“Bride of Chucky” (1998) Movie Review

Directed by Ronny Yu

Written by Don Mancini

Starring: Jennifer Tilly, Brad Dourif, Katherine Heigl, and Nick Stabile

Chucky, the doll possessed by a serial killer, discovers the perfect mate to kill and revive into the body of another doll.

I wish I could say I’ve only seen one movie involving dolls having sex. I’ve seen bits and pieces (no pun intended) of Bride of Chucky over the years, but this was my first time watching in its entirety. Katherine Heigl needs to remember this one the next time she starts feeling uppity. Bursting at the seams (no pun intended) with blood and guts, the fourth installment in this ridiculous franchise is satisfying if you know what to expect going in. Some people think these are real horror movies, but they’re just too damn silly to be considered legit. Throw in the equally ridiculous, Jennifer Tilly, as Tiffany, and you have 90 minutes of undiluted stupidity.

If you can imagine two murderous dolls having sex, then their murder spree should be an easy sell. Young and old, male or female, these two plastic fantastics carve a knee-level path of carnage through hotels and recreational vehicles as they fight the public and their own articulated marital demands. I’d like to see Charles Lee Ray come back as a Transformer or My Little Pony in the next big budget Chucky movie, which is assuredly being filmed as I type. Dolls, serial killers, magic amulets, Heigl’s boobs – this one really has it all. There are occasional moments of cool, like the scene where Chuck gets the hell blasted out of him at the end. Burned and already a doll, the trauma is hard to take seriously. Oh, and he chants magic incantations.

If you want a laugh, this is a pretty entertaining time-waster. If you’re looking for real horror, keep walking. Don’t stop to think that voice belongs to the super-talented Brad Dourif, and you’ll be fine.