Saturday, December 10, 2016

Children of the Corn (2009)

It's been YEARS since i've watched the 1984 film, and longer yet since i've read the book.


This film is based on Stephen King's short story of the same name, which was published in 1977. 
I'm going to write this post as I watch the movie.

 It already looks a whole lot less campy than the older film. I also already find the female lead "Vicky" annoying as all get out. I hope she gets better or slightly more likable. I understand that she is stressed by the terrible "opening" situation of being stranded and possibly having killed someone BUT she already proved herself to be insufferable before that took place. 

Yeah, I don't like her. Preachers daughter, loses her shit over seeing a corn poppet in the belongings they found. Not even with the explanation that it may just be local historical craft does she calm down. If it had been a "get rid of it. i just have a bad feeling about it" it might have been believable. 

These people are not observant. (Which I could understand if the movie took place in modern times but this is the 70s, I would think people would be a bit more curious and investigative.)

I think it should also be noted that though i'm all for creative casting it may have been poor casting to choose an african american actress as the woman in this tale, or at very least to make her so... upper class/higher than thou? In the story I don't recall Vicky being mentioned as brown skinned, and I DO recall her being referred to as an "ex prom queen". Now forgive me (and please do enlighten me) if I am wrong, but Nebraska still had forced segregated schools up through the 70s and a mixed couple would have not been so commonplace/would probably have been less privileged in that time and place. A lot of the things shes doing and her reactions while fine for a hysterical white woman of the time would not have been remotely okay seeming for any woman of color. Regardless of situation.

Burt is just dumb. I don't understand why he didn't just try to actually leave the town instead of just hiding in the cornfield and keeping near to where he could still hear the children. Though I do like that all the action is giving him war flashbacks.

Alright. That was new. He who walks behind the rows is doin his own thing and since when does corn have the abilities of vines? 1. cornstalks don't bend like that. 2. the man would be cut up like he went through a cheese grater.

One thing I wasn't expecting in this reiteration of Children of the Corn: The kids actually aren't all that creepy or terrifying. It's their lack of empathy and character that makes them the threat.

There was no real feeling behind this one. No real terror, they tried to play it much too straight and failed from lack of feeling in their actors.

I probably wouldn't watch it again, I give it a 4/10 rating.



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