Teen Slasher Clown in a Cornfield (SXSW) Delights with Scares, Laughs, and Relevant Commentary
Title: Clown in a Cornfield
First Non-Festival Release: May 8, 2025 (Theatrical Release)
Director: Eli Craig
Writer: Carter Blanchard, Eli Craig, Adam Cesare
Runtime: 96 Minutes
Starring: Katie Douglas, Carson MacCormac, Aaron Abrams
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
This film’s review was written after its screening at the South by Southwest Film Festival in 2025.
Small town America can be a wonderful place to grow up, despite its challenges. Fears of safety and a fast-paced lifestyle are traded for small minds and boredom. The pace of life is different and for some communities preserving this comfort can come at a cost of progress.
Quinn (Katie Douglas) and her father Dr. Maybrook (Aaron Adams) move to the sleepy town of Kettle Springs on the cusp of the town’s Founders Day celebration so he can replace the town’s family doctor. They soon understand that Kettle Springs is a town that favors tradition over everything else, especially this time of year. Quinn soon falls in with the “wrong” crowd. This puts her in danger as the town’s mascot, Frendo the Clown, will stop at nothing from rooting out the rebel-rousers who threaten to shake up the town’s status-quo and disrespect their traditions.
A slick teen slasher, Clown in a Cornfield offers up plenty of heart and energy to satisfy a new generation of horror audiences.
Much like the mystery behind any masked killer in a slasher film, Clown in a Cornfield takes its time laying the seeds of its central antagonist. The lore of Frendo extends deep, with clown inspired killings plaguing Kettle Springs for decades. His victims span identities and across eras with the common denominator being their presence somehow threatening Frendo’s ideals. Somehow able to kill across such swaths of time, he’s taken on a supernatural reputation of enforcing deference to all but the most outspoken. Whispers of townsfolk, collections of photographs, and campfire pranks all elevate Frendo’s message while offering up just enough new information to make the mystery more compelling.
Its eclectic group of teenagers lead the charge against Frendo, offering enough quippy roasts and moments of banter to make it easy to root for them. Led by newcomer Quinn, the teens operate in the usual archetypes that occupy these types of films. Rich boy, popular girl, jock, comic relief, best friend, etc. There may not be much depth to them, but their relationships bring out the best in each of them, more or less. Their dynamics feel genuine and fresh, especially when young friend groups are often depicted as chaotic and on-edge even before the horror is introduced. None are quite as compelling as Cole (Carson MacCormac) though. Son of the mayor and easily the most radical and mysterious of the group, his inclusion in the group inspired enough scrutiny to question his intentions and serve as conflict for the group when they start getting picked off one-by-one.
While breezy at times, Clown in a Cornfield never strays from its central purpose as a slasher: its impressive array of kills and the special effects team that pulls them off. Chock full of suspense, the story weaves in some pretty impressive kills without missing a beat. The typical slasher staples are mixed in with some inspired farm equipment to make for some hilarious and horrific moments. Its third act gets particularly inspired with its constant barrage of death taking place amidst a backfired massacre. What’s more, the chase scenes get more intense and the death scenes more affecting as we get to know the ever-dwindling group of teen survivors.
It’s not shocking that Clown in a Cornfield has great kill scenes or hilarious moments of levity throughout its lean runtime, but it is a pleasant surprise that it has so much to say about small town America. Tradition is central to Frendo’s lore, as well as the town. Much like the boogeymen of the 80s, Frendo serves as a reactionary figure determined to stamp out the threat of liberalism creeping into small town America. Perhaps an on-the-nose metaphor for the urban-rural divide, Frendo attacks teenagers who disobey authority, seek to stand out, and prioritize social issues over the “right” groupthink pre-established by the community.
While Frendo does this, there is still an undercurrent of love for small-town living breathing throughout the story. Resident trouble-maker Cole believes in a better Kettle Springs, one that embraces change while preserving the social aspects that do make their community great. By voicing a clear alternative that doesn’t denigrate actual good aspects of their community – farming, good jobs, being good neighbors – the thesis of Clown in a Cornfield operates as a vision of a better small-town America.
A strong example of modern teen horror, Clown in a Cornfield has all the ingredients of a franchise starter. Fun characters, including its inspired villain, great kills, and compelling social commentary make this slasher an easy recommendation. Fans of the books and horror in general will delight when this campy gem creeps into theaters this May. Heed this warning: seek out Frendo in theaters lest you face his wrath when he comes to your town.
Overall Score? 7/10
