Cult of Chucky is a 2017 American horror feature film written and directed by Don Mancini (director of Curse of Chucky and Seed of Chucky; writer on the previous Chucky movies; Hannibal; Cellar Dweller). The movie stars Fiona Dourif, Alex Vincent and Jennifer Tilly.
The soundtrack score was composed by Joseph LoDuca who previously worked on The Curse of Chucky (2013), the Boogeyman movies, The Messenger (2007) and the Evil Dead franchise.
Plot:
Confined to an asylum for the criminally insane for the past four years, Nica Pierce (Fiona Dourif) is erroneously convinced that she, not Chucky, murdered her entire family.
However, when Nica’s psychiatrist introduces a new therapeutic “tool” to facilitate his patients’ group sessions — an all-too-familiar “Good Guy” doll with an innocently smiling face — a string of grisly deaths begins to plague the asylum, and Nica starts to wonder if maybe she isn’t crazy after all.
Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent), Chucky’s now-grown-up nemesis from the original Child’s Play, races to Nica’s aid. But to save her he’ll have to get past Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly), Chucky’s bride, who will do anything, no matter how deadly or depraved, to help her beloved devil doll…
Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Inside the Insanity of Cult of Chucky
Good Guy Gone Bad: The Incarnations of Chucky
Feature Commentary with Director/Writer Don Mancini and Head Puppeteer Tony Gardner
Reviews:
“Hilariously brutal, insanely addictive and balls-out crazy. Chucky is back and better than ever. Don Mancini and the team have become a family over the years and as a result, the franchise is treated with love and respect. Never straying too far from the path for money or greed. They do it for the fans and that type of love is a rare love in cinema and an attitude that we need more of across the board.” Back to the Movies
“Seventh films have no right to be this good or break this much new ground. Cult of Chucky takes this wild story in a whole host of new directions that franchise fans are sure to get a kick out of. There are so many batshit delights, especially as things escalate towards the finale, but to spoil them would be to ruin Mancini and co.’s grand carnival. Without a doubt, Child’s Play is a horror franchise worth treasuring.” Bloody Disgusting
“Cult of Chucky is a fun ride with the expected litany of gruff one-liners from the diminutive killer, brutal deaths and conceptually a couple of big surprises that stray from the existing formula. It’s unlikely to make you a Chucky convert, but is arguably the best in the series since the 1988 original.” Britflicks
“Where Curse may have plodded a bit, Cult clips along at a refreshing pace, never losing any aspects of the story it needs to keep you engaged, and it brings some of the wacky tone from Bride and Seed together with the rather more serious nature of the first three films in such a way that you can genuinely stand back and appreciate Mancini as a filmmaker that has finally hit his stride.” Den of Geek!
“Writer/director Mancini adroitly spins concurrent plot threads – Nica’s attempts to save those around her, Tiffany’s fiendish plan, Andy’s journey of revenge – across a disciplined 91-minute run time. He also delivers a sequel-baiting climax that elicits excitement rather than groans. Even if as scriptwriter he does indulge a penchant for the in-jokery he should have got out of his system with Seed of Chucky...” Electric Shadows
“It is a solid entry in a franchise that is already six installments strong and it also manages to breathe new life into what most may think is a tired concept. I firmly believe both fans of the original Child’s Play series and Bride, Seed, and Curse of Chucky will be very happy at what is on display in this installment…” Fansided/1248 Elm
“Featuring elaborate death scenes and lashings of gore, a great music score and inventive camera-work that makes atmospheric use of the claustrophobic setting – an imposing Brutalist-designed hospital with gleaming white corridors and padded cells, all set in a snowbound prairie land (which gives the whole thing a dreamlike quality); plus some terrific performances from Dourif and co, this is a real treat for Chucky fans.” Kultguy’s Keep
“Confident, assured, and often horrifically beautiful direction from franchise father Don Mancini means Cult looks gorgeous – sleek, bright and shiny, with some gorgeous slow-motion carnage and hauntingly composed tableaus. It feels like Universal have let Mancini and co. unleash a little more with this latest installment…” Live for Films
“Mancini has a wild imagination clearly and he manages to channel all of his ideas into a film that is a worthy successor to Curse of Chucky. It’s also perhaps his most balls-to-the-wall outing yet but that’s definitely part of its charm […] Seven films in and Chucky still feels fresh and relevant, and Cult of Chucky is a bonkers love letter to fans that gives plenty of pay off whilst delivering plenty surprises.” Entertainment Focus
” …Cult of Chucky is easily one of the most interesting entries in the series, it will also – I believe – be the most divisive. There are story choices made here that change the future for the franchise, much more so than any film in the series has EVER done before. Whether die-hard Chucky fans accept those choices and the changes they bring about, will be key to the success of this film.” Nerdly
” …the bratty quips and cheerfully nasty murders come thick and fast, with drillings and decapitations, high heels and compressed air canisters all part of their repertoire. Mancini’s low-key shooting style also shifts up a gear with slow-motion split-screen action and deranged psycho-lesbian clinches, like Brian de Palma on an indie-movie budget.” The Hollywood Reporter
“Gleefully self-referential and containing some killer quips Cult of Chucky is also dark and disturbing and downright scary at times. Best of all it is an evolution of the Child’s Play films taking them on a new direction that the fans will never expect but will most definitely approve of.” Love Horror
” …by the seventh film in a horror franchise, people aren’t watching for the story, they’re watching for the gore and gags, and Cult of Chucky has an abundance of both. After a killer of an opener where we check in with the not so little Andy Barclay, things get a tad predictable and formulaic. That all changes again as we near the end as the final third is when the film is at its strongest.” The Hollywood News
“Don Mancini’s latest Chucky sequel isn’t perfect, and it isn’t as riotously entertaining as Curse, but there’s some good stuff in here, and a climax that’s absolutely worth waiting for as everything goes quite nuts. Not at all bad for what is essentially Child’s Play VII, especially as they’ve had the sense to let Jennifer Tilly out of her box again.” House of Mortal Cinema
“Director Don Mancini even does a nifty job of splicing utter fan-friendliness with the occasional social comment. No – really – Seed of Chucky was about self-acceptance (with a lot of murder chucked in). Here, it becomes impossible to just ignore the plight of the asylum patients Nica meets, with Elizabeth Rosen’s ‘Madeline’ a particular standout […] Cult of Chucky takes the franchise to its (psycho!)logical conclusion.” Starburst
“Brad Dourif is still on fine form as everyone’s favourite foul mouthed doll while additionally the title of the film gives lots of possibilities for future films! Overall, a muddled third act doesn’t distract from a solid first and second half and gives plenty for audiences to enjoy – Good fun!” Bloody Flicks
“Mancini deploys split-screen, split-focus, suspenseful editing and stages surprisingly icky deaths with aplomb (Nica stomping on a guy’s head until its total mush being the chief highlight). And how does a wheelchair user find herself walking? That would be telling. While the plot is supremely silly, hardcore devotees will be delighted to find twists and turns along the way.” CineVue
“Mancini is brave (and savvy) to toy with the formula enough to ensure this is no simple retread, and Cult of Chucky certainly opens up a new realm of possibilities as far as the franchise goes. It is also worth noting that the film rewards long-time fans of the films with a series of references, nods and touch points that, without a shadow of a doubt, could pass many over many viewers’ heads, but certainly enriches the experience for Chucky completists.” Movie Ramblings
Buy Blu-ray collection: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk
“There’s so much to unpack from Cult of Chucky, but you’re better off going into your viewing knowing as little as possible. Just know that Don Mancini and his team have hit another home run for the franchise, and it sets up some very intriguing further adventures for everyone’s favourite killer doll.” Flickering Myth
“So, Cult of Chucky is basically another series of gruesome murders committed by a wisecracking doll – who, moreover, will soon have to admit that has lost his Scariest Doll in Horror Cinema tiara to Annabelle – but Mancini finds wriggle room inside the strait-jacket of franchise requirements. Here, his focus is on the way once-normal people like Andy, Nica and Jennifer Tilly have been warped by their horrific experiences.” Screen Daily
Cast and characters:
Allison Dawn Doiron … Rachel
Alex Vincent … Andy Barclay
Brad Dourif … Chucky (voice)
Fiona Dourif … Nica Pierce
Dan De Jaeger … Orderly #1 (as Dan DeJaeger)
Matthew Stefanson … Orderly #2
Michael Therriault … Dr Foley
Zak Santiago … Nurse Carlos
Ali Tataryn … Nurse Ashley
Marina Stephenson Kerr … Angela
Adam Hurtig … Michael
Grace Lynn Kung … Claire
Elisabeth Rosen … Madeleine
Jennifer Tilly … Tiffany Valentine
Summer H. Howell … Alice Pierce (as Summer Howell)
Tom Anniko … Chaplain
Darren Wall … Asylum Guard
Paolo Bryant … Orderly (uncredited)
Christine Elise … Kyle (uncredited)
Lorrie Papadopoulos … Asylum Patient (uncredited)
Linden Porco … Body (uncredited)
Aidan Ritchie … Asylum Patient (uncredited)
Dennis Scullard … Asylum Patient (uncredited)
Filming locations:
Winnipeg, Canada
Release:
The film had its world premiere at the Horror Channel FrightFest in London on 24 August 2017. It was released by Universal on Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD on October 3, 2017.
