Child's Play and Candyman have proved we need more horror movies set in Chicago.
I guess you don't get that many recognizable establishing shots.I've owned the 7-film DVD collection for years now, and I'm finally giving them the time. The other two times I saw this first movie, I treated it more as a dumb horror flick, which it most certainly is. It wasn't until this viewing that I fully regarded this as a genuinely suspenseful movie. It reminds me of the first Nightmare on Elm Street film, where there are some campy moments that are interlaced with moments of pure dread and terror.
The scene that truly exemplifies this is the scene when Andy is locked in the room and sees Chucky in the adjacent building trying to find him. Sure, the man in a suit going up the stairs looks ridiculous, but the guttural fear that the actor playing Andy exhibits, the quick editing, and the indifferent reaction from the doctor are genuinely frightening.
There are many things in this that elevate it beyond its reputation as the start of a quirky franchise. Most of the acting is solid, particularly from the great Brad Dourif and Chris Sarandon. The use of lighting was striking, and the long build-ups to the ridiculous scares were fairly nail-biting. The dynamic between Karen and Andy adds a layer of emotional depth missing from the horror movies of the time.
This movie isn't perfect, but it knows what it is, and it makes me excited to explore the series further.
