Clown in a Cornfield

I caught an advanced screening of Clown in a Cornfield (2025) in theaters this evening. The story centers on a father and daughter who relocate from the East Coast to a small Midwestern town still reeling from a recent tragedy. The daughter enrolls in a local high school where some of her classmates are rumored to have been involved in the incident, and she soon finds herself caught in a violent clash between those seeking revenge and her new group of friends.

The film is directed by Eli Craig (Tucker and Dale vs. Evil) and stars Katie Douglas (Every Day), Aaron Abrams (Hannibal), Carson MacCormac (Shazam!), and Kevin Durand (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes).

I really enjoyed this movie for what it was. It's a well-executed addition to the slasher genre with a unique premise and some truly creative kills. The unicycle scene kicks things off, followed by solid decapitations, standout chainsaw kills, and a slew of gory moments. I also appreciated the killer reveal sequence.

That said, the acting was inconsistent at times, the dialogue was cheesy, and Cole delivered some of the worst speeches I've ever heard in a movie. The killer's monologue was disappointing and the motive wasn't that compelling.

In conclusion, Clown in a Cornfield is a worthwhile entry in the slasher genre. It's far from perfect, but it delivers exactly what you'd expect and doesn't disappoint. I'd give it a 6.5/10 and recommend seeing it once.

If you love your slashers bloody, self-aware, and just a little bit unhinged, 'Clown in a Cornfield' is an absolute must-watch. It delivers that nostalgic, small-town horror vibe straight out of an '80s nightmare, but with a modern edge that keeps things fresh and fun. Frendo the clown is instantly iconic - equal parts terrifying and absurd - and the kills? Gory, creative, and satisfyingly brutal.

What really surprised me, though, was how funny this film is. It doesn't take itself too seriously, leaning into the ridiculousness of its premise in a way that totally works. The script is sharp, the characters are likable enough to root for (or scream at), and there's a surprising amount of heart buried beneath the bloodshed.

By the time the credits rolled, I was already googling the books. If they're anything like the movie, I'm in for a wild ride. Easily my favorite slasher of 2025 so far.

Clown in a Cornfield is about a girl named Quinn and her dad who move to a small town called Kettle Springs for a fresh start. They soon learn the fractured community has fallen on hard times after losing a treasured factory to a fire. As the locals bicker amongst themselves and tensions boil over, a sinister, grinning clown emerges from the cornfields to cleanse the town of its burdens, one bloody victim at a time.

The first half of the movie feels like a serious slasher with some light humour sprinkled in. I'd say it was just okay in that section. It's mostly setting things up, and it takes a little time to get going.

But once it hits the halfway mark, the tone completely shifts and that's when the movie really shines. It suddenly gets hilarious and super slashery, and that mixes really well. The jokes land perfectly with the kills, which is such a fun combo. It's funny because the humour earlier on wasn't nearly as strong, but once the gore and chaos kick in, it all clicks. I was actually laughing with the kills, and some of them really surprised me. They're shocking and funny at the same time, and it doesn't ruin the moment. It actually makes it better. Plus, the gore is awesome. The practical effects are super bloody and look great.

It's a teen horror comedy, so you've got to expect that kind of humour. It's silly at times, but that's part of the charm. There are a few surprises in the story too. Even though I thought I had it figured out early on, there was a nice little twist that changed things up.

The movie ends in a way that feels like there's more to tell. Which I'm down for. I really hope they make a sequel.

Dr. Glenn Maybrook (Aaron Abrams) and his 17-year-old daughter Quinn (Katie Douglas) move to the small town of Kettle Springs, whose founder operated the successful Baypen corn syrup factory, the mascot of which was a clown called Frendo. While attending a founder's day barn rave, Quinn and her new friends are attacked by killer clowns that emerge from the cornfield.

Based on Adam Cesare's young adult novel of the same name, Clown in a Cornfield has been described as a gateway horror movie, introducing youngsters to the genre without scaring (or scarring) them too much in the process. As someone who has seen thousands of horror movies, I expected to find CIAC too tame for my taste; but while I didn't find it scary in the slightest, I was surprised to discover that it featured a fair amount of blood and gore. So maybe not quite the gateway horror experience I had been led to believe it was.

Overall, I enjoyed this one more than I had thought I would: it's a well directed, fast-paced, no-nonsense slice of popcorn horror that, while not exactly groundbreaking, delivers plenty of fun. The reveal about who the killers are and why they do what they do won't come as much of a surprise, and the ending is weak, with the main villain simply driving away never to be seen again (at least until the sequel, perhaps), but even so, Clown in a Cornfield isn't a bad way to spend 96 minutes of your time.

My rating for Clown in a Cornfield is 5.5/10, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.

Clown in a Cornfield tells the story of a young girl with a tragic backstory who moves to a small town that has a sinister secret...every few generations clowns come out and start to slaughter the younger generation. Since she is new to town, she gets sucked in with the "bad" kids and she becomes a target of the clowns. What follows is a pretty fun slasher film with a few twists and turns that is part 80's / part 90's (definitely some Scream influence in this one) and all in all a bloody good time at the movies.

This film basically deals with the generational divide that is inherent in humankind, where the older generation wants to keep the younger generation in line, and the younger generation wants to change all the rules in order to forge their own path. I liked the commentary on the younger generation and how they are viewed by the older folks, and I liked the silliness and fun kills of this campy film.

The production value of this film is also top notch, good lighting, cool clown bad guys, and my only real gripe on the film is I think it was kind of obvious where it was going and it could have used maybe 10-15 more minutes to learn more about the characters and build the mystery of the town.

Overall, the best slasher film I've ever seen that had clowns and cornfields.