Tags:
Film: Clown in a Cornfield
Year: 2025
Director: Eli Craig
Writers: Eli Craig and Carter Blanchard
Starring: Katie Douglas, Aaron Abrams and Carson MacCormac
Review:
This was a film that I wanted to see when it hit theaters. Due to the birth of my son, I’ve been limited in my time to get out so I waited until it hit VOD. I heard that most people enjoyed this to an extent. There were also problems that I saw people having with it. I was able to avoid spoilers, just learning that it was based on a novel written by Adam Cesare. I did also give this a second watch to see where I sat with it.
Synopsis: a fading midwestern town in which Frendo the Clown, a symbol of bygone success, reemerges as a terrifying scourge.
Our events started back in 1991. There is a party outside of a barn and by a cornfield. We see a guy pull out a joint. He offers it to a girl. She heads out into the corn, wanting him to join her. They find a jack-in-a-box toy before they’re killed by someone in a clown suit.
We then shift to the present day. Quinn Maybrook (Katie Douglas) is moving to Kettle Springs with her father, Dr. Glenn (Aaron Abrams). I’ll include here that her mother and his wife passed away from an overdose. They’re struggling in their own ways. Dr. Glenn wanted this change so he’s moving here to be a family doctor. He couldn’t work in the emergency room anymore.
Upon arrival, Quinn meets her neighbor, Ruston Vance (Vincent Muller), who offers to walk her to school. There, they encounter the popular kids, led by Cole Hill (Carson MacCormac). Cole's family has a legacy, with his great-grandfather founding Baypin (a corn syrup company), and his father, Arthur (Kevin Durand), is the mayor. Cole's friends include Tucker Lee (Ayo Solanke), Ronnie Queen (Verity Marks), Janet Murray (Cassandra Potenza), and Matt (Alexandre Martin Deakin). Tucker is Black, Janet is a mean girl, and Ronnie is dating Matt, a jock.
Now this group is seen as troublemakers. They’re making Frendo, who is the mascot for Baypin, into a scary figure. They put out videos where they’re killing their friends. After one of the videos, the mill burned down which put most of the town out of work. This has Sheriff Dunne (Will Sasso), Mr. Vern (Bradley Sawatzky) and the older generation in general being hard on them.
What doesn’t help is that Frendo might be real. This group of friends are targeted, finding a jack-in-the-box before they’re attacked by this killer clown. Quinn starts to get in trouble by associating with this crew, to the point where her father doesn’t want her to hang around with them. Even more so when she becomes a target of this killer. The truth of Frendo and what is happening in this town is just ramping up. It also seems to be the history here.
That’s where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. This film is a decent, modern update to 1980s slashers, though an element might deter purists that I won’t spoil here. I appreciate its small-town setting, where struggling local economies and modern teens create friction with older citizens, a modern take on classic genre elements. The clown killer is also a good choice.
Now that I’ve set that up, let’s delve into the set up for our lead being in Kettle Springs. Reminiscent of Children of the Corn 2 with outsiders coming to a small Midwest town, this story finds Glenn, a doctor, relocating to escape the trauma of his wife's death. Quinn, his daughter, reluctantly agreed to the move, frustrated by Glenn's boundaries and the limited social scene. She finds herself drawn to a popular but problematic group, linked to the destruction of the local corn syrup plant, rather than the quiet Rust. Quinn is doing what she can to get by.
Then to delve more into the group she joins as they’re interesting. Cole, a legacy and the mayor's son, is Sheriff Dunne's prime target. His father, Arthur, also seems annoyed by him. The group includes typical stock characters: a jock, a blonde jerk, an almost token Black kid, and biracial Ronnie. They make horror videos with impressive special effects. The "anti-woke" crowd is probably bothered about a storyline involving Cole and Rust, especially after Cole rejects Quinn, which I found comical.
Where I should go then is to this town. I was born in a small city and later moved to the country. It felt like Kettle Springs, where everyone knew everything quickly. I appreciate the concept of popular kids being hated for allegedly burning down a plant and causing job losses. However, a confusing reveal about a plan raises questions about who knew what, leading to misplaced anger and participation.
Another aspect that is interesting is the generational gap. We first see it when Dr. Glenn and Quinn arrive in town. They’re listening to 80s rap and she doesn’t like it. She points out how far it is removed from her generation akin to him in the 40s. She points out to the popular kids about how the town feels like it is stuck in the 90s, aside from them. There is this old toy that shows up before Frendo attacks. A comical element is Quinn being unable to drive a stick shift, another element of the past.
The last thing would be the ‘boy who cried wolf’ angle. I love that this group of teens are making scary Frendo videos. That makes sense then when deaths are happening that no one believes. It even makes for a funny scene where Janet believes they’re being pranked by missing friends. It takes Quinn checking on a character before the terror sets in. That’s a good touch.
That should be enough for the story so let’s shift over to the acting. Douglas excels as the lead, a big-city outsider integrating well into a small town, despite initial rudeness from Janet and a secret kept by Cole. Her dynamic with Abrams, who plays her father Glenn, feels authentic, portraying teen angst and rebellion effectively. Glenn's eventual acceptance of her perspective, also as an outsider, is a compelling arc. The supporting cast, including MacCormac, Potenza, Marks, McEwan, Deakin, Muller, and the other teens, create distinct characters, as do Sawatzky and the other adults. The inclusion of Sasso and Durand is also a highlight.
All that is left then for judging slashers are the kills. That takes me to the filmmaking aspects. The film effectively captures a small-town, farm aesthetic, utilizing disorienting cornfields and farm tools for kills (reaper, pitchfork, bow and arrow, chainsaw). Practical effects are strong, with minimal CGI. The killer, Frendo the clown, has a creepy look. The soundtrack is adequate without necessarily standing out.
In conclusion, this offers a solid, modern take on the 80s slasher, excelling in its small-town atmosphere and generational conflict. While the story has minor confusing elements regarding the town's secrets, the film shines with strong performances from its lead, Douglas, and a talented supporting cast. The practical effects, unsettling clown design, and inventive kills further elevate this enjoyable horror outing. It doesn’t necessarily stand out or have staying power, but I don’t hate my time with it.
My Rating: 7 out of 10