Bride of Chucky [1999] [DVD]

This has to be my favourite chucky film, it's far more concerned on making chucky a character that we can relate with (ok not the killer side) and doesen't go for creepiness as we all know CHUCKY IS ALIVE. It's a must buy though watch the first as that is also up this standard.

After being stuck in an evidence locker for 2 years, Chucky is freed by corrupt cop Bailey, sent by his girlfriend Tiffany. Officer Bailey is quickly offed and Chucky is taken home. He's in quite a state, but then so would you be if you were diced in a giant fan. Using bits off her massive doll collection Tiffany manages to bring Chucky back to life using another chant to the mighty Damballa.

As soon as he's on his feet Chucky does yet another killing to get the circulation going. Tiffany is excited and can't wait to get Chucky into a human body so they can get hitched. But Chuck is dead against marriage and laughs in her face. Dejected, Tiffany locks him in a play pen while she blows off some steam. Not taking kindly to being locked up, Chucky breaks out and kills her by knocking a TV into her bathtub.

Another chant to Damballa brings her back in the form of one of her many dolls. Angry with the loss of her nice, fleshy body and being stuck in a short, plastic one, Tiffany starts researching ways to help herself without Chucky's aid. Tough luck, the only way out is with the help of an amulet that was buried with Chucky's human body years ago.

Conning a couple of local lovebirds, hick Jesse and well-to-do Jade, into driving them to the graveyard in New Jersey, Chuck and Tiff begin a cross-country killing spree, leaving a pile of dead bodies in their wake that the cops assume are the work of Jesse and Jade. Marital disputes between couples both flesh and plastic follow. Don't laugh, it's good! The formula of Child's Play was wearing mighty thin by the end of the 3rd film and really needed a fresh new spin to keep it alive. Don Mancini struck the nail right on the head when he turned it into a post-modern horror. Remember, this was back in the days when post-modern horror was all the rage so it might seem just the tiniest bit dated now. But compared to the endless Urban Legend, Scream and I Know yadda yadda films Bride of Chucky seems to have the sharpest wit, the slickest direction and strongest production values.

Director Ronny Yu gives us plenty of eye-candy and shoots the film with loads of darkness and deep blacks. A horror series like this needs technical superiority and imagination when it comes to direction and Ronny Yu soars over Jack Bender's mundane approach to Child's Play 3.

Composer Graeme Revell returns and delivers a more sophisticated, if slightly generic, score to those awful death-metal guitar/synthesizer cues to Child's Play 3. His main theme from Child's Play 2 comes and goes briefly and he forgets the huge orchestral mayhem he did before. But he does introduce a very cool Twin Peaks-style love theme for Chuck and Tiff. An alright score overall that really should get a release on CD.

Katherine Heigl is very easy on the eye as is Jennifer Tilly (as a human). Plus it also features one of my favorite actors, the late John Ritter, who died in 2003. Margot Kidder's gorgeous niece Janet also has a small role and Kathy Najimy (that's Peggy Hill for you King of the Hill fans) cameos as a distressed Motel Maid.

Shot on Kodak Vision Premier, the 1.85:1 anamorphic picture would look much better on Blu Ray. Come on Universal, I've had this DVD for nearly 13 years!

Bride of Chucky, also known as Child's Play 4: Bride of Chucky is the second of three horror films co-starring a young Katherine Heigl. In this comic horror she plays a back seat role to 'Chucky' (Brad Dourif) and his bride (Jennifer Tilly) who obviously steal the show. To any of you who are unfamiliar with the Chucky series be prepared for plenty of violent ott killings. Blood and gore hit the screen frequently but it still maintains humour throughout. The picture quality and sound is very good quality and it has a gripping and engaging soundtrack. If not taken too seriously this is an entertaining film and keeps you guessing right up to the end. Certainly it's worth a viewing if you like this sort of thing but hardly what I'd call family entertainment. 6/10 for value.