DIRECTOR
Eli Craig
(LITTLE EVIL)

STARRING
Katie Douglas, Carson MacCormac and Kevin Durand

With a title like ‘Clown In a Cornfield’ this film was going to go one of two ways; it would be the terrifying, coulrophobia inducing stuff of nightmares along the lines of IT, or something so cheesy you might need to take a Lacteeze before watching. Thankfully for my horror-hating wife, this film was definitely the latter, but in the best way possible.

Clown In a Cornfield is a sharp, stylish, and surprisingly fun adaptation of Adam Cesare’s cult-favourite horror novel. Directed by Eli Craig, this rural slasher transcends its pulpy title with a deft mix of social commentary, fast paced suspense and unapologetic, crowd-pleasing kills, all alongside enough laughs to rival most modern comedies.

The premise is deceptively simple: a grieving teenager relocates to a sleepy Midwestern town with her father, only to find that Baypen, Missouri, harbours a festering resentment between its conservative elders and rebellious youth. Things take a twisted turn when Frendo — the town’s grinning clown mascot— is co-opted by masked killers to mete out violent, moralistic justice.

Katie Douglas is the central protagonist Quinn, delivering a performance that is equal parts fierce and hilarious, all the while reminding me of a younger hybrid of Linda Cardellini and Janeane Garofalo. The cast around her bring great levels of balance to the character depictions, with a few nice little plot twists away from your basic teen slasher/romance.

What elevates Clown In a Cornfield beyond standard slasher fare is its razor-edged critique of generational divide and moral panic — all wrapped in a slick, kinetic package that never forgets to have fun. The kills are inventive, and the pacing never lags, culminating in a finale that is both brutal and strangely cathartic.

While it leans heavily on genre tropes, it does so with a knowing wink and a fresh urgency. Fans of Scream and The Purge will appreciate its blend of pointed commentary and popcorn thrills.

In short: Clown In a Cornfield is a smart, savage, and stylish slasher that delivers both brains and blood in spades, whilst keeping the laughs coming hard and fast. Plus, Frendo might just be the next horror icon we didn’t know we needed.

Clown In a Cornfield is in cinemas now.