Blu-ray

Following four years of incarceration in an asylum for the criminally insane, wheelchair-bound Nica (Fiona Dourif) has finally accepted that she murdered her family (see 2014's Curse of Chucky) and that Chucky was nothing more than a symbol of her psychosis. But when her doctor brings in an old Good Guy doll to aid with her therapy, it isn't long before the killing starts again.

Meanwhile, original Child's Play survivor Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent) is in possession of the doll's severed, but still alive, head. But Chucky can't be in two places at the same time, can he? So what the heck is really going on?

With seven films now under its belt, it would be easy to dismiss the Child's Play series as just another slasher franchise in the same vein as Friday the 13th or Halloween. However, it's to Universal's credit that it has allowed series creator Don Mancini to keep taking the franchise in interesting and unexpected directions (even if they don't always pay off fully – yes, we're looking at you, Seed of Chucky).

Where does that leave Cult of Chucky? Well, in pulling together characters and stories from across the entire series, while escalating things to a whole new level, it's nothing less than the Fast Five of killer doll movies. And we loved every absurd minute of it.

Picture: Shot digitally, Cult of Chucky slices its way onto Blu-ray with a crisp 1.78:1-framed 1080p AVC encode that makes the most of the film's stark white interiors. Primary tones have plenty of 'pop' to them thanks to rich colour saturation, and even if detailing isn't the sharpest you'll ever see, there are plenty of fine textures on show. Apart from some minor banding, there are no other obvious digital anomalies to be seen.
Picture rating: 4.5/5

Audio: The film's DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix is a spacious affair that makes atmospheric use of the surrounds throughout, before really stepping up in the final act. Bass has real presence when needed. Dialogue and music are cleanly rendered and well balanced in the mix.
Audio rating: 4/5

Extras: Unlike the US Blu-ray release, this UK platter only features the uncut version of the film (but why would anyone want to watch the alternate, censored, cut anyway?). However, we do still get all of the great extras, including a chat-track, three deleted scenes and two Making of… featurettes. There's also a charming short video by Kyra Gardner (daughter of head puppeteer Tony Gardner) talking to key members of the cast and crew about how the franchise has turned into a family affair.
Extras rating: 3/5

We say: It may not offer much for newcomers, but Cult of Chucky is a blast for franchise fans.

Cult of Chucky, Universal Pictures, All-region BD, £16
HCC VERDICT: 4/5