Creepy clown slasher is silly and funny in all the right ways

The Advertiser

08-05-2025

Clown in a Cornfield
(MA15+, 96 minutes)
3 stars
Nothing beats the joy of an outrageous, bloody slasher.
All you need from the filmmakers is a modicum of self-awareness and you're almost guaranteed a good time.
Clown in a Cornfield is definitely self-aware, and features a bunch of ridiculous kills in a snappy runtime. It's exactly what you would expect, and that's perfectly fine.
Based on a YA novel of the same name by Adam Cesare, the film is set in a small, rural Missouri town called Kettle Springs.
The town is still living in the 90s, with patchy internet and phone service, conservative culture, and a strong sense of tradition.
Kettle Springs' biggest claim to fame is its local factory which produces corn syrup. The factory was the town's biggest employer, and its annual parade celebrates the company's mascot: Frendo the Clown.
But in recent years the factory's success has dwindled, and it all falls apart when the site is burned down in a suspected arson attack which is tied to a group of local teens.
It's these teens that our story focuses on. Quinn (Ginny and Georgia's Katie Douglas) and her doctor dad (Aaron Abrams) are new in town and she quickly falls in with this group. She takes a liking to Cole (Carson MacCormac), son of the town's mayor, and joins his friends when they make little horror videos turning Frendo into a serial killer.
So when, during a party at an old barn in the middle of the night, a crossbow-wielding Frendo pops out of the rows of corn, Quinn and her buddies think it's just another stunt for their videos. They couldn't be more wrong.
After a few early, more isolated kills, the film turns into an all-out assault on teenagers, and no one is safe. And any weapon will do: crossbow, chainsaw, pitchfork, cattle prod. If it's found on a farm, it's fair game.
The kills are always the best part of any slasher, and there are some inventive ones on show here. It's good that this film is coming out ahead of the latest Final Destination instalment, which will surely put any of these deaths to shame if history is anything to go by.
Clown in a Cornfield is directed by Eli Craig (son of Sally Field) whose previous work includes the delightful horror comedy Tucker and Dale vs Evil, and the Netflix original horror comedy Little Evil. Like both of those previous films, Craig's work in Clown on a Cornfield is consistently funny and silly.
The film is well designed - the clowns are creepy and would have coulrophobics in a tizzy - and the small-town vibe is such an important part of developing the story.
Occasionally Clown in a Cornfield attempts to make a little social commentary. These attempts are not particularly successful, especially when the overarching message is "listen to the young people" - nothing groundbreaking there. It also doesn't help that most of the teens are pretty insufferable and, at least from the little glimpse we're given of them, not worth listening to.
The performances are pretty decent for the genre, and just on the right side of over-the-top - enough to show us that they're in on the joke, but not enough to take you out of the viewing experience.
Kevin Durand (Robin Hood) in particular is hamming it up as Arthur Hill, the town mayor and Cole's dad. He's clearly having a grand old time.
Durand and Will Sasso (The Three Stooges) as the sheriff are probably the most familiar of the cast, which is almost entirely comprised of unknowns.
Douglas is strong in the lead, giving Quinn great gumption and energy, while still playing with the classic broody teenager shell. She doesn't have as much depth of character to work with as she does in Ginny and Georgia but she's still enjoyable to watch and has believable enough chemistry with MacCormac's Cole.
This type of film is best watched in a bustling cinema with plenty of people to laugh at the kills - an ideal watch for a group of friends.
Even though on the whole this film is exactly what you expect of a comedic slasher, there's still a few surprises up the film's sleeve.
Watch for a good time and, as our group of trusty teens are told early on in the film, "don't f--k with Frendo".
Clown in a Cornfield
(MA15+, 96 minutes)
3 stars
Nothing beats the joy of an outrageous, bloody slasher.
All you need from the filmmakers is a modicum of self-awareness and you're almost guaranteed a good time.
Clown in a Cornfield is definitely self-aware, and features a bunch of ridiculous kills in a snappy runtime. It's exactly what you would expect, and that's perfectly fine.
Based on a YA novel of the same name by Adam Cesare, the film is set in a small, rural Missouri town called Kettle Springs.
The town is still living in the 90s, with patchy internet and phone service, conservative culture, and a strong sense of tradition.
Kettle Springs' biggest claim to fame is its local factory which produces corn syrup. The factory was the town's biggest employer, and its annual parade celebrates the company's mascot: Frendo the Clown.
But in recent years the factory's success has dwindled, and it all falls apart when the site is burned down in a suspected arson attack which is tied to a group of local teens.
It's these teens that our story focuses on. Quinn (Ginny and Georgia's Katie Douglas) and her doctor dad (Aaron Abrams) are new in town and she quickly falls in with this group. She takes a liking to Cole (Carson MacCormac), son of the town's mayor, and joins his friends when they make little horror videos turning Frendo into a serial killer.
So when, during a party at an old barn in the middle of the night, a crossbow-wielding Frendo pops out of the rows of corn, Quinn and her buddies think it's just another stunt for their videos. They couldn't be more wrong.
After a few early, more isolated kills, the film turns into an all-out assault on teenagers, and no one is safe. And any weapon will do: crossbow, chainsaw, pitchfork, cattle prod. If it's found on a farm, it's fair game.
The kills are always the best part of any slasher, and there are some inventive ones on show here. It's good that this film is coming out ahead of the latest Final Destination instalment, which will surely put any of these deaths to shame if history is anything to go by.
Clown in a Cornfield is directed by Eli Craig (son of Sally Field) whose previous work includes the delightful horror comedy Tucker and Dale vs Evil, and the Netflix original horror comedy Little Evil. Like both of those previous films, Craig's work in Clown on a Cornfield is consistently funny and silly.
The film is well designed - the clowns are creepy and would have coulrophobics in a tizzy - and the small-town vibe is such an important part of developing the story.
Occasionally Clown in a Cornfield attempts to make a little social commentary. These attempts are not particularly successful, especially when the overarching message is "listen to the young people" - nothing groundbreaking there. It also doesn't help that most of the teens are pretty insufferable and, at least from the little glimpse we're given of them, not worth listening to.
The performances are pretty decent for the genre, and just on the right side of over-the-top - enough to show us that they're in on the joke, but not enough to take you out of the viewing experience.
Kevin Durand (Robin Hood) in particular is hamming it up as Arthur Hill, the town mayor and Cole's dad. He's clearly having a grand old time.
Durand and Will Sasso (The Three Stooges) as the sheriff are probably the most familiar of the cast, which is almost entirely comprised of unknowns.
Douglas is strong in the lead, giving Quinn great gumption and energy, while still playing with the classic broody teenager shell. She doesn't have as much depth of character to work with as she does in Ginny and Georgia but she's still enjoyable to watch and has believable enough chemistry with MacCormac's Cole.
This type of film is best watched in a bustling cinema with plenty of people to laugh at the kills - an ideal watch for a group of friends.
Even though on the whole this film is exactly what you expect of a comedic slasher, there's still a few surprises up the film's sleeve.
Watch for a good time and, as our group of trusty teens are told early on in the film, "don't f--k with Frendo".
Clown in a Cornfield
(MA15+, 96 minutes)
3 stars
Nothing beats the joy of an outrageous, bloody slasher.
All you need from the filmmakers is a modicum of self-awareness and you're almost guaranteed a good time.
Clown in a Cornfield is definitely self-aware, and features a bunch of ridiculous kills in a snappy runtime. It's exactly what you would expect, and that's perfectly fine.
Based on a YA novel of the same name by Adam Cesare, the film is set in a small, rural Missouri town called Kettle Springs.
The town is still living in the 90s, with patchy internet and phone service, conservative culture, and a strong sense of tradition.
Kettle Springs' biggest claim to fame is its local factory which produces corn syrup. The factory was the town's biggest employer, and its annual parade celebrates the company's mascot: Frendo the Clown.
But in recent years the factory's success has dwindled, and it all falls apart when the site is burned down in a suspected arson attack which is tied to a group of local teens.
It's these teens that our story focuses on. Quinn (Ginny and Georgia's Katie Douglas) and her doctor dad (Aaron Abrams) are new in town and she quickly falls in with this group. She takes a liking to Cole (Carson MacCormac), son of the town's mayor, and joins his friends when they make little horror videos turning Frendo into a serial killer.
So when, during a party at an old barn in the middle of the night, a crossbow-wielding Frendo pops out of the rows of corn, Quinn and her buddies think it's just another stunt for their videos. They couldn't be more wrong.
After a few early, more isolated kills, the film turns into an all-out assault on teenagers, and no one is safe. And any weapon will do: crossbow, chainsaw, pitchfork, cattle prod. If it's found on a farm, it's fair game.
The kills are always the best part of any slasher, and there are some inventive ones on show here. It's good that this film is coming out ahead of the latest Final Destination instalment, which will surely put any of these deaths to shame if history is anything to go by.
Clown in a Cornfield is directed by Eli Craig (son of Sally Field) whose previous work includes the delightful horror comedy Tucker and Dale vs Evil, and the Netflix original horror comedy Little Evil. Like both of those previous films, Craig's work in Clown on a Cornfield is consistently funny and silly.
The film is well designed - the clowns are creepy and would have coulrophobics in a tizzy - and the small-town vibe is such an important part of developing the story.
Occasionally Clown in a Cornfield attempts to make a little social commentary. These attempts are not particularly successful, especially when the overarching message is "listen to the young people" - nothing groundbreaking there. It also doesn't help that most of the teens are pretty insufferable and, at least from the little glimpse we're given of them, not worth listening to.
The performances are pretty decent for the genre, and just on the right side of over-the-top - enough to show us that they're in on the joke, but not enough to take you out of the viewing experience.
Kevin Durand (Robin Hood) in particular is hamming it up as Arthur Hill, the town mayor and Cole's dad. He's clearly having a grand old time.
Durand and Will Sasso (The Three Stooges) as the sheriff are probably the most familiar of the cast, which is almost entirely comprised of unknowns.
Douglas is strong in the lead, giving Quinn great gumption and energy, while still playing with the classic broody teenager shell. She doesn't have as much depth of character to work with as she does in Ginny and Georgia but she's still enjoyable to watch and has believable enough chemistry with MacCormac's Cole.
This type of film is best watched in a bustling cinema with plenty of people to laugh at the kills - an ideal watch for a group of friends.
Even though on the whole this film is exactly what you expect of a comedic slasher, there's still a few surprises up the film's sleeve.
Watch for a good time and, as our group of trusty teens are told early on in the film, "don't f--k with Frendo".
Clown in a Cornfield
(MA15+, 96 minutes)
3 stars
Nothing beats the joy of an outrageous, bloody slasher.
All you need from the filmmakers is a modicum of self-awareness and you're almost guaranteed a good time.
Clown in a Cornfield is definitely self-aware, and features a bunch of ridiculous kills in a snappy runtime. It's exactly what you would expect, and that's perfectly fine.
Based on a YA novel of the same name by Adam Cesare, the film is set in a small, rural Missouri town called Kettle Springs.
The town is still living in the 90s, with patchy internet and phone service, conservative culture, and a strong sense of tradition.
Kettle Springs' biggest claim to fame is its local factory which produces corn syrup. The factory was the town's biggest employer, and its annual parade celebrates the company's mascot: Frendo the Clown.
But in recent years the factory's success has dwindled, and it all falls apart when the site is burned down in a suspected arson attack which is tied to a group of local teens.
It's these teens that our story focuses on. Quinn (Ginny and Georgia's Katie Douglas) and her doctor dad (Aaron Abrams) are new in town and she quickly falls in with this group. She takes a liking to Cole (Carson MacCormac), son of the town's mayor, and joins his friends when they make little horror videos turning Frendo into a serial killer.
So when, during a party at an old barn in the middle of the night, a crossbow-wielding Frendo pops out of the rows of corn, Quinn and her buddies think it's just another stunt for their videos. They couldn't be more wrong.
After a few early, more isolated kills, the film turns into an all-out assault on teenagers, and no one is safe. And any weapon will do: crossbow, chainsaw, pitchfork, cattle prod. If it's found on a farm, it's fair game.
The kills are always the best part of any slasher, and there are some inventive ones on show here. It's good that this film is coming out ahead of the latest Final Destination instalment, which will surely put any of these deaths to shame if history is anything to go by.
Clown in a Cornfield is directed by Eli Craig (son of Sally Field) whose previous work includes the delightful horror comedy Tucker and Dale vs Evil, and the Netflix original horror comedy Little Evil. Like both of those previous films, Craig's work in Clown on a Cornfield is consistently funny and silly.
The film is well designed - the clowns are creepy and would have coulrophobics in a tizzy - and the small-town vibe is such an important part of developing the story.
Occasionally Clown in a Cornfield attempts to make a little social commentary. These attempts are not particularly successful, especially when the overarching message is "listen to the young people" - nothing groundbreaking there. It also doesn't help that most of the teens are pretty insufferable and, at least from the little glimpse we're given of them, not worth listening to.
The performances are pretty decent for the genre, and just on the right side of over-the-top - enough to show us that they're in on the joke, but not enough to take you out of the viewing experience.
Kevin Durand (Robin Hood) in particular is hamming it up as Arthur Hill, the town mayor and Cole's dad. He's clearly having a grand old time.
Durand and Will Sasso (The Three Stooges) as the sheriff are probably the most familiar of the cast, which is almost entirely comprised of unknowns.
Douglas is strong in the lead, giving Quinn great gumption and energy, while still playing with the classic broody teenager shell. She doesn't have as much depth of character to work with as she does in Ginny and Georgia but she's still enjoyable to watch and has believable enough chemistry with MacCormac's Cole.
This type of film is best watched in a bustling cinema with plenty of people to laugh at the kills - an ideal watch for a group of friends.
Even though on the whole this film is exactly what you expect of a comedic slasher, there's still a few surprises up the film's sleeve.
Watch for a good time and, as our group of trusty teens are told early on in the film, "don't f--k with Frendo".