Child's Play 2

Drive-In Academy Award nominations for Alex Vincent, the same kid from the first movie, for attacking Chucky with an electric carving knife; Christine Elise, as Andy's big foster sister, for pitching Chucky through a station-wagon windshield; Don Mancini, the writer, and John Lafia, the director, for having Chucky use a cellular phone and saying, "Now it's time to play Hide the soul." [30 Nov 1990, p.7]

This sequel to the surprise 1988 hit is a slicker and ultimately more disturbing film than the first. Read full review

Child's Play 2 is an inevitable sequel that's not as good as its progenitor, but better than most movies with the numbers 2 through 8 in their titles. Thin plot-wise, it caters to an audience apparently amused on the first go-round by the antics of a foul-mouthed doll named Chucky. Read full review

It's an all-out horror film--handsomely produced but morbid and not in the least amusing to watch. Read full review

Vicious as Chucky is, it's hard to be scared by anything that kicks its little feet helplessly every time it flings itself upon a full-sized human target. Read full review

In every way, it hangs together less effectively than its predecessor, but Mancini’s script is smartly self-aware (a recurring theme in these films), and new director John Lafia creates some enjoyably gonzo moments. Read full review

In the hands of director John Lafia, who uses many tricks of the genre (none of them his own), this is all less horrifying than it sounds, and a good deal funnier. [09 Nov 1990, p.G5]

Child's Play 2, stupid as it is, is a surprisingly tight low-budget production, making effective use of dark settings and rainy nights, and a handful of in-yer-face scare tactics that keep the action pumped up. [10 Nov 1990, p.C3]

Since the gaff has long been blown (we know Chucky is alive from the outset), the original's menacing tension is entirely absent. Lafia attempts to compensate by relying heavily on Kevin Yagher's advanced doll animations, but articulated facial features, however clever, are no substitute for thrills. Read full review

Child's Play 2 is perfunctory, disagreeable and patience-trying. [09 Nov 1990, p.24]

Child’s Play 2 is another case of rehashing the few novel elements of an original to the point of utter numbness. Read full review

It is hard to imagine a world where films such as Child's Play 2 - essentially, a dim excuse for a prolonged, extremely exploitative display of abused and abusive children - can pass as mainstream entertainment. [13 Nov 1990, p.3C]

When Child's Play 2 isn't dwelling on some atrocity being performed on a character nobody cares about anyway, it commits the ultimate horror genre transgression: It's really, really boring. [12 Nov 1990, p.3D]

At least the original never stooped to overly graphic violence. This time, the filmmakers drench the toy-factory finale with gore galore. [09 Nov 1990, p.4D]

His first visit was bad, this is worse. [09 Nov 1990]

A waste of space. Read full review