It is extremely rare that I have the opportunity to watch a movie that I had no idea was coming out or what the movie’s plot is. Of course, with a title like Clown in a Cornfield, it’s hard not to have an inkling as to what you will be witnessing. Still, this film, my vote for the year’s most unexpected movie (seriously how did I not see a single trailer for this), has enough delights to get you through an otherwise silly screenplay that never quite digs into the fertile ground of its presence.
The movie kicks off in true horror film fashion, with a flashback to an iconic kill. In 1991, the teens of Kettle Springs, Missouri are enjoying a party near the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory. Naturally, two co-eds sneak off into the cornfield for some sexy times and are unfortunately met by a killer clown who dispatches them with a creative flourish (more on this later). Jumping forward to the present day, Quinn and her father have moved into the town after a personal tragedy. Quinn’s introduction to the town could probably not have started any worse than getting detention on the first day. But it does put her in the orbit of our main friend group: Janet, Matt, Ronnie, Tucker, and Cole, the son of the mayor.
The teens move through the town with an ease of youth and air of mischief. Their mere presence seems to annoy the adults, even when they’re not being awful (though they are awful most of the movie). The only thing that passes for entertainment with them is stealing alcohol from the general store, drinking, and making prank YouTube videos pretending to be the killer clown Frendo. However, some excitment is on the way in the vein of a group of killer clowns that seem to take great pleasure in dispatching the teens one by one on the 100th Founder’s Day.
Clown in a Cornfield is a deeply unserious movie, for better and worse. In the bad column, is a movie that loves using various tropes but doesn’t seem much interested in making the characters feel real. We bounce through the various elements of slasher movies with little regard for the actual people in the movie. It’s a bit unmooring watching a father and daughter fight about her detention and arrest, and yet move on with no real convo about what’s causing the wild behavior. The movie doesn’t need to be some depressing drama, but the movie moves past character revelations and backstories that would better help ground the story and give us a richer landscape.
Despite the plot and pacing leaving much to be desired, there are not many dull moments. Clown in a Cornfield is incredibly funny, both in ways intentional and not. Watching two girls play with the severed head of their friend prior to realizing he was dead made me guffaw just as much as the dialogue that was meant to be sincere. It’s a nice grab bag of jokes and situational comedy that sells the movie (not to mention the truly hilarious reaction to a character’s love confession).
The true selling point of this film would be some of the most diabolical kills you’re likely to see outisde of the Final Destination franchise. Each is a highlight and done in a creative way that makes the body count of this film feel both exorbitant and incredibly real. Whenever the movie lulled, there was someone being stabbed with a pitchfork and slammed into an overhead light electrocuting them, or getting beheaded while working out, to carry us through. Just wish the movie had stuck to its convictions a bit more on the plot and character front to really see it through.