Is Child's Play scary?

Yes, properly. Child's Play is the real thing without being an endurance test.

How gory is Child's Play?

Light gore and strong violence.

What is Child's Play rated, and is it OK for kids?

It is an R, with real scares, several jump scares and strong violence. Keep it for adults.

Child's Play (1988)

Film · 1h 27m · Rated R

Horror

A child's new doll harbors a serial killer's soul, unleashing campy, chilling terror with brisk suspense.

Suspenseful. A late-night trip at a brisk pace. Emotionally it carries some weight.

Streaming on Prime Video, AMC+ and Kanopy (free).

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Child's Play parents guide

What we could confirm fits an R: real scares and several jump scares.

Scare: Properly scary; Frightening, not just tense.
Jump scares: Several; More than a couple of sudden jolts.
Gore: Light gore; Some blood or injury, briefly.
Violence: Strong violence; Violence is frequent or intense.
Sex and nudity: None flagged; It is rated R, so treat our zero as unconfirmed.
Language: Moderate; Some strong profanity, a few f-words.

How we rate: an AI reads what is known about each title and tags it 0 to 3; we check the tags against a hand-rated set and correct them by hand when readers tell us. Estimates, not a scene-by-scene review. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Three questions

Is Child's Play scary?: Yes, properly. Child's Play is the real thing without being an endurance test.
How gory is Child's Play?: Light gore and strong violence.
What is Child's Play rated, and is it OK for kids?: It is an R, with real scares, several jump scares and strong violence. Keep it for adults.

What is Child's Play about?

After being shot in a toy store, a serial killer transfers his soul into a Good Guy doll. A mother then gifts it to her six-year-old son Andy, which unleashes terror upon the city.

Does it have a happy ending? (spoiler-safe)

It leaves things open rather than tying them up.