Burton Stanton (Peter Horton) and his girlfriend Vicky (Linda Hamilton) are driving through the streets of Nebraska when, among the vast cornfields, they find the corpse of a young boy. Thus begins the couple's misadventure, who, having to report the macabre discovery to the authorities, arrive in the deserted and dark town of Gatlin. They will soon discover that the only inhabitants of the town are a group of teenagers followers of Isaac, a malevolent preacher, who, along with his bloodthirsty companion Malachia, gives them unsettling orders with the intention of sacrificing to the Corn God all those who have reached or exceeded the age of eighteen. Burton and Vicky will have to face the group of murderous teens attempting to put an end to the frequent satanic sacrifices.
«Children of the corn», filmed on a very low budget, is a decent fantasy/horror film in which originality prevails. The movie, based on the short story «Children of the Corn» contained in Stephen King's bestseller «Night Shift», does not faithfully follow the plot of the book, but still manages to convey those typical sensations of anguish, fear, and oppression that make the viewer's involvement possible. The skill and intelligence of director Fritz Kiersch also greatly contributed to the creation of cramped scenarios.
Appreciable is the initial sequence where, inside a bar, the owners and the customers present are slaughtered, all filmed with detailed shots. Well-studied is also the central part of the film, managing to recreate, in the town of Gatlin, a hostile and deserted environment, with the presence of a few survivors terribly frightened by Isaac's inexplicable behavior.
The highlights of the film are, without a doubt, the sudden crucifixions, but also the confused manifestation of a religion (venerated by Isaac) according to which adults must necessarily perish to favor the growth of corn even during the period of drought.
Although the film, throughout its duration, manages to maintain a good pace of tension, there are no lack of less exciting moments, such as the disappointing and science fiction-like ending that takes a great distance from the real conclusion of King's novel.
Notable are the performances of John Franklin as the fanatic Isaac, and Linda Hamilton (Vicky), protagonist of the famous «Terminator» 1 and 2. It is worth noting that «Children of the Corn» has spawned several sequels, but all of very low quality. Defined by some as a small underrated masterpiece, it remains a film without infamy and without praise. Certainly worth re-evaluating!
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