Had the pleasure of attending the premier of John Williams' third feature film, following on from last year's hugely enjoyable 'The Slayers'.
The film charts the resurrection of an evil clown, Crispy (played with enthusiasm and energy by Daniel Cubley), bent on revenge against all those that have wronged him. This is another enjoyable offering, and further proof of Williams' ability to put all the necessary ingredients together with such a small budget. Give him a budget of note and watch this guy fly.
The film isn't without its flaws though. It feels a bit cluttered at times, in as far as some characters appear to perform the same narrative function as others. Also, some of the victims seem to, on the face of it, have no connection to Crispy's vengeful mission. As a consequence, the film seems to lack a little focus and direction at times.
Don't let these minor quibbles put you off though, the film is very funny at times (though it didn't tickle me quite as much as 'The Slayers'), the red stuff (of which there is plenty) accompanies an inventive series of deaths, and there are a couple of stand out performances from the cast. Both Darren McAree as Alon Baptiste and Wes Martin as Pope completely nail their characters and provide a lot of the film's funniest moments. Once again the film is full to the brim of familiar faces from John's previous two films, and a couple of celebrity performances from former Big Brother winner Pete Bennett (who also returns) and Derek Acorah (a fun cameo where he shows he is quite happy to have a bit of fun at his own expense). I also loved a great little 'Slayers' Easter Egg ... Hilarious (if you have already seen The Slayers' that is, otherwise it won't make any sense whatsoever).
I look forward to seeing what Williams has up his sleeve next time out.
Check it out if you have chance.
