Really, if you’re watching a new “Children of the Corn” movie in 2023, you’re probably either a Stephen King or franchise devotee, so you probably know what comes next. What’s startling about Wimmer’s take on “Children of the Corn”—his first directorial credit since “Ultraviolet” in 2006—isn’t a matter of ruthless or even reliable genre craftsmanship. Rather, Wimmer’s version features just enough style to buckle but still hold together until it becomes the horror movie version of a threshing machine.
Most cast members are underserved by Wimmer’s thin dialogue, which is more bland than bad. A few adult performers hit their marks hard enough, particularly Mulvey and Bruce Spence, who has a small role as a jeremiad-prone pastor. And even the younger cast members are good enough to be watchable, if not always compelling. Moyer’s the biggest surprise here since she’s often menacing despite her character’s general lack of definition or emotive range. She glowers and threatens anyone who gets in her way with a stern but un-showy conviction. And then bad things happen to the people of Rylstone, again and again, until it’s time to stop.
Wimmer’s lack of vision also does not greatly affect the blunt effectiveness of this movie’s grisly, highlight reel-ready kill scenes. If anything, artless close-ups, a tacky sepia camera filter, and plywood dialogue inadvertently enhance the movie’s cut-rate air of dread. This version of “Children of the Corn” isn’t convincing as a story about small-town kids who, after having seen their adult guardians give up on their homes, must fight for the scraps of whatever remains. Still, this take on King’s story works as a mean-spirited genre exercise. Horror fans will definitely have seen darker and more disturbing movies like this, but Wimmer and the gang are single-minded enough to make a few key deaths seem upsetting anyway.
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