The Forest Clown

Getting together for a special trip, a group of friends decide to head out to the woods for a special get-together and begin catching up, which soon brings about a series of dark secrets and truths about their relationships that are further hampered by the appearance of a deranged clown killing them off.

This was a truly dire effort without much going for it. The main factor to like about this one is the sheer demented energy and glee that come about from the series of sloppily executed stalking scenes. None of these scenes are remotely interesting or effective, but the outlandish nature of the scenes being carried out makes for an interesting time, with the clown's utter glee and joy at what he's doing going a long way toward making this one engaging during these moments. From the disheveled appearance, tattered wig, and gnarled make-up creating a distinctly memorable impression, the cackling laugh that immediately becomes a cruel taunt, and the means of manipulating the surroundings to create a distinctly bizarre experience, some rather weird sequences on display provide some cheesy scenes with equally cheesy effects to match the enthusiasm from the clown. It's the main thing to like about this one, as there are some big issues with this one. The biggest drawback to this one is the immensely painful storyline that tries to be a loving homage to the past but is so awfully ham-fisted that there's nothing about it that comes off as clever or humorous. The openly targeting of genre cliches involving the group meeting someone mysterious but letting their guard down because they're a clown and supposedly friendly, splitting up in the middle of the woods to look for someone they were just with after mentioning the idea of not going their separate ways, or constantly trying to bring up leaving only to run around in circles with constant mentions about getting away to get to safety, tries to make things funny yet just comes off as ludicrous. That's similar to the way the killer acts with the strangely supernatural attitude that comes about for no reason, as there are either mysterious disappearances to come about somewhere else for the sake of making the scene work or creating outlandish scenarios that make no sense. With these all eroded either further by the cheap special effects or the production work, there's not a lot that works here.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.

I went into The Forest Clown with modest expectations, knowing it was a zero-budget indie slasher, but I have to say-I was pleasantly surprised. The film leans into classic horror clichés with a playful edge, and while the budget constraints are obvious, the passion behind it shines through.

It's nothing groundbreaking, but it works because the film embraces its tropes rather than trying to subvert them.

What really stood out to me was the cast. Despite the film's limitations, the young actors absolutely carried it. Their performances felt surprisingly natural, making their characters more than just typical horror-movie fodder. You could tell they were giving it their all, and that effort made a huge difference.

Visually, the film does what it can with its setting. The forest itself adds a great eerie atmosphere, and while the effects are clearly low-budget, they're used effectively.

Overall, The Forest Clown is the kind of indie horror that makes up for its lack of polish with sheer heart. It's fun and self-aware. If you appreciate grassroots horror filmmaking and don't mind some rough edges, it's definitely worth a watch.

The storyline is both sad and poignant. A young child, being treated badly by his grandfather and so-called friends runs away into the woods. He develops otherworldly abilities while also seeking revenge for the taunts and humiliations of his childhood.

Some great acting by the ensemble cast and the resulting film is very watchable.

If blood and gore are your thing, this may not have enough to satisfy you totally, but the effects are convincing and the fright-factor kept sufficiently high.

Filmed entirely in Virginia Water, Surrey, on an exceedingly tight budget, the film still manages to offer scope of character, an interesting storyline and some great scenery, too.

A very watchable film.

I'm rating it 10 to show support for those who are able to make a movie!

The negative reviews below are from people who can't even take a proper picture, let alone create a feature film. If you look at their profiles, you'll see they only leave 1-star reviews-some profiles were clearly made just to dislike this film.

Is this Hollywood? No! It's a fun, cheaply and poorly made film, but it has a flowing story and is entertaining at times.

The acting from the entire cast is far from good, though.

For a film made with ZERO BUDGET, I wouldn't expect much.

The hate this film receives is a test for the creators. Honestly, I'd give it a 5/10-the other 5 is just to show support. I bet most of the critics didn't even watch the movie. They don't talk about what the film is actually about-they just hate on Lukas DiSparrow, a guy making a passion project and getting flak for it.

As a fan of garbage cinema, I genuinely enjoyed The Forest Clown. This is exactly what no-budget filmmaking is about: messy, rough around the edges, but made with heart.

What I liked most is that it's not just another mindless slasher. There's actually some backstory and connections between the characters, which gives it a bit more depth than you'd expect. The clown is a lot of fun too. Creepy in that low-budget, offbeat way, but also kind of hilarious at times.

Yeah, the acting isn't great, but if you're watching this kind of film for Oscar-worthy performances, you're in the wrong place. It's scrappy, it's cheap, but it's got a weird charm to it. If you enjoy underground horror made with more passion than money, give this one a go.