Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Clown Blu-ray Movie Review

Not funny haha, but almost scary good.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 10, 2016

Eli Roth's name is all over promotional materials for Clown, but his fingerprints aren't near as prominent. The love-him-or-hate-him filmmaker, best known for his ultra-gory-for-gore's-sake pictures like Hostel and The Green Inferno, doesn't exactly concern himself with story, content to simply smear the screen with as much blood and violence as is possible. "Torture Porn," his films are commonly called. Clown isn't that. It's a bit gory, but not at Eli Roth standards, either for violence depicted or story ignored. Roth, who served as producer on the film, gives way on directorial duties to Jon Watts, the helmer behind one of 2015's best under-the-radar movies, Cop Car. His Clown is more dark psychological study and creepy transformation film and less an intensely visually horrific film. It's moody and well constructed, stumbles through a more procedural second half but elevates beyond typical Roth drivel into a well-made chiller with very dark and, yes, occasionally very violent overtones.

That won't end well.

Kent (Andy Powers) is a real estate agent trying to rush home to his wife Meg (Laura Allen) and to his son Jack's (Christian Distefano) birthday party. Before he leaves the latest home he's listed for sale, he receives a call from Meg: the hired clown has canceled, and the children will be disappointed. Fortune smiles on Jack when, in the house, he discovers an old, dusty trunk, inside of which is a clown outfit. He hurriedly puts it on, throws the multicolored wig on his head, and affixes the nose. He's a hit. But when the party dust settles, he can't get the clothes off. Not the suit, not the hair, not the nose. Even the makeup won't wash off. Attempting to pry it off only makes him bleed. His frustration gradually turns to anger, fear, and depression as the clothes grow ever more tight and fuse with his body, transforming him into something too horrific to imagine.

Interestingly, Clown was born from an idea that first appeared in a fake fan-made trailer on the Internet, claiming to be an upcoming Roth film. Roth loved the concept, and the trailer, so much that he got behind making the movie. And good thing, too, because Clown turns out to be a rather good Horror film, one that's emotionally draining, endlessly creepy, extremely uncomfortable, eerie, and very weird. It's original, too, something that's far too often absent from the Horror movies of today that feel like they're cranked out of a factory rather than carefully put together with new ideas and concepts at their hearts. Clown impresses with the uniqueness of its central concept -- clothing that becomes, essentially, a cursed "second skin" -- as well as the exploration of the wearer's slow descent into self-pity, doubt, fear, darkness...and something else. The film's most interesting question is whether Kent will continue to fight the transformation -- if he can, physically and emotionally -- or if he will succumb to the darkness, either by choice or by forces beyond his control. Andy Powers is excellent in the role, never allowing the makeup and costume to do the work but instead finding a seriously dark side of himself throughout the entire ordeal as he undergoes a deeply and personally horrific trauma through no fault of his own.

The film does stumble through its second half when it becomes less the horrific, detailed look at Kent's transformation and deteriorating mental state and more a dark mystery film that follows his wife in search of answers. Through this stretch, and on through the fairly straightforward ending, the movie loses some of its intensity and allure. The first half is strong enough to keep the viewer interested in how it will play out -- if Kent can be saved, if the transformation completely consumes him, if his family can remain safe from his increasingly vile and violent ways -- but never does it find that same creepy, gut-churning draw. Still, the movie satisfies, on the whole. It shies away from overdoing the jump scares and instead frightens the audience with honest psychological fears, matched with just the right amount, and intensity, of gore. Visual effects -- particularly Kent's gradual transformation -- are impressive, and the movie oozes a slimy, stale, grotesque feel that enhances its better qualities.

Clown Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Clown's 1080p transfer isn't a laugher, but it's not quite perfect, either. The digital source seems of a lower grade than other top-tier films. Textural details are often a little smooth and flat, where even roughly formed surfaces, like bricks outside the family's home, appear as smooth as they do rugged. Clothing detail, even the cruddy, yucky clown suit, never quite extends beyond basic definition. Ditto faces. Color saturation isn't remarkable, and the movie appears to be shooting for a somewhat reserved, darker, desaturated look. Beyond the very beginning where cake icing and birthday decorations offer a fairly punchy presence, the palette grows ever more fatigued alongside Kent's deterioration. Black levels hold fairly dark without straying to pale, purple, or crush. Flesh tones are a bit desaturated with the palette, at least as the movie progresses. Light noise and mild compression artifacts appear, but rarely to a distracting level. Though hardly the best looking movie on Blu-ray, Anchor Bay's release at least appears proficient and rather faithful to its source.

Clown Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Clown laughs it up -- or scares it up -- on Blu-ray with a solid DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The film's first act plays out more sonically reserved than the rest. Music is light, support details and ambient effects gentle, and there's not much surround spread or low end accompaniment. Things get significantly more robust as the film progresses. Music opens up to a deep, full-throated experience, whether heavy, pounding notes or shrieking highs. Spacing is terrific, enveloping the rear channels as well as pushing far to the front edges. Low end effects are tight and potent, but never overpowering. Buzzing electric saws, screams, crashes, and other key effects are appropriately dynamic. There's not an overflow of deep, detailed ambient effects, however. Dialogue plays with strong prioritization, excellent intelligibility, and unwavering front-center positioning.

Clown Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Clown contains one featurette. Making 'Clown' Featuring Producer Eli Roth (1080p, 6:24) takes a quick look at the story, Roth's love of the original fan-made trailer for the film and his decision to make it into a feature film, the clown's mythos and the character's evolution, the film's structure and noir inspirations, crafting key visuals, performances, and more. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.

Clown Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Clown starts strong and ends rather conventionally, but it's very well done and convincing in look, tone, and execution. Violence compliments, not dominates, the film. The lead performance is strong, and the movie's ability to honestly make the skin crawl and breathe fresh life into the Horror genre come most welcome. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray is unfortunately absent a more thorough supplemental department, but video and audio presentations are fine. Recommended.