Children of the Corn

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Children of the Corn

R

Released Mar 9, 1984

1h 33m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

36%

Tomatometer

33 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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Julian Singleton

Cinapse

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

Jul 12, 2025

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

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.

Rated: 4/10

Dec 16, 2024

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Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

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.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 20, 2023

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Walter Chaw

Film Freak Central

Well-directed if stolid...

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 2, 2023

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Stephanie Archer

Film Inquiry

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.

Oct 1, 2022

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Despite very much being a movie of its time, there is something about director Fritz Kiersch’s folk horror feature from 1984 that I still find enjoyable.

Rated: 2.5/5

Aug 19, 2022

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Jace T

While the religious and cult like themes in Children of the Corn are moderately interesting, this film just does not hold up very well by todays standards. There is really nothing very scary about it, but maybe back in 1984, the premise alone was frightening enough. It is fun watching a bunch of kids be murderous, but the two main adults we follow who come to the town a pretty terrible. Isaac, the kid prophet, is the most interesting character in the whole movie.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/05/25

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Stephen C

Failure in 1 hour and 33 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Linda Hamilton looked scary as Vicky!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

06/14/25

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Nick O

A town where the kids have killed all the adults and get this, all they do is go to church and they don’t even listen to any heavy metal! Who’s the real enemy here, parents?

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/06/25

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Nolan R

This is hardly a thriller, but it’s fun and to say it’s unwatchable is ignorant to the entirety of its successors. “He wants you too, Malachi!”

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

04/04/25

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Jonathan O

First of childrens are very creepy in every horror and thriller movies but there's not a lot story of why does it happen on the people on Gatlin are being murdered by their children and what's with a giant like gopher from Caddyshack they didn't mention and they're real form and the ending felt nothing just that's it and roll the credits.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/25

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James B

It has a good cast with an ok storyline but superb acting.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/13/24

Full Review

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Fritz Kiersch

Director

Peter Horton

Burton 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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