Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

.Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Obviously thinking (correctly) that the Silent Night, Deadly Night tag wouldn't mean much to British audiences, this fourth sequel was released simply as THE TOY MAKER. And it's a good job really, as it has no connection with the previous films (other than some returning actors) apart from the fact that there is a Christmas theme.For much of this film, it's just another boring sequel. It's neither gory, nor funny enough to remain anything memorable and I'm sure that in a week's time I'll have completely forgotten what happened in it. Unfortunately for us, the main 'star' of the film is a little boy who seems to think that all that is required of an actor is for him to stand around with his mouth open. No expression, hardly any dialogue, this little kid is atrociously bad and doesn't even deserve to get any screen time whatsoever. I usually hate kid actors and this boy is one of the worst.And, sadly enough, the adult actors and actresses aren't much better either, with one youngster supposed to be the hero of the film, he doesn't look like he could hurt a fly. The actress playing the mother is bland and shouts over the top a lot, and Mickey Rooney looks very old and upset about appearing in a film like this. And with Brian Yuzna co-writing, I thought it might have been at least partly good. I was wrong.The concept of killer toys is nothing new (just watch any of Full Moon Entertainment's output) but there are a couple of laughs to be had along the way, the best death being the bit where a loving couple are shot, stabbed, and gunned by a squad of little army toys, leaving one girl literally covered in blood. There's a lot of the old claret on flow in this scene, but when a man is killed by a ball wrapped around his face like some imitation face hugger, then you can't help but sigh and look somewhere else. Screaming Mad George provided the special effects, but they're mostly not very special, apart from one standout scene where a black guy has a clockwork snake go inside his mouth and pull out his eyes from the inside, then emerge from one of the sockets. That's pretty good.There is one good thing about this film, which startled me and made me sit up in my seat a little. It's the ending, which comes out of nowhere, when one character turns out to be a plastic android. The special effects are done very well here and I'm not sure how they got his head to look so plastic. When he gets cut in half and has his head smashed in, it's pretty funny too. It's like some full-grown, evil Pinocchio on the rampage. However for this one genuinely good moment there are a dozen lame scenes, including a boy on possessed roller-skates. Don't bother putting yourself through this unless you have a high tolerance level.

Jolly, but evil old toymaker Joe Petto (a wonderfully spry performance by the legendary Mickey Rooney) and his weird, surly teenager son Pino (a genuinely creepy portrayal by Brian Bremer) create deadly toys which are designed to kill people. Director Martin Kitrosser, who also co-wrote the bizarre and imaginative script with Brian Yuzna, treats the deliciously loopy premise with admirable seriousness while still adding nice touches of wickedly amusing dark humor (the scenes with the toys attacking people are a riot, with a sequence involving a pair of lethal rollerblades rating as a definite gut-busting highlight) and pulling out all the wacky stops for a gloriously freaky and demented over-the-top surprise conclusion. Moreover, the murder set pieces are staged with real flair and there's a decent amount of splatter. The competent acting by the solid cast qualifies as another substantial asset, with especially praiseworthy work by William Thorne as traumatized mute boy Derek, Jane Higginson as Derek's sweet, loving mother Sarah Quinn, Tracy Fraim as Derek's estranged absentee father Noah Adams, and Neith Hunter as Sarah's spunky best friend Kim. The yuletide setting and Yuzna's characteristic kinky sexual streak (towards the end of the picture we get one of the single most nutty and perverse attempted rapes ever committed to celluloid) give this picture an extra warped kick. James Mathers' polished cinematography boasts a few smooth gliding tracking shots and some strenuous slow motion. Matthew Morse's shivery score hits the spine-tingling spot. Kudos are also in order for Screaming Mad George's funky and creative special effects. Well worth a look for those seeking something different and original.

This movie wasn't that bad when compared to the first two sequels to the original. It's directed by Martin Kitrosser of Friday the 13th fame. The acting is very bad indeed, but the gore and special effects help make it interesting. Thats one thing I like about Screaming Mad George (make up effects artist for the film), his effects are so off-the-wall and bizarre that they will keep you watching a bad movie just to find out how crazy they're gonna get. The movie isn't really all that gory, but there is an EXTREMELY nasty eyeball-munching scene in the middle involving a toy maggot (what!?!) Mickey Rooney makes a guest appearance that he probably wasn't too enthusiastic about but needed the money at the time, possibly? If you liked the weirdo 4th installment (my favorite of all 5), you'll probably like this one. I liked it better than the Matrix! Enjoy.

Another in-name-only sequel, this time with a "Pinocchio" theme about a toy maker (Mickey Rooney) and his son creating toys that kill people. Interesting premise marred by amateurish performances. Technically well-made, though. My evaluation: ** out of ****.