Children of the Corn: Runaway (2018)

Director: John Gulager

Notable Cast: Marci Miller, Jake Ryan Scott, Sara Moore, Mary Kathryn Bryant, Lynn Andrews III, Kevin Harvey, Diane Ayala Goldner, Eric Starkey

After Children of the Corn: Genesis and the truly abysmal made-for-TV remake of the original, I was ready for the Children of the Corn series to be laid to rest and buried behind the rows of sweet corn. It was obvious that this series had grown, was harvested and left the soil unfit for further cultivation. When it announced that the ninth entry into the series (yeah, nine entries) would finally get a release after being stuck in developmental hell for a handful of years, my excitement could be measured in a long and drawn out sigh. Even worse, Children of the Corn: Runaway was directed by John Gulager who managed to kill his own Feast franchise and make Piranha 3DD too stupid to survive. Imagine my surprise that this ninth entry to a series (that didn’t really deserve four entries) came out as not only decent, but one of the best that the franchise had to offer - not that it means much. It simultaneously reboots the series in a clever way while at the same time delivering a modernized spin on the intellectual property that matches the current trends in horror. Yeah, Runaway is not just another hackneyed slasher, it’s actually a horror film that expands on the mythology and pushes it into some new territory. It’s a mixed effort ultimately, but I’ll be damned if I wasn’t pleasantly surprised.

Children Of The Corn (1984)

Director: Fritz Kiersch
Notable Cast: Peter Horton, Linda Hamilton, R.G. Armstrong, John Franklin, Courtney Gains, Robby Kiger, Anne Marie McEvoy, Julie Maddalena, Jonas Marlowe, John Philbin

There are a handful of horror franchises that probably shouldn’t exist. Children of the Corn is one of those. It’s not that the original 1984 film is a bad one, it’s actually held it’s own in the 30+ years since its release, but it’s a series that has taken a massive nose dive in quality that it should never have existed past a few sequels. With a horrendous made for TV remake and an upcoming sequel that Dimension seems reluctant to ever release, it was a wonderful reminder through this latest Blu Ray edition of Children of the Corn that strikes a chord for horror fans. It’s a reminder that this series wasn’t always a black hole of horror creativity. Featuring a nice new 2K version of the classic film and a slew of special features to go with it, this release showcases the film nicely for established fans and those looking to perhaps dig into the franchise for the first time. It’s a film that wears some of its flaws on its sleeves in obvious ways through its budget constraints and strange third act, but it’s also one that does some admirable things too and deserves a refreshing look.