Movie Review: Circus Kane
We’ve reviewed ‘IT’ and ‘Clowntergiest’, so what is one more addition to the clown-horror subgenre?
Circus Kane is freshly delivered on VOD – having premiered earlier this month via Uncork’d Entertainment. I pushed play before I realized that this movie is written by site favorite James Cullen Bressack and his creative partner Zack Ward. We’ve reviewed a fair amount of Bressack movies, and I fully believe we have been privy to watching a legend in the making.
The movie also has a quick cameo from Bressack, as well as Weston Cage who is better known as Nicolas Cage’s son. A quick peek at Weston’s IMDB shows that he has some other acting projects in the pipeline, you will be seeing more of him – I can guarantee that.
The film set-up is simple – smoosh a deranged circus magician into a ‘House on Haunted Hill scenario and watch the participants be picked off one by one. Some lose challenges and some are simply unlucky, but with $250,000 at stake, they trudge through.
The film begins with being introduced to Balthazar Kane – the circus master who goes down in infamy. He seems likable enough…. Right?
Jonathan Lipnicki (yes, of Jerry Maguire) is given top billing, but all the participants play through their arcs with finesse – from disbelief to terror. Ted Monte is especially fun as the comedy relief and know-it-all. Each character has just enough back story that you find everyone easy to relate to; from the horror blogger, the former scream queen, and the gamer. There is enough info there to express why each of them doesn’t throw up their hands when the first death happens – they each have just enough reason to stay put.
I love horror movies. Generally, I can spot the ending coming from a mile away, or even when there is a twist I didn’t guess – it doesn’t really hit me as a surprise. This one surprised me.
Whether it was a culmination of day-drinking because of Hurricane Irma fears or just enjoying getting lost in a movie (yay, escapism!) 
Circus Kane caught me off guard. I found myself re-watching it just to find the clues that I missed the first time – and they are there.
But the clowns! I have neglected to mention the clowns in Circus Kane. Instead of the clowns being the primary villain, they act more like Kane’s twisted henchmen. They are creepy and fully enjoy their work but aren’t the centerpiece of the movie.
If you love indie horror, hate clowns, or just want a fun popcorn movie with a few surprises up its sleeve – give Circus Kane a go.
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