* spoilers *
Nica has accepted responsibility for the five murders she swore Chucky committed and succeeds in progressing in her therapy. After being transferred to a lower security psychiatric facility, she is visited by Tiffany Valentine, who bluntly reveals that her niece has died. Suddenly, Good Guys Dolls are appearing out of nowhere, coinciding with vicious attacks. Is Nica responsible or is the killer Chucky doll real?
I was expecting something super cheesy and messy like Seed of Chucky, but Cult of Chucky surprised me. The characters, kills, and overall look are all well executed. Andy is so weird now with a sentient Chucky head that he keeps in a safe and tortures whenever he feels frustrated. He clearly blames Chucky for all of his problems and became twisted as a result. Nica has only been in the franchise for two films, but she feels like a familiar and iconic character. I feel sorry for her wasting her life over acts she didn't commit and being subject to abusive doctors and callous inmates. The kills are some of the most unique I've seen. They range from a shattered skylight (a particularly visually stunning scene) to disembowelings to a good old fashioned stabbings. The visuals are elevated in a way I never expected. Everything in the hospital is dull and muted. The only color is a vibrant red that represents Chucky and his followers either in clothing, hair color, or blood.
Cult of Chucky is a super fun ride. Don't think too much about the obviously incorrect workings of the hospital or it's way too small staff or anything like that. The story manages to be both suspenseful and funny at points without ruining either effect. The twist of the movie keeps the franchise fresh and makes Chucky a much bigger force to be reckoned with. I worry that it's a bit overpowered, but I'm ready and waiting to watch the next film which will include Kyle, Andy's friend from Child's Play 2 and 3. It's an impressive feat for a seventh installment of a series to be this good.
My rating: 3.5/5 fishmuffins
* Friday the 13th Part 2
Five years after the Camp Crystal Lake Massacre, a group of counselors hold a training camp near the defunct, notorious crime site, where they mostly get into typical shenanigans like trespassing on Camp Crystal Lake, drinking, having sex, and doing drugs. This doesn't sit well with Jason, who sets out to kill all the camp counselors and punish them for their immoral behavior in honor of his mother.
Friday the 13th Part 2 is a vast improvement over the first which dragged and had no suspense up until the end with Mrs. Voorhees. The mythology for the whole series is kind of wonky. Jason appears as he is most known, a hulking silent beast of a man. Instead of his signature hockey mask, he wears a bag over his head with only one hole to see out of. He dispatches teens with knives, a garrote, and his signature machete. The kills are decent and the the lead-up can be suspenseful. It was made with the awareness that the audience knows when kills are coming and still surprises at times. Most of the teens are interchangeable, but I was disappointed when Mark died. He seemed decent and was largely dismissed by everyone else because of his disability when he had big dreams and aspirations.
Ginny, the final girl, is the best character in the whole movie. First, she's a student in college studying child psychology. Unlike most final girls, Ginny has a boyfriend and it's implied that they have sex. She also drinks at a bar. It's interesting that this portrayal is more progressive than Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 even though it was made 5 years later. Anyway, her psychology training gives her insight to Jason's mental state and it ends up saving her in the end. She puts on Mrs. Voorhees' sweater and pretends to be his mother, which buys her and her boyfriend much needed time.
Friday the 13th Part 2 is a decent sequel and much better than the first. Jason isn't my favorite slasher villain by far, but the movie was enjoyable. The ending has some inconsistencies that make me want to see the next movie if Ginny is in it. I doubt she is and I doubt they'll say what happened to Paul, but I can always hope. Maybe I'll work my way through the rest of this series even though I haven't heard good things about further installments.
My rating: 4/5 fishmuffins
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