Child’s Play is a 1988 horror thriller that takes place in Chicago, IL. It stars Catherine Hicks as Karen Barclay, Chris Sarandon as Det. Mike Norris, Alex Vincent as Andy Barclay, and Brad Dourif as Charles Lee Ray. David Kirschner (Hocus Pocus) is the producer and the director is Tom Holland (Fright Night).
The story opens with Det. Mike Norris chasing down killer Charles Lee Ray. Ray, having already been shot once, breaks into a toy store. Norris shoots him again as he is hiding. The killer realizes he’s dying and decides that he must transfer his soul into another body in order to live on. So, he finds a “Good Guy” doll and recites some magic words. The store is immediately struck by lightning. Norris finds Ray’s dead body and assumes he’s dead. In another part of the city Andy Barclay, a young boy, wants a “Good Guy” doll for his birthday. So his mother locates a peddler who has a doll and will sell it to her for a low price. She takes it home to show Andy and he is thrilled. Karen is also informed that she needs to work late that night and her best friend Maggie volunteers to babysit Andy. After putting Andy to bed, Maggie finds spilled flour on the kitchen floor. She bends over to clean it up when she is stabbed in the eye by Chucky the doll. Maggie loses her balance and falls out the window. Karen returns and Andy tells her “Chucky did it.” She doesn’t believe him and puts him back to bed for the night. The next morning after his mother drops him off at school, Andy sneaks out with the doll to find Eddie Caputo, Charles Lee Ray’s old partner who had abandoned him at the toy store. Chucky gets away from Andy and causes the building Caputo is staying in to explode. Later, Karen arrives at the police station and meets Det. Norris and Andy. A Dr. Ardmore witnesses their interrogation of Andy and suggests the boy stay at a psychiatric ward for a few days. His mother comes home with the doll and confirms that he is indeed alive when she finds its batteries still in the package. After a brief struggle, Chucky flees the apartment. Karen heads back to the police station and finds Norris. She explains what happened and that she is going after the peddler who sold her the doll. Norris knows that the area is not safe at night so he follows her. The peddler explains to them that he found it at the wreck of the toy store. Norris takes Mrs. Barclay home and goes back to his office to retrieve the file on Charles Lee Ray. He returns to his car, where Chucky is waiting for him. He attacks the detective in the speeding car. Eventually, it crashes and rolls over. Norris shoots Chucky again and the doll escapes. Meanwhile, the killer doll returns to his voodoo teacher, Dr. Death, and asks how he can become human again. After Chucky breaks the doctor’s arm and leg, he reveals that he must find Andy and transfer his soul into him. The doll leaves but not before fatally stabbing his old teacher. Karen and Norris arrive just before he dies and he tells them that they must get to Andy before Chucky does. But the doll is able to locate his owner but the boy gets away as Chucky electrocutes Dr. Ardmore. Andy runs home and barricades himself in the apartment as Mrs. Barclay and the detective are at the hospital to find him. Chucky also comes back to the apartment to transfer his soul into Andy’s body.
The writers really build up the tension in this movie. It is not confirmed that Chucky is alive until about 40 minutes into the film. Up until then, the viewer doesn’t see the doll do anything except move his eyes and head. We do see a shadow of what we are led to believe is Chucky and we see footprints. We are left to assume it’s Andy until the incident at Caputo’s house when the little boy is clearly outside while somebody else is inside turning up the gas for the explosion. Later on, when Karen Barclay returns home with Chucky and threatens to throw him into the fire if he doesn’t talk, is the time we finally see that the doll is truly alive.
It is clear why Charles Lee Ray wanted to transfer his soul into the doll as he lay dying in the toy store. He didn’t want to face the punishment that comes to all murderers after they die, or so some religious people claim it does. Ray didn’t want to burn for all the people he killed. But, ironically, he doesn’t escape punishment by burning. Towards the end of the film, Andy sets Chucky on fire as the doll reminds him that they are to be friends to the end. Andy replies by saying, “This is the end, friend!”
To wrap, Child’s Play is a suspenseful work and has many twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat!