A
group of bullies decide to lay some hazing on a local social outcast
known to be slow-witted, big and quiet. Their actions meet with a bit
of resistance and, as the devil would have it, the victim ends up
dead. He is mysteriously resurrected, wearing a mask while he slices
and dices his way through those who wronged him.
Is
it Jason? With some loose margins for creative license, could it be
Michael Myers? Maybe it could even be another of the myriad of horror
characters with the same modus operandi, the same dress code and the
same mute charm being mass-produced like iPhones?
Take
a wild guess, because we have all been subjected to the same brand of
typical revenge slasher throughout the years and not surprisingly in
this climate of cinematic regurgitation of pre-chewed plots,
characters and murders. Halloween is not an excuse to repeat the same
aria of predictable kills and rotten storyline. In fact, what stands
as horror lately simply insults the intelligence of audiences who
lived through the '80s while it corrupts the newbies into accepting
lame plots and listless characters out of hand.
This
aforementioned rant is one of the very few things I did not like
about Candy
Corn,
recently released during September 2019. However, there are some good
reasons to watch this new horror by writer/ director Josh Hasty,
although it would not satisfy a craving for something original.
Off the bat, Candy Corn presents high quality technical specs, interesting sets and a wonderfully authentic feel for the retro films of the '70s and '80s. Set in this era, Candy Corn has a great atmosphere, supported by a good score and snappy camera work. Unfortunately, Candy Corn tries so hard to establish a new horror icon that it forgets to be original and most importantly – frightening.
With
the incomparable Tony Todd behind this film as executive producer and
supporting actor, it is small wonder that the film bears some
resemblance to some of the prominent
Candyman’s
past engaging films. The film feels bleak (in a good way) and real,
especially where we initially meet the characters on the grounds of a
carnival. If you like Rob Zombie films with a William Blatty touch of
class, Candy
Corn
will be sweet on you.
Slow-motion
shots and cutbacks are used perfectly to promote the eerie, old
school vibe of Candy
Corn
and its inevitable Halloween slaying spree. We follow the sheriff as
he trails the smear of blood running across his town, but even with
the delightful overkill in the death scenes, we are left unimpressed
by the banality of the film’s climb towards a climax.
If
only the thought of the killer was scary, Candy
Corn
would have a much stronger impact, but there is not enough of the
main character to introduce us to the horrendous things he is capable
of before the fact. Once again, this leaves us sympathizing with the
monster, instead of pissing our pants at the mere sight of his
shadow. Such impotence is the scourge of today’s horror villains,
but admittedly, Candy
Corn
is still hugely entertaining and atmospheric.
Enjoy
a throwback to gems like One
Dark Night
when you munch away on Candy
Corn’s
retro bliss, packaged in a fine Pumpkinhead
vibe….and bucket.
-Tasha Danzig
