A reimagining of the enduring horror series, Children of the Corn blends supernatural thrills with themes of fanaticism and generational divide, resulting in a solid and relevant horror led by a commanding Kate Moyer.

It all comes back to Stephen King, of course. His 1977 short story of the same name was adapted into a movie released in 1984 to lukewarm notices and surprising box-office. Almost a dozen sequels and spinoffs later, and here is a new version of the classic tale, this time directed and scripted by Kurt Wimmer, who returns to the directors’ chair for the first time in 14 years.

The set-up is essentially the same: in a small dying Nebraskan town, a psychopathic young girl named Eve (Kaye Moyer) leads a deadly cabal of children in a murderous uprising against the town’s adults whose greed driven decision making has led to the ruination of the towns once prosperous corn fields. The only person standing in Eve’s way is college bound idealist Boleyn (Elena Kampouris), yet things become even more dangerous when a sinister supernatural force makes its presence known.

While the original Children of the Corn had a strong religious angle to its zealous child villains, this latest version has a new breed of fanaticism in the form of environmental radicalism gone homicidal. In turn, Myer’s Eve comes across as a blend of Greta Thumberg and Damien Omen, with her “how dare you?!” intensity made even more startling with the homicidal bloodlust that follows in her path.

The violence in Children of the Corn can be startling, with all matter of eye popping, limb shredding, and mass grave burying kills featured throughout the films 93 minutes runtime. Wimmer, unfortunately, also relies a little too much on cheap jump-scares to make an impact.

Where Wimmer’s take on Children of the Corn works best is its portrayal of the generation divide in a small, dying town that has sold its soul and lost its mind. Where the adults have succumbed to nihilistic corruption, and the children are driven by a fanatical evil homicidal force to stake their claim on a barren land, it is the young adults as exemplified by Kampouris’ Boleyn who portrays passion, reason, and hope that the worst of today can become a better tomorrow.

Of course, such lofty dreams turn into a blood drenched nightmare which, in Wimmer’s hands, results in a solid new addition to a worn-out horror franchise.