WFG RATING: A-

RLJE Films and Shudder present a Temple Hill Production in association with Hercules Film Fund and Protagonist Pictures. Directed by Eli Craig. Produced by Marty Bowen, John Fischer, Terry Dougas, Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis, and Isaac Klausner. Written by Eli Craig and Carter Blanchard; based on the novel by Adam Cesare. Cinematography by Brian Pearson. Edited by Sabrina Pitre.

Stars Katie Douglas, Aaron Abrams, Carson MacCormac, Vincent Muller, Kevin Durand, Will Sasso, Cassandra Potenza, Verity Marks, Ayo Solande, Alexandre Martin Deakin, and Jean-Jacques Javier.

The Bram Stoker Award winning novel gets a very good film adaptation with the appearance of a potential new icon of horror. 

Quinn Maybrook and her father Glenn have moved from Philadelphia after a family tragedy to the small town of Kettle Springs. Glenn has taken the position as the new family doctor in town, but Quinn feels uneasy. However, when she meets Cole Hill, whose ancestors founded the town, and his friends, she begins to feel a sense of ease. Cole and his friends tell her about the town’s mascot, Frendo the Clown, who markets the local corn syrup. They make YouTube videos of Frendo as a serial killer just for fun. However, things are about to get real. 

A town full of traditions, it is during a party at one of the cornfields that chaos begins to ensue. Someone dressed up as Frendo begins to kill the local teenagers and this causes Quinn and the others to attempt to evade the deadly clown. Soon, as the night goes on, a horrifying secret about the town is about to be discovered and it is up to Quinn to stop the menacing clown once and for all. 

Based on the novel by Adam Cesare, this adaptation was quite unexpected. Having not read the book (yet), I went in blind and was ultimately shocked and thrilled at the overall film. Although the film begins in the 1990s, the overall film still had that feel of an early 1990s slasher pre-Scream with some pretty gruesome kills that paid homage to some great classics of the genre. 

Katie Douglas is great in the role of Quinn, the fish out of water who moves from the big city to a small podunk town where it’s all about corn. Aaron Abrams’ Glenn wants to somewhat protect her and yet try to bond with her after a family tragedy became the catalyst for the move. The one she feels closest to in the film is Cole, played by Carson MacCormac. What is interesting is that even though his family are responsible for finding the town, he doesn’t come off as arrogant and affluent. He just acts like any normal teen would do along with his clique. 

There are a few major twists in the plot that I’m not going to spoil here in case you haven’t read the book. But there was one in particular that really amped up the wow factor. There are also references to some great classics as mentioned. For instance, the character of Ronnie complaining about a horror film about corn and kids…Children of the Corn came to mind. And one death has a Texas Chainsaw Massacre vibe and it’s awesome, and I’m talking more about the 2003 version. The finale even becomes more of a shock with how it all played out and is just great in the end. 

Clown in a Cornfield is definitely one of the best horror films of the year. If are like me and are going in blind without reading the novel, this movie will make you want to read the novel.