10 Horror Movie Flops That Are Worth Revisiting

Rather than retreading the same story as before, Lars Klevberg's Child Play took a more tech-centric approach. Instead of making the villain a doll with the soul of a serial killer, Chucky was revised into a hi-tech toy that goes haywire after his safety protocols are deactivated. 

Serving as a satire on the digital era and the dangers of AI, the do-over could've revitalised the flagging franchise. But after receiving mixed reviews, the remake was swept under the rug. 

This is a pity since 2019's Child Play is arguably better than the original. The tone is campy without feeling OTT, the jump-scares are delightfully effective, and the kills are impressively brutal. Even though Brad Dourif seems irreplaceable as the maniacal doll, Mark Hamill's Chucky is surprisingly layered, switching from protective to psychotic in an instant.

One of the major positives is how Chucky is depicted in a sympathetic light. He slays Andy's enemies, not out of malice but in a warped attempt to protect him. When he sees Andy enjoying a horror movie, it's understandable how an artificially intelligent machine like Chucky drew the conclusion that violence would bring his owner joy.

At the time, the climax seemed ridiculous, with Chucky hacking other machines to attack on his behalf. But with AI advancing at an astronomic rate in recent years, this sequence isn't that farfetched anymore.