Child's Play 3 - Weakest of the initial trilogy?

Child's Play 3' is the sort of 'final part' to the 'Chucky' franchise.  Not that it was ever really marketed as so (such as something like 'Friday 13th: The Final Chapter'), but it just felt like the end.  The original two films were about a doll, possessed with the soul of a killer, trying to escape his 'plastic prison' by re-transferring his soul into the first human he had revealed his 'true self' to, i.e. a little boy called Andy.  I guess there was a limit as to how many times the evil doll could try, fail, be destroyed in a grisly fashion and then find himself accidentally resurrected again to rinse and repeat.  Therefore, a new actor plays a (slightly) grown up Andy here where he's at military school now.  But - guess what - Chucky still wants to transfer his soul into the teen.

It's interesting to note that 'Part 3' comes out a mere nine months after its predecessor and it feels it.  Overall, it just feels rushed with nothing that original here.  Even the film's creator and also the voice of Chucky, Brad Dourif, came out after the film's release and mentioned that it was their least favourite of the franchise.  It's also the last one before the *ahem* 'reboot.' And, when I say 'reboot' I mean that after this the producers basically dropped the 'Child's Play' title and focused on (arguably) the film's true star, the Chucky doll himself.  The films that followed were all more 'horror-comedies,' rather than really trying to be out and out scare-fests.

The story is pretty identical, i.e. killer doll stalks kids and no one believes them when they try and tell the adults around them.  It's not scary and not that gory.  Brad Dourif is typically on form as Chucky, but this is still the most average (certainly of the three originals).  The other characters are equally forgettable.  All adults are only there to berate the kids for their silly fantasies about living dolls before being killed and the supporting youngsters all conform to their respective cliches.  I guess maybe we - the audience - felt a far greater attachment to a young boy being stalked by a psychotic killer doll, rather than a teen who has access to firearms and an entire army around him. 

If you're looking for laughs then keep going with the franchise, as the 'Seed' and 'Bride' of Chucky are very funny, whereas if you prefer the darker tone then the first two films should be for you (until the later 'proper' reboot which tries to tale the story back to its horror roots).  If you're a fan of the series you might want to have this one in your collection, but if you're generally just dipping your toe into the franchise, you can sort of gloss over it.  Parts 1 and 2 are far superior.

6/10 Should probably keep you awake if Freddy Krueger was haunting your nights