CLOWN (2014)

Directed By: Jon Watts 
Written By: Christopher Ford & Jon Watts 
Cinematography By: Matthew Santo 
Editor: Robert Ryang 


Cast: Andy Powers, Laura Allen, Peter Stomare, Christian Distefano, Chuck Shamata, Elizabeth Whitmere, Eli Roth 

 A little boy's birthday party gets ruined when his entertainment (clown) cancels. His father finds a clown suit and becomes the new entertainment but something is weird about it, there is an evil curse and it won't come off. He specializes in eating little kids... everything after that goes down hill.

This film gained momentum whjen first mentioned and took 2 years to finally be released.

The film plays on a widely common fear people have of clowns and totally exploits it. This seems to be one of the worst case scenario premises. This film is shockingly violent (which I know is somewhat of a given for a horror film) though at least tries to show some compassion for a film that seems to freely slaughter children.

Which I guess shouldn't be too shocking as this is a Canadian horror film that really gets moving in the second act. What I will give the film is that it is not afraid to go places other horror films typically don't.

So it feels like a nightmare of a movie that at least feels like it is trying. Which gives it a certain freshness, even as you suspect you know where it is going.

Peter Stomare is here as the kind of typical Van Helsing inept crazy character. Who is here to help though you question his sanity. The first half of the film had an otherworldly glow which strangely feels bland, but once it gets dark and the lights go out. The film finally gets nasty.

The mythology the movie attached makes it more of a supernatural possession movie. Rather then one where a man slowly loses his mind, but for some odd reason it also feels more like a gimmick that is randomly introduced.

The film can be gruesome, but some of the digital effects are distracting in a bad way.

One scene is the crowing achievement of the film that is shocking. Where a playroom becomes more of a slayroom. Where no one is safe especially children

Upcoming film SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING's director first film. This is ok but his first film COP CAR is more an accomplished piece of cinematic work. This feels like he ran with an idea to get his foot in the door or more a work for hire job. It is also telling that in most of his films work he works with a healthy sized cast of children and a similar stillness in the air of all his films which seems ideal for a spider-man origin movie. Though this film feels more basic. His other film feels more audacious.

This film ends up being more of a tragic tale then expected. It mines it's material for all it's worth. Plenty of dramatic and uncomfortable decisions as well as situations.

What's most disappointing is that with all the possibilities the filmmakers had with this premise. This is all that they came up with. It's not horrible. As it has a thorough dramatic storyline, but feels so small scale and economical. As well as quaint it ends up becoming almost too tidy.

Grade: C