by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Who doesn’t love a clear and obvious title that is going to tell you exactly what the film is about? That’s what Eli Craig of Tucker & Dale vs. Evil fame delivers with Clown in a Cornfield,a film about — you guessed it— a killer clown… in a cornfield! But what is so exciting about the film is that it is more than you might expect (even from an obnoxiously clear title). When teenage girl Quinn (Katie Douglas) and her widower father (Aaron Abrams) move from Philadelphia to Middle of Nowhere, Midwest, Quinn finds herself stuck in a bloody and scary situation involving (you guessed it again) clowns. Craig comes out guns blasting with this ‘80s styled slasher flick in the form of a passionate love letter.
Trying to balance humor in a film full of people getting mutilated can be tough, but Craig understands what makes a good movie and how to have fun along the way. Clown in a Cornfield features some intriguing long shots, including an engrossing, tension-filled oner inside the home of one of the victims, but what makes this film so engaging is how Craig threads in humor. While it doesn’t laughs a mile per minute, almost every time it decides to drop a joke or humorous reaction, it hits. The comedic timing of this script is just so darn consistent.
Yet keeping in mind that this is a horror movie, Craig maximizes the practical effects with buckets of blood and guts with a good balance of restraint and unabashed glee. The music and visuals perfectly work together to passionately capture the feeling of an ‘80s horror film.
The biggest strength of the screenplay by Craig and Carter Blanchard, though, comes in the form of consistently subverting expectations. You go into this film expecting a killer clown killing in a small town, but you get way more than that, and in a purely compelling way, making this experience that much better. There are engaging characters, including a group of rebellious teenagers who are just fascinated with filmmaking. The film leverages the subversions in different ways, but there’s still a semblance of what you expect from a film like this.
There is also solid community building, as we quickly understand the weight of all the film’s. Now, the story beats are not perfect, with third act exposition that is a little too clunky, and confusing moments, but we still see strong themes about tradition versus progress, as well as generational clashes, to really tie the film together. Craig still has surprises up his sleeve to boot.
Do we have a new standout female horror lead? We sure do, because Douglas makes a great impact on Clown in a Cornfield. She is spunky, smart, and charismatic, and she has great physical expressions to tie her character together. Her chemistry with the rest of the cast is fantastic as well. Her relationship with Abrams is a driving force of the heart of this film. Their connections and conflicts are organic.
The rest of the young cast that make up this crew of teen filmmakers all do a fine job bringing their characters to life, and committing themselves to their predominant traits, and a few character actors make an impact in the film as well. For instance, Will Sasso puts on a drawl in order to bring to life the local sheriff, and Kevin Durand brings unexpected characterization to his role as the leader of the town. Durand in particular has had some strong performances in recent years, and he continues with his dark, twisted character. Saddled with exposition-heavy scenes, he might not have the most interesting role, but he makes the most of it.
Overall, Clown in a Cornfield is such a wonderful surprise that reinforces that we are living in a great time for horror films. Craig channels his success on Tucker & Dale vs. Evil and some good, old-fashioned ‘80s slasher vibes to deliver a self-referential, funny, and bloody good time.
Rating: Liked It
Clown in a Cornfield is currently playing in theaters
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