A blood-soaked blast of generational rage, Clown in a Cornfield is a wickedly fun slasher film that slays with heart, humour, and a whole lot of Frendo. Director Eli Craig delivers a sharp, slick adaptation that blends killer laughs with killer carnage, crafting a teen slasher that’s as smart as it is savage. Frendo is the new face of funhouse terror, and he’s not clowning around. A killer good time for horror fans new and seasoned alike.
Based on Adam Cesare’s 2020 young-adult horror novel, Clown in a Cornfield follows Quinn Maybrook (Katie Douglas) and her father, Dr. Maybrook (Aaron Abrams), as they relocate to the faded factory town of Kettle Springs, Missouri, hoping for a quieter life after tragedy. What they find instead is a town divided: bitter, nostalgic adults desperately clinging to the past, and teens doing whatever they can to leave it behind.
Quinn quickly falls in with a group of local kids led by prankster Cole (Carson MacCormac), who’ve gone viral for their mockumentary videos featuring the old town mascot of the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory, Frendo the Clown. But when the real Frendo shows up, and the blood starts flowing for real – no one’s laughing anymore.
What follows is a Gen Z slasher showdown meets whip-smart satire, serving up equal parts gore, giggles, and generational grudge match – with a healthy dose of teen rebellion for good measure. While it doesn’t dive too deep into its themes, it wears them proudly on its sleeve: tradition vs. progress, control vs. chaos, outdated ideals vs. the kids struggling to escape them. The 96-minute runtime keeps things tight, but also rushes past some of the story’s meatier emotional beats.
Still, Craig’s direction is confident and stylish, with echoes of his earlier work (Tucker & Dale vs. Evil) in the way he mixes humour with horror. The movie knows what it is—and what it isn’t. It’s not trying to reinvent the genre. It’s just trying to have a damn good time with it. And it does. There’s enough charm, carnage, and commentary here to satisfy horror buffs and convert a few new fans along the way.
Rating: ★★★★
Clown in a Cornfield is now showing at Wallis Cinemas, HOYTS, Palace Nova and Reading Cinemas in South Australia.
The Adelaide Insider 