Primarily based on the 2020 YA novel by Adam Cesare, Clown in a Cornfield is the most recent Shudder manufacturing to snag a theatrical launch. The horror streamer has slowly bit a distinct segment for itself distributing indie horror flicks, and it has employed a carefully-crafted technique relating to which of them to offer theatrical releases. Whether or not because of the novel’s success or the facial similarities to the recently-popular Terrifier movies, this autumnal horror was chosen for the large display screen.
Eli Craig of Tucker and Dale vs. Evil fame sits within the director’s chair, maybe looking for to carry a few of his wry, darkish humorousness to the affair. That was a power of Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, a contemporary cult traditional, however this movie’s central flaw is the tonal points that go away the film in disarray.
We comply with Quinn, who moved from Philadelphia to the midwestern city of Kettle Springs along with her dad within the wake of a private loss. She quickly makes associates with a bunch of youngsters continually filming pranks and posting them on a non-copyrighted model of TikTok. The older era of the city don’t take care of them, and so they amusingly give them soiled seems to be all through the movie as Quinn joins the crew. That is epitomized within the stereotypically over-the-top Sheriff Dunne, performed by Will Sasso, who delivers grand strains about his “quiet little city” and criticizes the “children lately” whereas calling Quinn “sweetheart” again and again.
This all feeds into the movie’s clear theme a few conflict between the generations and a few of the cultural battle in America at this time. But that is additionally the place the film can’t appear to seek out itself. Whereas Clown in a Cornfield has a transparent satirical bent, it additionally asks the viewers to care in regards to the characters and their plight. Quinn is on an emotional arc over shedding her mother and looking for new beginnings. However this all turns into muddled when the movie focuses extra on satire.
Likewise, the plot is stuffed with contrivances and holes that lack a fundamental sense of logic about motivations and the power of characters to get from place to position. These is likely to be extra excusable in a movie that’s extra meant to be full-bore humor, however the tonal whiplash makes these moments stand out like a sore thumb. It’s too goofy to be nice, and never goofy sufficient to be a terrific send-up.
The tip result’s a irritating expertise, even when there’s a gleeful sense of anarchy on the subject of the kills. There are a number of moments which might be fairly hilarious. Kevin Durand has a enjoyable time together with his restricted screentime and is among the highlights. The identical can’t be stated about principal male romantic lead Cole, performed by Carson MacCormac. MacCormac is handed some bland, preachy strains at a number of factors that he completely fails to ship with any sincerity or conviction. The muddled nature of those scenes are exemplars of the movie’s central points, as if the actor had been unclear if he was speculated to be saying them for comedic function or not.
There’s actually potential on this movie, and it isn’t a completely unhealthy expertise. Horror followers will doubtless get their appetites sated in a number of methods. But one is left wishing the film had dedicated extra totally to one thing grounded and sensible, and extra of an homage to 80s slasher horrors, or one thing extra overtly humorous. When a personality feedback that it seems like they’re caught in a slasher horror, one wonders simply how meta the writers and director thought they had been being.
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