A couple traveling across the Midwest are trapped in a small town
where all adults have been murdered by children following a prophet. HORROR
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Children of the Corn (1984)Directed by Fritz Kiersch
Written by George Goldsmith Starring Peter Horton, Linda Hamilton, Courtney Gains, John Franklin, Robby Kiger, Anne Marie McEvoy, Julie Maddalena Based on the short story by Stephen King |
Children of the Corn was a colossal waste of potential that once again failed to adapt the terror from Stephen King's short story. While it does have its moments, it suffers greatly from poor acting and an uneven script. There were many times when I wanted to like it, but couldn't bring myself to accept this unfaithful adaptation. It could have been a truly frightening movie, but it ultimately falls flat.
Like I said, it does have some redeeming qualities. The score is quite unsettling and set the tone for what I thought was going to be something really creepy. The villains of Malachai and Isaac were, at times, terrifying antagonists that seemed like real threats. However, due to the weak script they came off like caricatures in the end. The mysterious demonic entity in the cornfield also should have been left out, as it would have been creepier if these children were just doing it themselves. In the long run, this film has somewhat achieved cult status for fans of both King's work and corny (no pun intended) horror flicks. I was hoping it would be scarier and the film ultimately left me wanting much more. Any horror film dealing with religious subject matter, however ridiculous, is definitely going to be creepy at times. Children of the Corn is no exception, but its flaws heavily outweigh its strengths. |