RATING: B+

An ITN Studios production . Directed by Tyler Case. Produced by Jon Farstad and Stuart Alson.  Written by Seth Grimaldo, Matthew Spencer, Miguel Abundes, Josiah Palomino, Daniel Coke, Iker Hernandez, Giselle Martinez, Aldo Alvarado, and Anthom Loza. Cinematography by Josiah Palomino and Tyler Case. Edited by Josiah Palomino.

Stars Aldo Campos, Callie Case, Daniel Coke, Cassidy Hernandez, Anthom Loza, Giselle Martinez, Victoria Martinez, Matthew Spencer, Robert Lonergan, Hank Slaughter, with Brian Blosser, and Tyler Case. 

A janitor’s death from a prank becomes a living nightmare for the group of students who harassed him in this film directed by Tyler Case, who plays the titular role as well.

At a quiet high school in a small town, Chester seems like the perfect janitor. He is there for the students and is well respected by his fellow staff members. However, when a secret is revealed at a birthday party, a group of students discovers the video, and decides to play a prank on him. When Chester is harassed by the students, a slip and fall results in Chester’s death. Upon discovering that Chester’s death was the result of the prank, police are not happy and the kids questioned are Ty, Cass, Anthom, Olivia, Vivien, Ava, and Josh.

That night, an argument between Ty and his mother leads to Samantha, Ty’s little sister, seeing Chester, sporting white and black face paint. She disappears, and the police once again question Ty about her whereabouts. Soon enough, the teens find themselves haunted at first by Chester, but eventually getting picked off one by one by the revenge-seeking clown. When Ty puts two and two together, he must find a way to stop Chester and rescue Samantha before it’s too late. 

This film from director Tyler Case feels a bit like a follow-up to his previous directorial effort, 2021’s Tardy Terror, with high school once again as its setting. Only this time, it revolves a janitor who soon becomes a combination of Pennywise and Freddy Krueger, terrorizing the group of teens who harassed him to his death after a prank goes wrong. Like many films of this genre, there are characters you want to see get theirs instantly, and others you feel should get it, but perhaps need a shot of the “redemption” syringe if you will.

Case not only directed the film, but also plays the titular “clown” (Brian Blosser plays the pre-clown Chester) who becomes terrifying in nature by haunting the teens who harassed him to his death, but eventually seals their fate in various ways. One of the deaths was done in a fascinating way, where two of the teens are playing hangman and unknowingly end up sealing the fate of one of their friends. The deaths aren’t really gory, but more of a spurting-blood type at times. 

The teens themselves aren’t exactly Oscar-winning actors, but they actually hold their own in their performances. Aldo Campos gets the most kudos as Ty as he is the character who is seeking redemption. He was involved in the prank, but was not the ringleader (that honor goes to two people: Anthom Loza’s eponymous character and Cassidy Hernandez’s Cass). It is his sister who disappears and soon must become our “Bill Denbrough” of the group and attempt to stop the clown before he becomes his next victim.

Class Clown is not perfect, but it does hold up as a ripoff meshing of Stephen King’s It and A Nightmare on Elm Street. Some of the acting is laughable, but forgivable, and the deaths don’t disappoint. The final third of the film brings a bit of shock and even a jump scare. As an indie horror film, it’s okay, especially upon learning this film was assisted by the cast behind the scenes as well, as they are actual high school students.