A surprisingly effective sequel, “Child’s Play 2” succeeds primarily by focusing on the continuing story of Andy (Alex Vincent), now in a foster home as Chucky (voiced by the always-frightening Brad Dourif) continues to terrorize him. Despite his young age, Vincent handles his returning role with aplomb, registering Andy’s resignation to Chucky’s ongoing quest, which adds a surprising amount of emotional verisimilitude in a genre not exactly known for it. Chucky is more talkative this time around, which is the right move by the filmmakers, who, with the novelty of a living doll exhausted by the end of the original, focus their efforts on gore effects instead of the slow-build tension of the original, leading to a gory and relentless climax inside a toy factory. Watch for a scene-stealing turn by Grace Zabriskie.
Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)
