Children of the Corn: Runaway is a 2017 American film directed by John Gulager (Zombie Night; Piranha 3DD; Feast and sequels) from a screenplay by Joel Soisson (Children of the Corn: Genesis; Dracula 2000; Trick or Treat; et al). It stars Marci Miller, Lynn Andrews III, and JR Hatchett.
Plot:
Young and pregnant, Ruth escapes a murderous child cult in a small Midwestern town. She spends the next decade living anonymously in an attempt to spare her son the horrors that she experienced as a child.
Ruth lands in a small Oklahoma town, but something is following her. Now, she must confront this evil or lose her child…
Reviews:
“The movie is largely propelled by the visuals and the visuals are a step-up from the previous entry. Ruth’s visions are shot stylistically and some of the deaths are fun. The film doesn’t do a very good job building shock or surprise, and there is a ton of room for improvement, but it is better than some of the other films.” Basement Rejects
“While the film does at least try to acknowledge the deeper emotional aspects of the story, the end result feels rather boring. The characters and their motivations aren’t quite engaging enough for the film to work dramatically, and the horror elements are painfully misused.” Bloody Disgusting
” …there’s actually a nice mood set throughout the piece by director John Gulager […] The film’s use of wide open spaces contrasting with the increased paranoia of Ruth, along with a good utilization of what I’d term “Fellini-esque” faces in terms of some of the townsfolk gives Children of the Corn: Runaway a nice feeling of unease.” Blu-ray.com
” …more focused on the likable and solidly-acted female protagonist and her personal struggles, rather than on the terror itself, and while the fans of creepy kids flicks might give it a chance, the rest will find the contrived plot-line as an excuse for some fake gore, which fails to mask the film’s corny dullness.” CineMarvellous!
” …a compelling watch that explores the love between a mother and her son. Yes, at times it seems to move a little slow, but if you look past that, the plot is intriguing enough to keep your interest. More dramatic than horrific, you can feel the emotional attachment of Sandy and her son.” Culture Crypt
“Firstly, Runaway has a simple narrative […] definitely the best way to tackle this franchise. Like Genesis though, there was very little actual corn and children therein, so fans may be bothered. The second, and possibly strongest, element in Runaway would be the make-up and gore effects.” Film Pulse
“Frustratingly, both Marci Miller and Lynn Andrews III have talent and they spark off each other quite well in their scenes together as Ruth and Carl, but they really don’t have anyone or anything else to work with here. The story makes little sense and the supposed twist is glaringly obvious.” J.B. Spins
“Nothing about Runaway—including both of its climactic twists (let’s just say you can take the child out of the corn, but you can’t take the corn out of the child)—will surprise you, but it at least has a spring in its step when drawing its bloodbath. Gulager is a fine director, and he and DP Samuel Calvin soak the proceedings in a rich, filmic texture…” Oh, the Horror!
” …does a great job tying back to the first movie and restoring some continuity to the proceedings after a few haphazard, disinterested sequels. In addition, the acting and writing are unexpectedly solid, and even if the plot is a little predictable the finished movie is still worth a shot for horror fans.” Pop Culture Thoughts
“All things considered, this is the best Children of the Corn movie in twenty years, although that’s not saying much. 99% of the credit has to go to Miller, whose performance is far and away the best thing about it. I know one thing, I’d pay good money to see her in a DTV sequel to mother!” The Video Vacuum
” …never sure if it’s a horror film or a drama about a woman having a breakdown. Director John Gulager was hyped as the next big thing after Feast […] His direction is flat and lifeless. Combine that with his reliance on using a handheld camera and it’s a recipe for a headache.” Voices from the Balcony
Main cast:
- Marci Miller … Ruth – Death Race 2050; Most Likely to Die
- Jake Ryan Scott … Aaron
- Sara Moore … Pretty Girl
- Mary Kathryn Bryant … Sarah
- Lynn Andrews III … Carl (as Lynn Andrews)
- Kevin Harvey … Rally
- Diane Ayala Goldner … Mrs. Dawkins
- Eric Starkey … Officer Dave
- Sidney Flack … Man
- Debbi Tucker … Elderly Woman
- Daria Balling Daria Balling … Candy
- Clu Gulager … Crusty – The Willies; Uninvited; From a Whisper to a Scream; Return of the Living Dead; The Initiation; et al
- Nikki Anderson … The Lady
- Grayson Stone … Three-Year-Old Aaron
Filming locations:
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
