Every Chucky movie ranked worst to best

Sometimes, even killers fall victim to their own success. Child's Play 2 was a hit, and a third film was rushed into production so fast that it arrived in theaters a mere nine months later. The result feels as half-formed as burned plastic, an inoffensive but aggressively unmemorable outing that Mancini himself admits was a product of being "a little tired."

In an effort to combat the "same old, same old" feeling, Child's Play 3 ages up Andy Barclay (Justin Whalin replacing Alex Vincent to compensate for the time jump) and sends him to a military academy. Chucky, reborn after the Play Pals company fires up its old factory, mails himself to the school to resume his quest for a human body. The package is intercepted by a younger boy, Ronald Tyler (Jeremy Sylvers), who Andy must protect with the help of spunky cadet Kristin (Perrey Reeves). 

There are certainly some fun high points, like a sadistic barber (Andrew Robinson), a colorful run through a carnival spook house, and a stylish main title sequence that features doll parts melting in reverse like an Aphex Twin video directed by Saul Bass. Mancini and director Jack Bender come very close to tapping into the horrors of macho conformity, but Chucky's methods and motivations have never been less inspired. The best idea for the movie, a swarm of possessed dolls descending on the conflict, was lost to budget constraints, though it would be revived 25 years later.

It's unlikely that anyone working on the Child's Play movies ever thought they were making the soberest of dramas, but it took death and rebirth for the series to truly confront its comedic potential. The disappointing performance of Child's Play 3 sent Chucky's cultural cachet into a seven-year coma. His salvation would come at the hands of an old flame, Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly, another Oscar nominee joining Dourif), one of the most refreshing breaths of fresh air ever injected into a franchise mid-stream.

After reviving her darling dolly using Voodoo for Dummies, murder enthusiast Tiffany remembers just what a cad he always was. Their escalating war culminates in Chucky trapping Tiffany's soul in a doll of her own. From the moment Rob Zombie's "Living Dead Girl" blasts over Bride of Chucky's main titles, you know exactly what kind of ride you're in for. It's a delightfully trashy romp with slick style aplenty, courtesy of director Ronny Yu. The Bonnie and Clyde vibe introduced by the addition of a pitch-perfect Tilly makes for one of the finest brand reinventions in movie history. Most notably, Mancini cites Bride of Chucky as the beginning of "the queer identity of the franchise," a particular point of pride in his creation. 

If there's a weak point to the film, it's that the human characters are never as interesting as the dolls, leaving viewers wishing they could spend more time with Chucky and Tiffany. To fulfill that desire, look no further than the next sequel.

In the years following Seed of Chucky, grim 'n' gritty reboots became the order of the day for horror series. One by one, Leatherface, Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, and Freddy Krueger returned to screens in new continuities with angstier motivations, more muted color palettes, and generally less fun. When Chucky finally returned, he seemed headed for the same fate, as advertising for the direct-to-video Curse of Chucky hinted at a sober tone, a cast of naïve new characters, and a pristine Good Guy doll.

What fans actually found was another brilliant example of Don Mancini toying with their expectations. His directing chops improved immeasurably since Seed, he takes the series in a decidedly gothic new direction. Aside from a creepy mansion setting, Curse begins much like the original Child's Play, with a family mystified by the mishaps surrounding the seemingly silent Chucky doll. It even teases the question of whether or not any of the other movies happened in the same timeline, with characters struggling to remember why the Good Guy looks so familiar.

When Chucky does start talking, though (with those familiar Brad Dourif tones), the twists start coming fast and furious as the movie reveals itself to be a direct sequel in some stunningly clever ways. Adding to the fun is the casting of Fiona Dourif, Brad's daughter and an excellent character actress in her own right, in the lead role of paraplegic Nica Pierce. Nica progresses from frustration with being underestimated by her family to rage at Chucky for what he's taken from her, and turns out to be an entirely new kind of "final girl."

The best revelation? It turns out the "curse" of the title refers not to any voodoo, but to Chucky's f-bombs.

Cult may in fact be Chucky's finest hour, but its delights are aimed squarely at long-time fans of the series. For the top spot in our ranking, let's take a look at a movie that can stand totally on its own as the platonic ideal of a killer doll adventure, perfecting the concepts of its predecessor with a balance of laughs and frights. For the Chucky-curious, there may be no better place to start than Child's Play 2.

The first pleasant surprise the sequel has in store is its cast of cult favorite character actors. Connoisseurs of weird cinema will thrill as the main titles announce the presence of Jenny Agutter (Logan's Run), Gerrit Graham (Phantom of the Paradise), and Grace Zabriskie (Twin Peaks). Alex Vincent is back as young Andy, with his rebellious new foster sister, Kyle (Christine Elise) as his only ally. And, as always, Brad Dourif is back as Chucky, getting to really dig into his sadistic personality in a way the first film didn't allow.

Child's Play 2's other secret weapon is just how good it looks. With Ivo Christante's production design looking like a Midwestern Suspiria and striking cinematography by Stefan Czapsky (best known for lighting Tim Burton's early work), it's much more a feast for the eyes than just about any other slasher sequel. Some of Chucky's most creative kills are here, as he utilizes a ruler, a copier, and a sewing machine to terrorize his unsuspecting victims. Top it all off with a climactic doll factory chase unmatched in its inventiveness, and you've got a horror-comedy classic that's just about as fun as they come.