The SXSW slasher film Clown in a Cornfield attempts to establish its own iconic masked killer, but the result feels more derivative than innovative. Much like many slasher films before it, the movie centers around a killer named Frendo, who dons an evil clown mask, reminiscent of Pennywise from It, paired with a small cocked hat resembling Art the Clown from the Terrifier series. The setting—a cornfield—ties into the film’s self-consciously literal title, echoing the over-the-top branding of films like Snakes on a Plane.
Based on a young adult novel, the film’s premise follows a group of teenagers in the rural town of Kettle Springs. These characters, however, are as one-dimensional and disposable as the archetypal slasher victims of 1980s horror. A notable sequence, set during a holiday parade featuring a mascot version of the killer, bears a striking resemblance to a similar scene in Thanksgiving. This over-familiarity makes the film’s effort to carve out an identity feel like a missed opportunity.
Directed by Eli Craig (Tucker & Dale vs. Evil), Clown in a Cornfield attempts to present itself as a “meta” slasher film. The film leans heavily on self-aware references, with Frendo’s clownish appearance clearly invoking Pennywise and the film’s title echoing the absurdity of Snakes on a Plane. However, this so-called postmodern indie grindhouse approach feels more like a shallow echo chamber than an innovative take on the genre.
The film’s meta narrative begins with Frendo’s origin as the mascot for Baypen Corn Syrup, a local business empire in Kettle Springs. This company, founded by Cole’s (Carson MacCormac) great-grandfather, helped put the town on the map. The town’s obsession with Frendo is apparent in the numerous signs and memorabilia, including a hand-sized Jack-in-the-box version of the killer that appears before each grisly murder.
The movie introduces a twist: the teens in town have been staging YouTube prank videos featuring one of them dressed as Frendo, mimicking the slasher genre in miniature. This sets up the film’s one unique element—there’s more than one Frendo. This is not a Scream-style whodunit, but rather a scenario in which an entire army of Frendos descends on the town. The film’s explanation for this cartoonish multiplicity is so simplistic and broad that it’s hard to take seriously, making the film’s dark tone feel less unsettling and more bafflingly obvious.
The protagonist, Quinn (Katie Douglas), is the new girl in town. She moves into an old farmhouse with her widowed father (Aaron Abrams) and soon integrates into the local teen clique. As Quinn and Cole grow closer, their flirtation is interrupted by a social-justice twist that serves as an undercurrent to the film’s narrative.
Despite the over-the-top set pieces and a few exaggerated murders designed to thrill the audience, Clown in a Cornfield fails to deliver genuine scares. The violence is more spectacle than substance, never coming close to the disturbing intensity of more notorious slasher films like Terrifier. If a slasher movie were to be produced by AI, Clown in a Cornfield might very well be its uninspired creation.
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