Children of the Corn

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Children of the Corn

R

1984

1h 33m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

38%

Tomatometer

34 Reviews

40%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

As physician Burt Stanton (Peter Horton) and his girlfriend, Vicky (Linda Hamilton), drive across the Midwest to his new job, their trip comes to a sudden halt when they encounter the body of a murdered boy in the road. In trying to contact the authorities, Burt and Vicky wander into a small town populated only by children, followers of sinister young preacher Isaac Chroner (John Franklin). Soon the couple is fleeing the youthful fanatics, who want to sacrifice them to their demonic deity.

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Critics Consensus

Children of the Corn's strong premise and beginning gets shucked away for a kiddie thriller that runs in circles.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Mar 18, 2026

3/5

‘a tense, effective little shocker that makes hay from the frisson between past and present cultures’

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Julian Singleton

Cinapse

Jul 12, 2025

A love-it-or-leave-it slice of 80’s horror with kernels of camp and creepy dispensed in equal measure.

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

Dec 16, 2024

4/10

Any viewer seeking a provocative thriller about children collectively murdering their parents is honestly spoiled for choice, and almost all of them are probably better ones than this.

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Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

Sep 20, 2023

3/5

Descends into some hokey territory that feels quite a ways off from the original story, but the earlier chunks of the narrative manage to honor the source material and its commentaries on organized religion.

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Walter Chaw

Film Freak Central

Mar 2, 2023

2.5/4

Well-directed if stolid...

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Stephanie Archer

Film Inquiry

Oct 1, 2022

With today’s growing political environment and in its current form, the original is a terrifying depiction of real life, a timeless film that continually retains its relevance.

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Benjamin H

@RT03626419 Aug 13, 2026

A fascinating concept, absolutely eerie throughout. The music is unusual and chilling.

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Shadow R

@GeminiShadowRealm Jul 2, 2026

Children of the Corn is a total snooze-fest. For a movie about a creepy kid cult taking over a town, it is shockingly boring. Most of the runtime is just people staring at corn or wandering around at a snail's pace. The acting is super wooden across the board, which makes it impossible to actually care if anyone lives or dies. The biggest letdown is the supernatural stuff. They pivot away from a grounded, creepy cult vibe to introduce this random entity called "He Who Walks Behind the Rows" but they never bother to explain why any of this is happening. Why this town? Why these kids? What does this corn demon even want? You get zero answers, just a vague, glowing cloud at the end. It's an unexplained, slow-moving bore that definitely hasn't aged well.

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Steven F.

@SteveGotScored Feb 28, 2026

Most definitely a Stephen King classic!

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Ennard F

@Ennard Feb 9, 2026

I don't know why everyone is hateing this

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darren m

@DarrenM Feb 7, 2026

Horrendously bad film. Truly poorly made. Awful script, bad acting, and implausible stupid moments in abundance.

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TheMovieSearch R

@TheMovieSearch Jan 3, 2026

Children of the Corn is a classic horror film that delivers genuinely unsettling moments and a disturbing concept that still holds weight. The idea of a rural town overtaken by violent, indoctrinated children is inherently creepy, and the film leans into that discomfort effectively. There are scenes that feel bold even by today’s standards, making you wonder how they were ever approved at the time. The direction and writing work well together, slowly revealing the madness beneath the surface. The cornfields become a symbol of danger, turning wide-open spaces into something claustrophobic and threatening. The children feel unhinged rather than exaggerated, which helps ground the horror and make it more effective. Over the years, the franchise has been diluted by countless sequels and remakes, making it harder for audiences to connect with the series. That only highlights how strong the original is. It’s dynamic and not perfect but fun.

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Fritz Kiersch

Director

Peter Horton

Burt Stanton

Linda Hamilton

Vicky

R. G. Armstrong

Diehl

John Franklin

Isaac Chroner

Courtney Gains

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Children of the Corn: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

As physician Burt Stanton (Peter Horton) and his girlfriend, Vicky (Linda Hamilton), drive across the Midwest to his new job, their trip comes to a sudden halt when they encounter the body of a murdered boy in the road. In trying to contact the authorities, Burt and Vicky wander into a small town populated only by children, followers of sinister young preacher Isaac Chroner (John Franklin). Soon the couple is fleeing the youthful fanatics, who want to sacrifice them to their demonic deity.

Director: Fritz Kiersch
Producer: Terrence Kirby, Donald P. Borchers
Screenwriter: George Goldsmith, Stephen King
Distributor: Embassy Pictures, Starmaker Video, Image Entertainment Inc., New World Pictures, Anchor Bay Entertainment
Production Co: Hal Roach Studios Inc.
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 9, 1984, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 1, 2016
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Flat (1.85:1)

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