‘The kids aren’t alright’
Clown is a 2014 American-Canadian supernatural horror movie directed by Jon Watts from a screenplay co-written with Christopher D. Ford.
The movie stars Andy Powers, Peter Stormare (Dylan Dog: Dead of Night; Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters; Dweller), Eli Roth (Cabin Fever; Don’t Look Up), Laura Allen (From Within; Hysteria), Elizabeth Whitmere and Christian Distefano (The Strain).
A loving father finds a clown suit for his son’s birthday party, only to realize the suit is part of an evil curse that turns its wearer into a killer…
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Reviews:
“Clown comes sprinting out of the gate, delivering all sorts of juicy surprises. But as quick as things get going, everything comes to a screeching halt. The meat of the film feels like a short concept stretched into feature length, and that’s ultimately the film’s undoing.” Brad Miska, Bloody Disgusting
“Clown may be formulaic and filled up to the guts with familiar tropes, but it is tremendous fun and an effective body horror.” Dominic Cuthbert, Starburst
“The scene where an increasingly ravenous Powers prowls a children’s play area is creepy and disturbing but ultimately he’s a bit too sympathetic, unlike the boo-hiss psycho pranksters of Stephen King’s It and Killer Klowns from Outer Space. Still, coulrophobes should beware.” Jeremy Aspinall, Radio Times
“The makeup department have done a good job with both Kent’s and Eli Roth’s killer clowns. Not that we catch more than a glimpse of Roth’s monster. The tech aspects are basically fine, and anyone who loves a creepy clown will not be disappointed.” Nav Qateel, Influx Magazine
“With Clown the filmmakers have created an all-new monster of demonic proportions and it’s a concept that certainly deserves to spawn a sequel or two as the sky really is the limit. With so many clowns floating around at the moment I went in with low expectations but came out with nothing but praise for the film.” Howard Gorman, Scream
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“Ultimately, if you’re a card-carrying clown phobic then you’ll probably find sufficient material here to pretend to cower from, even though there’s a surprising lack of gore – some weak CGI moments notwithstanding – considering the Roth involvement (though rest easy – a chair with manacles does feature.) It’s not a terrible idea, this, but if your film is called Clown then you expect more of the clown and less of the dull human drama.” Keri O’Shea, Brutal as Hell
“It livens up for the finale and several points in-between, but has spent too much time by then floundering in useless comedy and a terrible attempt at clown mythology. The gore, impressive body horror and unusual story make it impossible to completely dismiss, but Clown could have been so much more.” Joel Harley, HorrorTalk
“The general rule of most horror films is that, no matter what the threat, dogs and children usually survive. The film not only breaks that rule but it breaks it multiple times. In fact, there’s so much blood spilled in the film that I actually found myself getting depressed watching it. Lacking both a satiric edge and any real interest in subverting the horror genre, Clown instead comes across as being unnecessarily mean-spirited.” Lisa Marie Bowman, Through the Shattered Lens
Cast and characters:
- Laura Allen as Meg
- Andy Powers as Kent
- Peter Stormare as Karlsson
- Eli Roth as Frowny the Clown
- Elizabeth Whitmere as Denise
- Christian Distefano as Jack
- Chuck Shamata as Walt
- Amy Balaton as Gamezone Employee
- Claudia Jurt as Panicked Parent
- Jodi Larratt as Mother
- Matthew Stefiuk as Detective
- Allen Altman as ER Doctor
- Robert Reynolds as Doctor Martin Karlsson
- Caeden Lawrence as Hardware Store Clerk
- Abigail Lieff as Waitress
- Jocelyn Deighton as Nurse
- Jeff Lefebvre as Costume Shop Customer
- Jen Julien as Parent at Fun Park
- Lucas Kelly as Colton
- Michael Riendeau as Robbie
Choice dialogue:
Kent: “Who double books a clown?”
