Benutzerrezensionen

A name like "Clown in a Cornfield" promises the kind of pulp-like over-the-top violence and self-awareness that made director Eli Craig's Tucker and Dale vs. Evil so much fun. What we got is something tame and forgettable. Something that isn't nearly as smart as it thinks it is. It tries to be a combination of Children of the Corn, IT, Scream, and others but comes away as less than the sum of its parts.

The story plays like a lesser version of Eli Roth's Thanksgiving. Group of kids being picked off by a masked killer for some perceived crime. But the characters aren't nearly as well defined as Roth's were. There's little suspense built up as the Clown just keeps popping up. Plenty of gore, but no particularly memorable kill. Frendo is pretty tame as a slasher killer, doing nothing to stand out. Not helped by the fact that the Terrifier series has so completely cornered the market on creepy clown villains.

There's some playfulness with the main group playing pranks on each other for YouTube, TikTok, etc. But this largely becomes an excuse to dismiss characters not being around after they have been killed.

The acting is okay at best. Will Sasso seems to be hamming it up. Kevin Durand is doing his usual good job. But the kids are unremarkable.

Then there's the ending. The kind of lousy finale all too common with the latter Scream films, with the mask coming off and the villain monologuing about their motives giving the heroes time to escape. Worse, the dialogue is far too on-the-nose like was taken from a Tumblr rant.

It promises lots of fun but ultimately is forgettable once the credits start rolling.

Sometimes, you just want a good, straightforward slasher, and that's exactly what Clown in a Cornfield delivers. It's gory, tense, and doesn't mess around. The setup is classic: Quinn moves to a small town, only to discover that it's hiding a deadly secret. Enter the killer clown, and suddenly the cornfields aren't just a creepy backdrop-they're a trap.

The film knows what it is and doesn't pretend otherwise. It's violent, fun, and self-aware, with some creative kills and just enough backstory to make you care about who lives and who doesn't. Sure, it leans into some slasher clichés, and there were a few "Why would you do that?!" moments, but honestly, that's half the fun of watching a movie like this.

It's not breaking new ground, but it doesn't need to. It's the kind of movie you watch for the tension, the chase scenes, and the brutal confrontations. If you're a fan of classic slashers with a bit of modern flair, you'll have a blast.

What made Adam Ceasare's book so great was that we really got to know the characters, and had long enough in the terrifying situations to really soak them in. The movie, on the other hand, feels like it flies by. It's fun, quick paced, and Quinn Maybrook is still an undeniably fun character. I loved the humor injected throughout, and every kill is great. I just wish the movie was perhaps 20 minutes longer so that we could really feel the horror elements. Ultimately it feels like they rush by the scary parts and overemphasize the message of the movie.

There's also a huge change from the book in how and why the final attack occurs, and I am not a big fan of the change.

If you love your slashers bloody, self-aware, and just a little bit unhinged, 'Clown in a Cornfield' is an absolute must-watch. It delivers that nostalgic, small-town horror vibe straight out of an '80s nightmare, but with a modern edge that keeps things fresh and fun. Frendo the clown is instantly iconic - equal parts terrifying and absurd - and the kills? Gory, creative, and satisfyingly brutal.

What really surprised me, though, was how funny this film is. It doesn't take itself too seriously, leaning into the ridiculousness of its premise in a way that totally works. The script is sharp, the characters are likable enough to root for (or scream at), and there's a surprising amount of heart buried beneath the bloodshed.

By the time the credits rolled, I was already googling the books. If they're anything like the movie, I'm in for a wild ride. Easily my favorite slasher of 2025 so far.

Seriously, it was so badddd. I spent half the time genuinely contemplating whether it was worth walking out or not-and in hindsight, I really wish I had. Clown in the Cornfield is not just a bad horror movie. It's a baffling trainwreck of nonsense, delivered with all the finesse of a high school drama project on a shoestring budget.

From the opening scene, it's painfully clear that this film had no real direction or purpose. It feels like the kind of thing a group of film students might make as their final project before graduation-only worse. At least student films sometimes have ambition or fresh ideas. This movie has none. What it does have is a sloppy script, cardboard characters, and a clown that's less scary and more sad in every sense of the word.

The plot-or whatever you want to call the mess of events strung together-is paper-thin and riddled with cliches. You've got your predictable small-town setting, your rebellious teenage girl, some tragic backstory no one really cares about, and a clown that pops up to kill people for... reasons?

Rating - 7.2: Overall, a pretty good slasher movie that infuses comedy to make the film genre-bending and unique; while there are many moments that are stereotypical of other low-budget slasher movies, "Clown in a Cornfield" does a pretty good job subverting expectations or calling out and making fun of its stereotypes in a meta way to make the experience entertaining and fun.

Direction - Pretty Good: The direction on a macroscale is pretty good as they do a good job blending slasher with comedy, making this an entertaining experience; the direction on a microscale feels very similar to other low-budget teenage horror to start with, but the movie really starts to get into its groove towards the 30-minute mark as it begins to subvert stereotypes and blend humor with horror; the storytelling is decent as it uses the stereotypical teenage slasher movie to lay the groundwork for the plot, then either subverts these expectations or calls out and makes fun of its stereotypes in a meta way; they build tension decently well, but it is a bit formulaic at times as it builds up to horror moments

Story - Decent to Pretty Good: The concept is your typical clown slasher movie, but mixed with comedic elements to make the movie bend what genre it is; the plot structure is pretty standard for a slasher movie; character writing is surprisingly pretty good, as while the movie does have its fair share of stereotypical tropes that it calls out, these characters grow in ways that surprise the audience

Screenplay - Pretty Good: The dialogue is filled with corny dialogue you would expect from low-budget, teen slasher movies; but the dialogue definitely gets better as the movie goes on; the humor is an integral part of this movie as it helps prevent the movie from being a straight slasher movie, being meta at times and making the movie feel pretty unique; the symbolism is present and somewhat profound; the foreshadowing is present and helps lay crumbs for how the story will transpire

Acting - Decent to Pretty Good: Katie Douglas - Pretty Good (Even though she starts the movie off with many stereotypical teen horror scream-queen mannerisms, she grows into her own and has good stage presence by the end of the movie; she has decent chemistry with the rest of the cast, especially Abrams), Aaron Abrams - Decent to Pretty Good (Plays the fatherly figure pretty well, despite his corny moments; he has pretty good chemistry with Douglas), Carson MacCormac - Decent (He plays his role decently well, especially as more weight is lifted off his shoulders as the movie goes on; he has decent chemistry with the rest of the cast), Kevin Durand - Decent to Pretty Good (Has a presence on screen that is felt; has decent chemistry with the rest of the cast), Will Sasso - Pretty Good (Uses his comedic presence to make his character both funny yet Machiavellian), Rest of the cast - Decent (While the movie is filled with stereotypical teenage slasher performances, they do a decent job with what they are given and definitely get better as the movie goes on; they help support building tension and the main cast decently well)

Score - Decent: Feels a little similar to other horror movies; very over-the-top in how it builds suspense for the horror moments

Cinematography - Decent: Typical of other low-budget slasher movies

Editing - Decent: Typical of other low-budget horror movies

Sound - Decent to Pretty Good: Helps build suspense and tension similar to other low-budget slasher movies

Visual Effects - Pretty Good: Good use of practical effects because this is what you want from a slasher movie

Production Design - Decent: Sets the cornfield for "Clown in a Cornfield"

Makeup - Decent to Pretty Good: It helps display the blood and gore for the kills; it helps paint the clowns

Costumes - Pretty Good: Helps dress the clown for "Clown in a Cornfield"

Pacing - Pacing is slow at the beginning and then very fast once the conflict is introduced, so basically, every slasher movie

Climax - The climax is pretty good and brings everything together but is somewhat predictable considering where the movie was heading

Tone - Tone is not your typical low-budget clown slasher movie; the movie sprinkles in comedy throughout to bend the genre and make the movie unique

Final Notes - Saw the world premiere at SXSW.

I may be in the minority, but I found Clown in a Cornfield to be terrible. Every single aspect is extremely weak. The whole thing feels off, like an imitation of something better.

As a horror fan, the horror elements severely underwhelmed me. I didn't find it creepy or suspenseful. The jump scare attempts made me jump exactly zero times. Most of them are so abrupt and not built up properly.

The characters are all tropey and annoying. There are a few successful comedic attempts, but the rest are cringe-inducing. You can see how hard they are trying to be clever and meta. It makes the failed attempts even worse.

The "mystery" is so predictable and obvious. About halfway through the movie, you will know with 100% certainty. There is no other possible explanation.

It's my own fault for falling for the "From the producers of Smile" line on the poster. Producers are NOT indicative of quality. I should know better.

The only thing I will remember this movie for is introducing us to Katie Douglas. She seems to have that "it" factor. I think we'll be seeing a lot more of her.

(1 viewing, early screening Mystery Movie Monday 4/28/2025)

"Clown in a Cornfield" centers around the new girl in Kettle Springs, Quinn Maybrook, and the deeds of her newfound friends (Cole, Rust, Janet, Tucker, Ronnie & Matt). But the adults from Kettle springs hide a terrible truth and the symbol of past glories, Frendo the Clown, is on a hunting mode... The movie starts strong with a great horror atmosphere and has all the ingredients to be a hit, but towards the end reaches the flatlines and becomes more interested in selling us an intergenerational criticism than an actually good film.

That's a big letdown and a shame, 'cuz the cast is well assembled & the protagonist ain't insufferable or too much girl-bossing. The final act nearly kills the movie, so my vote reflects that.

A good way to forge a horror movie, but still requires some developments.

Just about everything in this movie is really of poor quality. There's just no other way to put it. You want to believe that it's a parody because everything is just so over the top, especially in terms of acting, but theres a lot of signs it's actually taking itself seriously, even as a slasher with some slight hints of a post modern self aware horror.

The production quality feels like if Family/Disney Channel wanted to make a straight to TV movie and take a leap of faith past Halloweentown into the horror/slasher genre. The music is just terrible, and the graphics perhaps even worse.

Some of it can be so bad that it's actually silly enough to get you to laugh ( random man sitting in jail just pops up and blurts don't F with Frendo" ?"). It would be one thing if the film knew what it was as a comedic , non serious slasher , but the way it extends itself even for a short runtime movie suggests the filmmakers thought they were making a legit horror movie, and that's the concerning part. Further, the actors all feel like dollar store versions of other actors or figures. It's in my top 5 for worst acted movies I've ever witnessed, I'm hoping this was part of the joke I've clearly missed out on.

The ending scenes where the villains try to justify themselves like some Scooby Doo villains just aren't very convincing at all. I'd have preferred if they'd just let them be psychotic than to try and provide some reason for their massacres. After what they'd just put on the screen for the last hour, there wasn't anything they could possibly say that would make the whole thing feel any less silly or more justified.

The saying "just stop the bleeding" would have gone a long way here for this movie. An absolute nominee from me for Razzies 2025, congrats... I suppose.

If you are a fan of the 80/90s classic horror films then this will fill a void. The plot wasn't overly obvious but still gave a decent story line with remnants of past films from the gore filled 90 minute favorites we all have. Money well spent in my opinion compared to many of the other films hitting the cinema this year. The acting was decent for what um assuming are up and coming fresh faces in the industry. Although there are some familiar faces you'll recognize. The vibe was good throughout and they surely got some laughs in between all of the gore and slashing. Would be a good date night movie IMO.

I caught an advanced screening of Clown in a Cornfield (2025) in theaters this evening. The story centers on a father and daughter who relocate from the East Coast to a small Midwestern town still reeling from a recent tragedy. The daughter enrolls in a local high school where some of her classmates are rumored to have been involved in the incident, and she soon finds herself caught in a violent clash between those seeking revenge and her new group of friends.

The film is directed by Eli Craig (Tucker and Dale vs. Evil) and stars Katie Douglas (Every Day), Aaron Abrams (Hannibal), Carson MacCormac (Shazam!), and Kevin Durand (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes).

I really enjoyed this movie for what it was. It's a well-executed addition to the slasher genre with a unique premise and some truly creative kills. The unicycle scene kicks things off, followed by solid decapitations, standout chainsaw kills, and a slew of gory moments. I also appreciated the killer reveal sequence.

That said, the acting was inconsistent at times, the dialogue was cheesy, and Cole delivered some of the worst speeches I've ever heard in a movie. The killer's monologue was disappointing and the motive wasn't that compelling.

In conclusion, Clown in a Cornfield is a worthwhile entry in the slasher genre. It's far from perfect, but it delivers exactly what you'd expect and doesn't disappoint. I'd give it a 6.5/10 and recommend seeing it once.

I have never reviewed a movie on here before but this one was such a colossal failure that I had to. I am an avid horror fan and the trailer got me interested in this one, boy was misled.

This movie fails in every single aspect: not scary, not suspenseful, not one bit of humor that works. These are some of the most annoying and stereotypical characters ever written. You can also guess the "Twist" almost immediately.

I have no clue where all these good reviews are coming from, but stay away far far away from this dud. If you are curious about it at least wait till it's streaming so no one has to see you watching it.

Clown in a Cornfield is about a girl named Quinn and her dad who move to a small town called Kettle Springs for a fresh start. They soon learn the fractured community has fallen on hard times after losing a treasured factory to a fire. As the locals bicker amongst themselves and tensions boil over, a sinister, grinning clown emerges from the cornfields to cleanse the town of its burdens, one bloody victim at a time.

The first half of the movie feels like a serious slasher with some light humour sprinkled in. I'd say it was just okay in that section. It's mostly setting things up, and it takes a little time to get going.

But once it hits the halfway mark, the tone completely shifts and that's when the movie really shines. It suddenly gets hilarious and super slashery, and that mixes really well. The jokes land perfectly with the kills, which is such a fun combo. It's funny because the humour earlier on wasn't nearly as strong, but once the gore and chaos kick in, it all clicks. I was actually laughing with the kills, and some of them really surprised me. They're shocking and funny at the same time, and it doesn't ruin the moment. It actually makes it better. Plus, the gore is awesome. The practical effects are super bloody and look great.

It's a teen horror comedy, so you've got to expect that kind of humour. It's silly at times, but that's part of the charm. There are a few surprises in the story too. Even though I thought I had it figured out early on, there was a nice little twist that changed things up.

The movie ends in a way that feels like there's more to tell. Which I'm down for. I really hope they make a sequel.

Ok to all the overly negative reviews,unless you grew up in the 1980's you can't appreciate the similar style.

Was it perfect? No! Clichéd? Sure! But fun to watch,nonetheless.

Sure the overall storyline for the clown unveiling was a bit,not real shock worthy.

Casting was fine,acting ok & cinematography decent.

This movie is not sequel worthy,so hope it's kept as is.

Also why does only small type towns,have some ritualistic issues or Children Of The Corn syndrome?

Anyway.. A popcorn flick,to watch once.

Kudos! With a title like that, this movie is better than it should be. Without giving any spoilers, this is a fun horror movie, with disposable characters and interesting (fresh!) plot-twists. No clear acting talent in sight, but still, never boring. It left room for sequels (do dot worry, no open end there), but the set-up can turn into more stories to be told. Like other movies distributed by Shudder, you kinda know what to expect: good amount of gore and in place entertainment. A descently directed feature or the real slasher fans and others, who just tipped their toes into the horror gener waters.

Clown in a Cornfield (2025) is garbage. Sure, it's well directed-but it's well directed garbage. It's like they brought in a professional filmmaker to shoot a high school play starring only the jocks and cheerleaders. The acting is stiff, the dialogue is cringey, and the characters are so thin you forget their names before they die. The kills are lazy, the tension never builds, and the whole thing feels like a stitched-together checklist of slasher clichés. It wants to be a throwback, but brings nothing new and doesn't even do the old stuff well. It's all style, no soul, and not a shred of wit or originality. I gave it a 3/10. If you value your time, skip it.

I haven't enjoyed a comedy-horror this much since Scream.

With a premise as cliche as killer clowns coming out of cornfields, I expected something silly, but I didn't expect it to be this much fun. It was genuinely witty; a few scenes that got prolonged laughter out of the audience. The slasher-style kills were handled with more humor than cruelty, which I appreciated because I'm a bit squeamish. The reveal isn't a major shock, but I was kept guessing along the way and I wasn't always right. This movie was overall far better than I expected from the trailer and I wouldn't mind watching it again.

I just watched the movie today and honestly had a blast. It did keep me entertained I will tell you that, but it was sort of all very cliche so you knew what was coming. Some of the lines were just straight up cringey. There was a pretty funny plot twist for a character which I enjoyed a lot. The entire idea of it was great. It was more of a comedy than an actual horror. So I think it is basically good for the genres that it does generally fit which is dark comedy and a teen slasher. I would not add horror to it. Could have been way scarier honestly. The scariest part was the dad jumping out of nowhere into the frame lol.

The title of the film is pretty self explanatory, there's a murder clown in a cornfield, and pretty much something you would expect from it. It's what would happened if the 80s slashers happen in present days. It's silly, cheesy, somewhat bit gory, weirdly political and overall a bloody fun time. Surprisingly, the leads are likeable, it has a nice set up, very well paced. And the third act of this film really takes a nice turn.

I don't understand why this film has such bad ratings. You can not expect a Psycho-level horror from a film which title's so corny. It's a decent, and entertaining film.

While I enjoy a good slasher, I would not call myself a fiend for them. I don't subscribe to Shudder and I don't watch all the horror movies that come out. I'd even say that I tend to stay away from the schlocky and B/C grade ones, though there are those that I do enjoy. For me, this is one of those films. While I appreciate that this one tries to do a little more and have a little more to say, in the end, the slasher elements just felt okay. The kills lack creativity, the whodunit part is kind of predictable, and the film felt very much in line with your typical slasher in it's most visceral elements.

Quinn is a new kid in town and quickly finds herself among peers. They take to her, mostly, and she's soon hanging out, drinking beer, and getting cozy with one of the boys. Of course, this is a slasher and the good times don't last long before the clown starts messing things up. I will say that the film does do a good job with it's central theme, that being a divide between the generations. While the kids fit into the modern mold of being kids, getting into a bit of trouble while spending some time creating a bit of horror content for YouTube, the adults are much more morose and agitated. They don't take kindly to the kids and it's a central theme to the story throughout. The cast is also mostly good, though too many feel like throw away characters left to be fodder. Katie Douglas, Carson MacCormac and Aaron Abrams fare the best by being more than one dimensional and actually giving the movie some emotional weight. The film also contains the trappings of most slasher films, so those who love the genre staples will be right at home here. Initially, I expected the movie to be pretty cliche and similar to everything else. Then, halfway through, things take an intense turn and the movie shifts into overdrive.

Here is where most will find the film's strengths. Not content with just wallowing in the films cliches, it decides to kick things up. I won't spoil it here, but it was a pleasant surprise after thinking I'd be let down. All of that said, the movie never rose above average for me. Everything about it screams "watch at home on TV with some popcorn and friends and/or family". I can't quite put my finger on it, but the whole production feels very much run of the mill, 80's/90's slasher that you'd rent on a weekend. It does do a decent job with it's favored social commentary, even though I found that to be a little to on the nose, but it's not enough to elevate the production. On top of this, the kills lack any real creativity. We get a lot of the usual, from slashings to stabbings to severed parts. There's maybe one kill that stands out, but it's incredibly goofy and I actually laughed in the theater when it happened because it was so ridiculous. This, for me, may have been the biggest buzz kill. The lack of creativity.

Clown in a Cornfield is likely to make genre fans who eat this stuff up like corn syrup overloaded candy, but for anyone looking for something more than an average slasher, this will be a let down. It's not bad, just mostly average.