[MacBlayne]

SEED OF CHUCKY

A Chuck off the old block.

An androgynous living doll realises that his parents are Chucky and Tiffany, who are the subject of an upcoming film. That film’s lead actress, Jennifer Tilly, is trying to resurrect her career by securing a role as the Virgin Mary. Chaos unfolds as she tries to seduce the director and maintain her reputation, while Chucky tries to come to terms with fatherhood.

Seed of Chucky is a complete mess of a film, but it is an extremely funny one. For every great idea or one-liner (“They’re executing Martha Stewart today.”), the film suffers from sloppy pacing and poorly-aged pop-culture references. Chucky kills Britney Spears, and makes the pun you’d expect.

Writer Don Mancini takes the director’s chair on this round, and while Seed of Chucky is a brightly coloured film, it is one lacking flair. Mancini doesn’t possess the bravura and style that Ronny Yu injected into Bride of Chucky. Yu also didn’t beat you over the head with the gags either. This is definitely a case of a director lacking confidence.

But, as mentioned, Seed of Chucky is hilarious. Brad Dourif is tremendous, struggling to overcome his murderous desires, raise a family, and trying and failing to make sense of the lunacy around him. That’s right, by the film’s climax, Chucky seems more sane than everyone around him. Billy Boyd is does a good job as Chucky’s child, and Redman deserves props for playing himself as a sleazy scumbag (Quentin Tarantino was originally offered the part, but thought it was too sleazy a role for him). But as with Bride of Chucky, it’s perhaps Tilly that walks away with the film. Whether she’s playing herself, or Tiffany the doll, she is a comic delight. Just the way she delivers dialogue like this:

REDMAN: I meant it when I said I was a big fan of yours.

TILLY: Really? What films did you like?

REDMAN: That one where you have the affair with the female neighbour. I must have watched that five or six times.

TILLY: Oh, yeah. Bound. Everyone likes that one.

The biggest surprise upon revisiting Seed of Chucky, is how it beats today’s progressive push in cinema, dealing with non-binary genderism in a way that is never mocking or patronising. Glen, or Glenda (they’re not sure) is never a tragic, confused figure, nor the butt of jokes. They seem comfortable about it. Tiffany accepts their child, and while Chucky doesn’t reject them, the humour comes from Chucky trying to rationalise it in his mind.

So while Seed of Chucky is a chaotic brew that never fully settles, it is one rich with ideas and sharp humour. Highly recommended, but be prepared to roll your eyes at many occasions.