future of the franchise. She seemed to have been written out after she was framed for the multiple killings at the end of "Curse of Chucky", but now we see her again in a mental institution, wrongly diagnosed as a schizophrenic. Let's not be too hard on the psychiatrists. If I were found in a house full of dead bodies and I blamed a doll for the murders, what would they say about me?

It's not just Nica who returns. Welcome back Andy Barclay, who was played by Alex Vincent in the first two films from 1998 to 1990. (He was played by a different actor in "Child's Play 3"). His return is long overdue, though I feel he was underused in "Cult of Chucky". His appearance seems to be the preparation for a big role in the eighth film.

Another character I've missed is Kyle, played by Christine Elise in "Child's Play 2" (1990). Why did we have to wait 27 years to get her back? Some of the people who've watched this film might have missed her entrance, looking pure evil holding pliers in her hand. For some unfathomable reason her scene was cut from the Netflix version of the film. Shame on Netflix!

There's so much more I could say about this film if I weren't afraid of giving spoilers. It's amazing that the Chucky franchise is still going strong after seven films. All other horror franchises ran out of steam after three films at most. The Chucky films are still amazing cinema audiences with new innovations.

This film isn't just a transitional film for Andy Barclay. I feel like "Cult of Chucky" overall is a bridge. The next film will be the big one. That's my prediction.

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