Try explaining the title and concept of this film to a non-horror-loving friend and be prepared for the usual head-tilt and “WTF?” expression as they attempt to understand just why a lot of people were keen to see it, as well as the fact that it’s had an unusually good critical reception in the States. To them, it’s a nonsensical random title combination that might as well be “Dinosaur in the Dining Room” or “Psycho in a Swimming Pool”. However, to those in the know, it’s a logical expansion of the artistic obsession with coulrophobia (the psychological fear of clowns), as well as an adaptation of an award-winning series of horror novels from author Adam Cesare. It’s worth noting that the 4th book in the saga is currently being written and will (allegedly) be set around a film being made about the lead character. Make of that what you will. From a genre fan’s point of view, perhaps the most promising thing is that it was directed and co-written (from the source material) by Eli Craig, who made the belatedly beloved Tucker and Dale Vs Evil in 2010. Starring Katie Douglas, Aaron Abrams, and Kevin Durand (so good in Abigail), the film has already been out in US cinemas and other territories for a month and received some decent reviews and box office takings compared to its budget. However, those of us in Blighty have had to wait four weeks to open the clown car and see what comes out. So, find time for Frendo.

 

It opens with a decent parody of Jaws as a bunch of horny teenagers get wasted on farmland during the heady days of 1991. One girl entices her prospective (and stoned) boyfriend into the privacy of head-high corn stalks to engage in some rumpy-pumpy, shedding clothes as she goes. Sound familiar. Although rather than a shark fin breaking the surface of the sheaves, we get honking great clown shoes foreshadowing death by pitchfork. Moving forward to the present day, Dr. Glenn Maybrook (Abrams) is moving to the extremely remote and rural township of Kettle Springs to take on a new practice. To no one’s surprise, he is escaping a troubled past and has a disgruntled teenager in tow. The 17-year-old Quinn (a bloody good Douglas) is pretty bummed out by the dated traditions and attitudes of the inhabitants of the town but finds some kindred teen spirits in a rebellious group led by Cole Hill (Carson MacCormac), the wayward son of the mayor (Durand as Arthur Hill). They get their kicks posting fake found-footage films, which have turned the town’s mascot (Frendo the Clown) into a slasher villain. But it’s only a matter of time before the “real” Frendo gets his funny on and starts murdering the kids who have mocked him. One by one.

 

From that synopsis, it seems like CIAC is just another slasher/whodunnit in the style of Scream or Thanksgiving. And that’s just what it comes across as initially. You’ve got the masked murderer offing isolated victims in semi-innovative ways. You’ve also got the usual suspects, red herrings, and creepy characters who probably know more than they’re telling. And that’s all okay, if somewhat underwhelming. Douglas, in particular, makes for a great protagonist and prospective final girl, all tough and snarky without being unlikeable. So, you settle in for the expected shenanigans and try to predict the outcome. Then comes a lovely midway twist that ups the game and elevates the material. I can’t elaborate for obvious spoiler reasons, but from that point on, the kills are much better, and the dialogue is snappier and funnier.

 

From the half-time uplift, the connection with Tucker and Dale becomes more solid, in terms of tone if not content. Characters directly riff on the fact that they’re apparently in an “80s horror movie”, leaving one character bemoaning the fact that she’s obviously next for the chop then. Then there’s the (nearly literally) rib-tickling scene where someone is stabbed with a pitchfork (“Is it bad? Oh, it’s so bad, girl!”), before the hero takes matters into their hands, leading to some further last-breath one-liners that are genuinely funny. A wonderful type of dark humour takes over here, which feels more like a wink to the audience rather than a parody and doesn’t steal from the dead straight tone of the storytelling. Check out an earlier moment where the guy follows his bae into the field, notices the huge footprints from oversized shoes and says incredulously “how big are your fucking feet?”

 

This silly type of humour is much more welcome than the obvious meta-giggles that copy the style of Scream. So be prepared for squeaky shoes and the (sadly spoiled by the trailer) brilliant visual gag about staying quiet in the presence of the bad guy. Other top moments include the observation that most teenagers don’t know how to use a dial phone or stick-shift on a car (even when their life literally depends upon it). Whilst the gore isn’t gratuitous for the most part (although it does ramp up in the latter stages), it does give it a harder edge and ensure it won’t get lumped in with PG-13 horror. Multiple F-bombs also ensure this as well. But it’s that kind of “slapstick” violence that doesn’t feel sadistic. Despite that, and meeting expectations admirably, you do get some good shots of a blood-spattered clown waving a chainsaw, running through the cornfield after screaming victims. Living the dream. So you can’t say that you’re shortchanged and it doesn’t live up to the title and the premise.  

 

So, with that turbo-charged second act and perfectly judged tone, the messy climax comes as a bit of a disappointment. Any attempts at subtlety (such as it was) get thrown right out the window and into the distance. It’s hard to contextualise this without using spoilers, but there’s some spot-on subtext that is nicely judged and so relevant… until it gets rubbed into your face like a custard pie. The audience is perfectly able to understand the issues being raised and how much of it is a painfully accurate portrayal of “things” at the moment. What it doesn’t need is a character to stop the scene cold and literally spell it out in the dialogue. We get it. Very clever. We don’t need it explained in detail. Now, tell the story and do more murderous clown gags and funny observations. It genuinely drops the quality and isn’t needed. This is especially annoying as the more interesting details regarding the nature of “Frendo” are frustratingly vague. We know the character was a mascot for the once-popular corn syrup factory that sustained the city and built its values. Beyond that, he’s just a generic clown figure. This is probably explained in much greater detail in the books, but that doesn’t help here and is just brushed over.

 

The last few scenes feel so rushed and disorganised that you are genuinely left in the dark about the fate of one major character. That may be intentional for sequels and suchlike, but it sure doesn’t feel like it at the time, and this element has cropped up a few times in UK reviews at least. It's something of a shame as the decent first act leads into a barnstorming and extremely entertaining second part, only to be let down by a weak and obvious finish. Douglas deserves more, as her character is nicely judged and portrayed throughout. In addition, the always-reliable Durand also gives another enjoyably fruity performance that adds much more meat to his character than would exist in someone else’s hands. Also, why does everybody have a dead relative sob story, even when it doesn’t link to the main narrative? Is that another parodic element or a Gremlins homage? There are a lot of things that don’t make sense, but you just have to ride with it…

 

If you liken the film to a fairground attraction ride, it’s one of those that has multiple loops and a huge incline in the middle but flattens out at the beginning and the end to a disappointing degree. There is a lot to like here, and at its very best, it rivals Tucker and Dale for comedy-horror that succeeds in being scary and funny at the same time. It is enjoyable to a large degree, and you’ll have a ball with the middle section that errs towards folk horror and other sub-genres. Just be prepared to overlook the generic opening half and the sub-text shouting denouement. It’s nominally a big win for Shudder, but you just wish that the screenplay and the concept had been given that final polish. Love that mid-section, however, Pennywise and the Killer Klowns from Outer Space still rule the horror big top.