Small town values turn deadly in the hilariously dark teen slasher film ‘Clown In A Cornfield’.
When angsty teen Quinn Maybrook moves with her father to the fading midwestern town of Kettle Springs, she unexpectedly finds herself embroiled in rising tensions between Kettle Springs' elders, who are desperately clinging to the values and successes of the town’s bygone era and the teenage population who want to bring Kettle Springs into the modern world.
When a crazed killer dressed as the town’s beloved mascot Frendo The Clown starts targeting teenagers, Quinn is forced into a bloody fight for survival in a night that proves there is more to this sleepy town than anyone could imagine.
Directed by Eli Craig and based on the 2020 horror novel by Adam Cesare, ‘Clown In A Cornfield’ expertly fuses horror and comedy to create an entertainingly twisted viewing experience which – while gruesome at times – does not take itself too seriously.
Katie Douglas is thoroughly entertaining as Quinn, while Carson MacCormac delivers a brooding, at times passionate performance as Quinn’s love interest Cole. Vincent Muller brings stereotypical teen outcast Rust to life while Cassandra Potenza and Verity Marks deliver their fare share of humorous moments as wannabe queen bees Janet and Ronnie. Will Sasso and Kevin Durand round out the talented cast as the town's seemingly inept sheriff Dunne and founding family descendant Arthur Hill.
At its core, ‘Clown In A Cornfield’ explores the age-old question of tradition versus modern thinking and this theme bleeds through into almost every aspect of the film. From the dilapidated buildings of Kettle Springs to the costumes of the town’s older residents and a seemingly '80s and '90s-inspired soundtrack, the director has gone to great lengths to give the audience the feeling that they – like the town – are frozen in time.
The film openly mocks the differences between the generations with a cleverly crafted script filled with subtle digs and expertly delivered one-liners, which are sure to entertain audiences on both sides of the generational divide. In particular, the scene where the terrified teens try to use a rotary phone to call for help is pure cinema gold for anyone aged over 30.
As a '90s child who grew up watching teen slasher gems such as the original ‘Scream’ and ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’, this film is a nostalgic trip back in time to an era when it wasn’t safe to be a teenager in movies. Like the slashers of old, ‘Clown In A Cornfield’ doesn’t rely on overly gory special effects; instead, long, sweeping camera shots, blurred backgrounds and partially-seen shadowy figures are used to build tension at a steady pace which continues from the film’s opening moments to its final credits. Quick yet brutal (and sometimes creative) acts of violence give the film that shock factor without being over the top.
A brutally fun film which reinvigorates the slasher genre for a new generation.
