THERE’S A CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD, PEOPLE! Festivities at SXSW 2025 are winding down, but we are not done yet. We squeezed in a few more movies, and we each have our favorites. In no particular order, let’s begin. I was excited when I read the title, Clown in a Cornfield. Say less! My mind ran wild with the many possibilities. I haven’t had this much fun at a premiere since Evil Dead Rise. It has the essence of a classic slasher and the subtlety of modern self-aware thrillers. Based on the book penned by Adam Cesare, Director Eli Craig brings Frendo to life, and he is ready to cull every last troublesome teen from their good ol’ town. Grab yourself a pitchfork and head into the cornfields. Hopefully, we’ll bump into a clown.
Kettle Springs
Quinn (Katie Douglas) and her father, Dr. Maybrook (Arron Abrams), have suddenly uprooted their whole lives and land themselves in the middle of a midwest town that seems to have set pause on time. Clinging to old values and keeping rowdy teens in line is the flavor of the day. This small town was prosperous until the Baypen Corn Syrup plant was destroyed by fire, and the mayor continues to blame a group of teenagers. It’s a typical small-town slasher, and the silly plot point has been recycled throughout slashers of old. However, Craig has reinvigorated the classic formula, and thanks to a rousing group of young and seasoned actors, old tropes seem fresh, and the film held an impressively thrilling pace.
Old Tropes Die Hard
We have seen a lot of the usual tropes across many genre films. Clown in a Cornfield embraces them. Quinn and her father are reminiscent of Christina Ricci and Bill Pullman of Casper (1995). The strained father/ daughter relationship is due to the recent loss of a wife and parent. Dr. Maybrook has chosen to move to a town in the middle of nowhere and start anew. Sadly, the locals make it clear to Quinn that she should avoid trouble and their local troublemakers. Luckily, there are a handful of kids to befriend her, and they do what teens do. Quinn and Cole have an immediate connection, and there is a young romance (that I LOVED) per the rules of teen horrors. Interestingly, Cole (Carson MacCormac) is the son of the mayor ( Kevin Durand) in this crowd of meddling kids.
Clowning Around
Clown in a Cornfield follows a daughter who needs her father and a father who would rather upend their world without having to face his trauma. The Scooby gang doesn’t seem rebellious but acts out more, desperate to escape the small-town ideals. Unfortunately, this town refuses to move out of its past. Let’s face it, the adults in town are dicks. The kids are doing typical high school shit and it pisses everybody off. They are way past the days of being controlled by every adult that crosses their paths. So what happens when you’re tired of being harrassed and treated like dirt? Why, we throw a party, of course. And when the youth of Kettle Springs gather in mass for drinks and dancing, Frendo crashes the party.
The humor is sharp and rises above the classic horror formula. Killer clowns? Yes, but who doesn’t have a favorite horror with a naughty clown? Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) and Art the Clown (David Howard Thorton specifically) never fail to entertain me.
Clowns Are Our Friends
Also, cornfields are scary. Imagine fields of ever-climbing corn, the silence and then the rustling of corn stalks as you struggle to find an end. Add the feeling of suffocation and the looming fear of a clown just out of sight. I remember movies like Children of the Corn and Into the Tall Grass when the anxiety and panic took over in the labyrinth of crops. One of the best moments was a chase through the corn, where fear, excitement, and panic reigned. Chaos makes them the perfect targets for a crazed clown with a chainsaw. I couldn’t help but smile as Frendo the Clown swung his chainsaw around in a mad dance reminiscent of Leatherface.
Yay or Nay
Albeit predictable, I was thrilled from start to finish. Clown in a Cornfield is a horror movie for horror fans. We aren’t here for the drama. This is why I came to Austin SXSW. The plot is redundant, but I had a great time watching it. I couldn’t think of anything innovative or complicated about the story. Relax and channel that first watch of Friday the 13th (1980). I am decades from my teenage years, yet I quickly connected with that now faded sense of wanting to break free of my little town. The cast is solid, and their performances are incredible. I applaud Douglas, MacCormac, Verity Marks, Vincent Muller, and Cassandra Potenza.
Most of all, I had plenty to cheer about, thanks to my favorites—evil clowns, gnarly kills, blood and gore, and a whodunit that comes early in the story and then never backs off. I love killer clowns, and this will be a happy addition to my movie watchlist. Clown in a Cornfield will be released in theaters on May 9, 2025.
Check out all the films we’ve watched here at SXSW 2025 on Horror Movie Blog.
