Clown in a Cornfield

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.

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.

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 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.