Clown Fear

Clown Fear is a bone-chilling horror movie released on February 18, 2020, via Lionsgate. This unnerving psychological thriller brings together a trio of actresses - Sadie Katz, Augie Duke, and Tiffani Fest, all of whom have showcased their talents in previous well received thriller titles such as Wrong Turn 6, 6 Ways to Die, Exit 0 and Killer Weekend. Alongside a talented supporting cast, these stars shine in a spectacle of terror that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

The plot begins when a run-away bride Carlee (Augie Duke), devastated by a botched marriage, finds herself far away from home in a desolate desert town ironically dubbed "ClownTown." Also known as the "Circus City," it's a place where misfits wearing painted smiles and colorful costumes make up the majority of the population, a secluded society led by a peculiar character, Mayor Chuckles (Randy Wayne).

Carlee, along with her sister Landy (Sadie Katz), their wedlock-planning friend Kat (Tiffani Fest), and Ricky (Darcy DeMoss), a man who wants to prove his love to Carlee, come up against this town that is, in reality, a surrealist nightmare teeming with candy-coated horror. The stitched lips, hollow eyes, and twisted humor of the clownish inhabitants present a stark contrast to their festive exteriors.

The film delves into the dark side of circus life, transforming the innocent laughter of clowns into haunting guffaws echoing with sinister implications. Clown Fear cleverly uses the universal human phobia of clowns (coulrophobia) to hook the audience into its harrowing narrative.

As the name suggests, Clown Fear navigates through the palpable terror and suspense invoked by this pervasive fear. The film takes delicious delight in probing this primal dread and concurrently fanning the flames of the viewer's curiosity and apprehension.

Director Minh Collins expertly steers the thrilling narrative, with Katz, Duke, and Fest delivering exceptional performances that epitomize the thrill of horror cinema. The film balances terrorizing from behind the painted faces with moments of surreal humor and bizarre surprise, retreating occasionally to offer the audience some reprieve from the relentless on-screen tension.

In Clown Fear, ambiance takes center stage, transforming ClownTown into an eery character in and of itself. The town's vibrant colors and jolly carnival aesthetics eerily juxtapose the sinister machinations of its inhabitants, providing a disconcerting atmosphere that plays a significant role in the unfolding of the terror-laden narrative.

The cinematography, executed by Damian Apunte, powerfully echoes the terrifying ambiance. The washed-out and muted colors of the desert, contrasted with the brightly lit and wildly colorful clown costumes and makeup, create an aesthetic that's both visually striking and unsettling.

Despite its horror-centric narrative, Clown Fear also brings elements of drama and mystery to the screen. It tackles the themes of fear, deception, and defiance, weaving them seamlessly into the storyline. Moreover, it presents a twisted exploration of human courage and survival instincts when thrust into incomprehensible situations.

Overall, Clown Fear is a film not for the faint-hearted. It serves a gut-wrenching dish of macabre humor, grotesque visuals, and scream-inducing terror. For anyone who appreciates a well-crafted horror film that efficiently capitalizes on common human fears, Clown Fear promises to be a thrilling and memorable cinematic experience. Whether viewers are ardent fans of the horror genre or are simply looking for a thrilling experience, be prepared for a frightening descent into a clown-infested nightmare that resists being forgotten.