CANDY CORN

  2019/86m

“This year there’s a new Halloween tradition.”

Director/Writer: Josh Hasty / Cast: Courtney Gains, Pancho Moler, Nate Chaney, Jimothy Beckholt, Madison Russ, Cy Creamer, Caleb Thomas, Sky Elobar, P.J. Soles, Tony Todd.

Body Count: 8

So you’ve managed to bring in the of Candyman and a genre name from Children of the Corn – what can you call your film? Children of the Man? No, wait, Candy Corn!

Of these names, plus P.J. Soles, it’s only Gains who really ‘stars’ in Candy Corn, a bit of a nothingy tale of douchey smalltown teens who take their annual physical humiliation of local simpleton Jacob too far and end up killing him. He is resurrected by Moler’s travelling carnival witch doctor, given a creepy mask, and let loose to even the score.

One by one, those involved are gruesomely offed, while Gains’ sheriff tries to control the situation. Todd plays a doubting carnie, while Soles is behind the desk at the cop shop. Both probably appear for a combined total of maybe ten minutes?

There’s still some nice photography going on, adequate performances and a nice Halloweenie atmos, but it all feels like it was pulled out of the oven too soon.

Blurbs-of-interest: Gains can also be seen in The Landlady; Todd’s other credits include Final Destination‘s 1, 2, and 5, Hatchet‘s 1–2, Hell Fest, iMurders, Jack the Reaper, Scarecrow Slayer, and the third season of the Scream TV series; P.J. is also in Halloween, Innocent Prey, The Tooth Fairy, and Uncle Sam.