Under Full Moon Features, Charles Band had created various sub-labels that would appeal to a specific audience. There was Moonbean Entertainment for kids, Torchlight for fans of softcore erotica, and Monster Island Entertainment for the kaiju fans. In 1999, Band joined actor/producer Mel Johnson Jr. to create Alchemy Entertainment, later changed to Big City Entertainment. The label was geared towards “urban sci-fi, fantasy & horror,” essentially genre films aimed at a black audience. The first two films under this sub-label, Ragdoll and The Horrible Dr. Bones, were made by Subspecies director Ted Nicolaou. Around this time, a young filmmaker named Craig Ross Jr. wrote to Full Moon looking for work. After much persistence, Charles Band met with Ross and pitched him an idea for a killer clown movie. Ross was sold on the pitch, and said killer clown movie became the 2000 direct-to-video effort, Killjoy.

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Rating

Synopsis

Young and nerdy Michael (Jamal Grimes) is in love with Jada (Vera Yell), so he tries asking her out. Unfortunately, her thug boyfriend Lorenzo (William L. Johnson) and his lackeys T-Bone (Corey Hampton) and Baby Boy (Rani Goulant) arrive. They beat the hell out of Michael and threaten to do worse if he so much as thinks about Jada. That night, Michael uses some black magic to try summoning a clown demon known as Killjoy, only to get shot. Jada has left Lorenzo for Jamal (Lee Marks) one year later, though she’s struggling with her guilt over Michael. Meanwhile, Lorenzo visits his new squeeze Kahara (Napiera Groves), leaving T-Bone and Baby Boy alone to get high. Little do they know that the clown demon Killjoy (Ángel Vargas) has arrived to exact revenge on Michael’s behalf. The circus is in town, and it’s going to be one hell of a show!

 

Review

Killjoy isn’t precisely what I’d call a great start compared to other Full Moon franchises, but it’s not all bad. Much like Trancers 6, this one does its best with its low budget, but it doesn’t have the baggage. This one doesn’t have to go up against several past films that had substantially higher budgets or more talented people. That said, this one feels like early 2000s Full Moon: shot on video, lackluster effects, and subpar acting. However, what makes this film easier to watch is primarily Ángel Vargas’ performance as the titular psychotic clown demon. He’s having fun cackling like a maniac and spouting off some of the cheesiest one-liners you’ll ever hear. Not to mention, he’s got a unique look that makes him stand out from other killer clowns. He doesn’t quite match up to Radu, Blade, or Jack Deth, but he’s certainly memorable.

Given the low budget and short schedule he had to work with, Craig Ross Jr. makes the most of it. He shoots the film competently enough, employing some colored lighting here and there, as well as the occasional dutch angle. One thing you’ll notice is the overuse of stock sound effects, mainly whenever someone opens the ice cream truck doors. Even a few stock scream sounds are used in one scene, though surprisingly, there’s no Wilhelm scream used. Aside from Vargas, the rest of the acting is pretty stale, almost on par with most softcore pornos on Cinemax. It’s pretty funny seeing Jamal Grimes, who clearly has defined muscles, being a nerd just by wearing glasses. What also helps is that the film’s only 72 minutes long, so while it’s not good, it’s at least short. Overall, Killjoy isn’t anything special, but it’s worth a watch, especially with some drinks.

 

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