Certificate: 15
Running Time: 104 mins
UK Distributor: Vertigo Releasing
UK Release Date: 1 September 2023
WHO’S IN APOCALYPSE CLOWN?
David Earl, Natalie Palamides, Fionn Foley, Amy De Bhrún, Tadhg Murphy, Ivan Kaye, Tony Cantwell, Tara Flynn, Erin McGathy, Pollyanna McIntosh, Shane O’Brien, Bryan Quinn, James Walmsley, Márcio Wille
WHO’S BEHIND THE CAMERA?
George Kane (director, writer), Demian Fox, Shane O’Brien and James Walmsley (writers), Morgan Bushe and James Dean (producers), Stephen McKeon (composer), David Grennan (cinematographer), Matyas Veress (editor)
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
A group of washed-up clowns take advantage of a nationwide technological blackout…
WHAT ARE MY THOUGHTS ON APOCALYPSE CLOWN?
The apocalypse is hardly a laughing matter (unless you’re Seth Rogen or Simon Pegg), but as it becomes apparent in director George Kane’s Apocalypse Clown, it’s even less so when you literally send in the clowns.
A largely obnoxious and surprisingly edgeless dark comedy, the film lacks the intelligence and especially the laughs to make a stand for itself, opting for overblown performances and hoards of lame jokes to desperately try and appeal to everyone. In a sense, the film is itself as clownish as its numerous protagonists.
They, incidentally, are failed entertainer Bobo (David Earl), foppish trainee Pepe (Fionn Foley), deranged street performer Funzo (Natalie Palamides), and egotistical former celebrity The Great Alphonso (Ivan Kaye). All of them are clowns struggling to make a living in a world where their audience is consumed by technology, but when a mysterious electrical outage shuts down virtually all technology across Ireland, the clowns – along with reporter Jenny (Amy De Bhrún), whom Bobo is still besotted with after a one-night stand some years ago – see an opportunity to provide some much-needed entertainment to the masses. Their journey, as you may expect, doesn’t quite go as they may have hoped, with numerous run-ins with vengeful human statues, hippie communes, and reclusive former boy band members all standing in their way as they try and come to grips with their place in the world, regardless of the tech-consuming apocalypse.
The film, which Kane also co-writes along with Demian Fox, Shane O’Brien and James Walmsley (the latter two also appearing during the film in small roles), isn’t without its moments of inspiration. The central concept, or at least the perspective through which we’re seeing everything, is certainly unique for the post-apocalyptic sub-genre, and it does raise a few interesting questions about the ever-evolving nature of entertainment that leaves hard-working performers like these clowns behind. There are also a couple of decent chuckles to be had from the severe overreactions that people have once they’re deprived of their precious technology – within hours, civilised beings have completely embraced a feral post-apocalyptic society in the style of Mad Max – and a few performances, particularly Natalie Palamides as the utterly unhinged “scary clown” of the group, are undeniably swinging for the fences in admirable fashion.
However, the patchy writing and highly exaggerated direction leave it less engaging to sit through, since you’re more annoyed with it than genuinely laughing. A number of the main characters aren’t really all that endearing, because they’re mostly just working off of one main character flaw without adding any extra layers to make them more interesting or even funnier than how they’re written. Many of the actors, even those who aren’t playing clowns, are also directed to be as over-the-top as possible, which I understand is kind of the point in a very heightened and silly movie like this, but the fact that not many funny things are being said or done here does make their delivery far more unnatural and, subsequently, more aggravating to sit through.
It’s mostly just not very funny, and after a while it starts to get on your nerves with how much it’s trying to force a belly-laugh out of the viewer, when all you’d rather do is literally anything else with your time. There are many other apocalypse-themed comedies out there that are much smarter and, yes, funnier than this one – and there’s mercifully not a clown in sight in any of them.
Much like an actual clown, Apocalypse Clown certainly has its moments, but for the most part it’s just obnoxious and even exhausting to watch.
SO, TO SUM UP…
Apocalypse Clown is a largely obnoxious comedic take on the end of the world, which isn’t without its strengths but ultimately lacks the laughs and smarts to avoid falling face-first into a custard pie.
