Movie Review: Clown in a Cornfield

The slasher horror subgenre is unlikely to ever go away. It’s built around a simple but effective formula that can be produced on the cheap and is effectively guaranteed to turn at least a small profit. Even people who claim not to be scared easily have at least one slasher movie that gets to them and every generation seems to get their own franchise(s) to keep them up at night. Eli Craig’s Clown in a Cornfield, based on the YA novel by Adam Cesare, aims to be that for Gen Z (and maybe part of Generation Alpha) and does a pretty decent job of it.

After the death of her mother, Quinn (Katie Douglas) is moved by her father Glenn (Aaron Abrams) to the small, midwestern town of Kettle Springs, the tragedy putting a strain on their relationship which is only compounded by the relocation. Quinn manages to quickly make friends with popular boy Cole (Carson MacCormac) and his circle, despite having been warned to avoid them by her new neighbor Rust (Vincent Miller), who was once Cole’s best friend, and tries to make the best of her new situation.

Around a bonfire one night, the group fills her in on the town’s history, which largely revolves around the Baypen Corn Syrup Company, owned by Cole’s family. The factory recently burned down, with many townsfolk blaming the teens, though the official explanation was faulty wiring. They largely avoid letting it phase them though, as they use the company’s mascot, a clown named Frendo, to create prank slasher videos for YouTube. But then Quinn notices another Frendo lurking in the background of one recording, watching them, and the group begins to disappear, leading her to wonder if there isn’t something very dangerous lurking in Kettle Springs.

The young, relatively unknown cast perform well, making their often thinly drawn characters compelling, while Abrams is also strong as Quinn’s father, even if the role requires him to take the whole “grown-ups never listen to kids” trope a little far. MacCormac is especially great as the love interest / possible murderer, exuding the right blend of creepy charm for the part and feeling very reminiscent of Skeet Ulrich in Scream. It’s Douglas who truly carries the movie however, giving a much stronger performance than the genre really requires and crafting a character that will really resonate with young audiences, especially those with less-than-perfect home lives.

The script by Craig and cowriter Carter Blanchard doesn’t do anything revolutionary within the genre’s rules, though it does offer up a few fresh ideas and some satisfyingly grisly kills. Alas, Craig’s direction is a little lacking in the suspense department. Younger viewers will likely find it scarier, but horror fans will find the movie pretty easy to take, though still decently entertaining.

The reveal of just who has been bumping off local teens happens surprisingly early, is unlikely to be predicted by most, and launches the story into an extended, mayhem-filled finale that really bumps things up a notch. It’s in these moments that Clown in a Cornfield truly shines and it’s these that will likely make it beloved amongst its target audience. With a strong emotional core, clever gags, memorable kills, and a suitably creepy villain in Frendo, this makes for an above average slasher and a great entry point for genre newcomers. It absolutely screams for a sequel, and with two more books to work off of it looks like we’ll get one. ★★★½