Southwest Messenger - June 30th, 2019

PAGE 14 - SOUTHWEST MESSENGER - June 30, 2019
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in print
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In Entertainment
Chucky is back with more
gore and more ridiculousness
It was choose a toy at the theaters this
weekend. The first and more wholesome
option was “Toy Story,” the fourth installment
of a beloved animated franchise that
has garnered the reputation for making
even the most jaded of adults weep like
newborns. The second and less familyfriendly
option was “Child’s Play,” a reboot
of a beloved slasher that features a murderous
doll who has garnered the reputation
for making even the most jaded adults
weep like newborns. While both were worthy
options for a variety of reasons, I was
only in the mood for one.
“Child’s Play” is not an exact replica of
the original hit from 1988, so points are in
order for base creativity. Though both
share the same ridiculous premise (or is
it?) of a doll coming to life and murdering
people, the latest version focuses more on
the dangers of dependence on technology
and less on the transference of one’s
wicked soul into an inanimate object
meant for children. Whether the latter is a
deal-breaker is entirely up to you.
The film opens with low wage workers
in an overseas manufacturing plant meticulously
crafting the perfect technological
doll for consumers around the world. The
Buddi doll, as it is called, is promised to
provide a “life-long” companion for children,
helping them grow and thrive
through a supportive relationship where
they are their eyes and ears. Additional
features include babysitting duties for
overworked parents, connectively with
other Kaslan Industries products so the
Buddi doll can order Kaslan rides and find
programming on the Kaslan TV’s, and, of
course, staring at you as you walk across
the room. (Seriously, their eyes follow you
everywhere! I don’t know how doll collectors
do it.)
Though it is clear not every worker is
thrilled with the product they are creating,
or the job they have, they do it day in and
day out for consumer needs. But one
evening, a worker is caught daydreaming
and is promptly fired for envisioning a better
job somewhere else. Before he can pack
up his meager belongings, he is ordered to
finish up his Buddi doll, and finish up he
does. In an act of disobedience, he strips
the Buddi doll of all of its safety features,
including one that removes the anti-violence
protocol.
Naturally, this doll is shipped to the
states where it falls into the hands of a consumer
who purchased it for her child.
Luckily for this family, she was able to
return it due to its “occasional glowing red
eyes” but it is soon picked up by singlemother
Karen Barclay (Aubrey Plaza) who
gives it to her 13-year-old son Andy
(Gabriel Bateman) as a joke/early birthday
present.
The Reel Deal
Dedra Cordle
At first, Andy is
creeped out by the
waxen doll with the
voluminous orbs
and slicked hair, but
he quickly finds a
real friend in Buddi,
now Chucky (voiced
wonderfully by Mark Hamill). As they get
to know each other, Andy begins to suspect
that something is amiss when Chucky gets
possessive of his time spent with human
friends. Then things get weirder, more
dangerous and ultimately deadlier from
then on out.
One could say “Child’s Play” is just
another unnecessary reboot of a beloved
property from an industry out of ideas and
they would be right. But this film is also an
interesting satirical piece about our willingness
to accept advanced technology into
our lives for the sake of convenience and
comfort. Unfortunately, it doesn’t keep
with that thread throughout as it has to
make room for the more gruesome elements
of its predecessor and the overall
film really does suffer because of that.
I have to be completely honest and say I
thought this film was going to be complete
crap. The trailers looked dumb, Chucky
looked even more off than he normally
does, and it just didn’t hit any good note at
all. But when I saw it, I was surprised at
how much I was enjoying it. It has some
dark humor, it pokes fun at itself, it has an
interesting take on tech and I laughed with
it just as much as I laughed at it. I know
this film is not going to be for everyone, but
it’s a decent time if you’re looking for quality
ridiculousness. Grade: B-
Dedra Cordle is a Messenger staff
writer and columnist.
southwest
Messenger
(Distribution: 21,678)
Andrea Cordle...................................Southwest Editor
southwest@ columbusmessenger.com
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