Clown in a Cornfield

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.

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.

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.

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.