Movie Review: ‘Clown In A Cornfield’

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Review by James Lindorf

Author Adam Cesare is quite prolific; his first novel was published in 2012, and his 16th in 2024. His first attempt at a story in the young adult genre was 2020’s “Clown in a Cornfield,” which won that year’s Bram Stoker Award for Best Young Adult Novel. Someone must have felt good about the book’s chance at success and optioned its film rights before its release. Despite the excitement surrounding the book, it still took a few years to get the finances sorted out and find the right director. The project eventually ended up in the hands of “Tucker & Dale vs. Evil” director Eli Craig, who adapted the novel with screenwriter Carter Blanchard. On May 9th, RLJE Films and Shudder will distribute the film to theaters around the country before it eventually moves to streaming.

The small town of Kettle Springs, Missouri, was dependent on the Baypen Corn Syrup factory until its closure, and their last hope of reclaiming past glory days was lost when it was destroyed in a suspected case of arson. The town’s newest residents are 17-year-old Quinn Maybrook (Katie Douglas) and her father, who will be the town’s newest and only doctor, and are looking for a fresh start after the death of Quinn’s mother. Juxtaposing their arrival is the town’s preparations for their 100th Founder’s Day celebration, which heavily features the Baypen mascot, a clown named Frendo. At school, Quinn befriends the cool but unruly group of teens led by Cole (Carson MacCormac), the son of the mayor (Kevin Durand). Much to the ire of the adults in town, the group has co-opted Frendo for a series of YouTube short films about a killer version of the clown. They cemented their status as troublemakers when one of their videos was blamed for causing the fire at the factory. On Founder’s Day, they organize a party of their own full of drugs, underage drinking, and sex. Everyone is having a great time until a grinning, bloody, and crossbow-wielding Frendo emerges from the cornfields to crash the party. The supporting cast of teens includes Ayo Solanke, Verity Marks, Cassandra Potenza, and “Mad TV” alum Will Sasso as Sheriff Dunne.

One of the most underrated movies in the last 15 years is Craig’s “Tucker & Dale vs. Evil.” The well-constructed film is filled with laughs, great kills featuring excellent practical effects, and smart writing that pokes fun at generational and class differences. It is easy to see why he was chosen to work on “Clown in a Cornfield” because it wants to accomplish those same goals. Quinn and her Dad are from the big city, dealing with a small town that is dying, and are instantly more well off and “cultured” than 90 percent of the population. The adults are obsessed with the town’s past glory and what they have decided is inappropriate behavior by the teens. Both are topical elements given the country’s current political climate, the divide between the old and the young, and the conservative and liberal members of our society. The problems begin with its lack of focus and detail. The adults are mad because the script says they are other than some bullying, and the speculation about the fire at the factory, they are mad that modern teens like to party, play pranks, and want to be influencers. But there isn’t much about them that is overtly bad, and if you want to subvert the 80s slasher genre, you have to give better reasons for the people to be murdered.

The problems with the script do not end there. It is filled with characters making nonsensical decisions, such as why is the new girl in town leading everyone through a cornfield to safety at a house she didn’t even know existed 30 seconds ago? Those kinds of story failures can be overlooked if you’re having enough fun, and the film’s biggest failure is the lack of fun. It starts off strong with a good setup for some creative kills, but it quickly gives up the premise for what is supposed to pass as shock value. The final nail in the coffin is the stilted delivery of some truly terrible dialogue. I imagine Craig and Blanchard combed the novel for the best bits and hyped themselves up in the writing room with what they thought would be smart genre-breaking commentary. Unfortunately, 8 out of 10 of those lines are a complete failure and may push the movie into the so bad it’s good category for some viewers.

“Clown in a Cornfield” is a complicated film. It looks great, has some fun kills, and makes a few smart decisions, but when it goes bad, it is heartbreaking. Oddly enough, I plan on watching this again because I want to find out if my lofty expectations based on Craig’s past made me too hard on his latest project. I hope lowered expectations will allow me to find more entertainment in these 95 minutes, but on a first viewing, this movie is no Frendo of mine at a 2 out of 5.

Director: Eli Craig
Producer: Marty Bowen, John Fischer, Wyck Godfrey
Screenwriter: Carter Blanchard, Eli Craig
Distributor: RLJE Films / Shudder
Production Co: Temple Hill Entertainment, Rhea Films
Rating: R (Teen Drinking|Language Throughout|Bloody Horror Violence)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 9th, 2025
Runtime: 1h 36m