Child's Play (1988)
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68% of critics liked it
(28 reviews) -
61% of users liked it
(245,445 ratings)
Child's Play seems to have been concocted by a parent who went berserk after standing in line for hours on end to purchase a Cabbage Patch doll in the early 1980s. The film opens with serial killer Brad Dourif taking refuge in a doll factory. Dourif is killed by the cops, but not before he has… More Child's Play seems to have been concocted by a parent who went berserk after standing in line for hours on end to purchase a Cabbage Patch doll in the early 1980s. The film opens with serial killer Brad Dourif taking refuge in a doll factory. Dourif is killed by the cops, but not before he has invoked a voodoo curse which transfers his soul into one of the dolls. That particular doll, nicknamed Chuckie, is unwittingly purchased by Catherine Hicks for her son Alex Vincent. Several murders occur shortly thereafter; all evidence points to Alex, who insists that his cherub-faced doll is responsible. Detective Chris Sarandon, the man responsible for Dourif's death, doesn't swallow Alex's story, but he agrees to investigate because he's sweet on Alex's mom. The slasher-flick ending of Child's Play would seem to have settled Chuckie's hash for good and all, but guess again--the film spawned numerous sequels. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Tom Holland
- Genres
- Mystery & Suspense, Horror
- In Theaters
- Nov 9, 1988 Wide
- Studio
- United Artists
Critic Reviews
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Variety Staff, Variety
Fun withers in stretching the thin material to feature length.
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, Time Out
Holland's sure handling of the suspense and shock moments lends the film a sharp and scary edge.
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Caryn James, New York Times
[A] clever, playful thriller.
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Richard Harrington, Washington Post
Director Tom Holland keeps things moving without rushing them. Unfortunately, Child's Play gets a little ugly at the end.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Child's Play is a cheerfully energetic horror film of the slam-bang school, but slicker and more clever than most.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Catherine Hicks
as Karen Barclay
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Chris Sarandon
as Det. Mike Norris
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Alex Vincent
as Andy Barclay
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Brad Dourif
as Charles Lee Ray
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Dinah Manoff
as Maggie Peterson
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Tommy Swerdlow
as Jack Santos
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Jack Colvin
as Dr. Ardmore
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Roslyn Alexander
as Lucy
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John Franklin
as Walkabout Chucky
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Ed Gale
as Chucky
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Neil Giuntoli
as Eddie Caputo
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Edan Gross
as Friendly Chucky
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Ted Liss
as George
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Juan Ramírez
as Peddler
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Alan Wilder
as Mr. Criswell
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Michael Chavez
as Bellevue Patient
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Aaron Osborne
as Orderly
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Michael Patrick Carter
as Kid in Animated Commercial
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Raymond Oliver
as Dr. Death



