Big Top Evil (2019) User Reviews

The hell did I just watch

[ArcherAdam · 2/10 · 12 November 2020]

Look, it's not as if I'm expecting some classic when I intentionally choose a Grade Z horror movie on Prime, but nothing happens in it for a full 42 minutes and 51 seconds. I don't ask for much, but is it really that difficult to give me something to chew on along the way?

Before that, there's one too many closeups of people chewing, some weirdo in a gas stations gets shot, and two frat bros write the worst frat bro song I've ever heard that goes, "la da da da." There are aimless characters that show up out of the blue who appear to serve no purpose, but I'm guessing they're friends of the director who wanted a part. So he made a few up. The most annoying character in horror movie history gets to live about 42 minutes longer than he should, and no joke, the dialogue sounds like it was written by somebody who has the most basic understanding of the English language.

And it took TWO people to direct this mess.

No. Just no.

Amateurish Rob Zombie knock off has its moments, but is mostly boring.

[Kolobos51 · 4/10 · 20 September 2019]

This movie really feels like it should have been released in the late 2000's. The characters behavior, all party hardy bro stuff, the rock soundtrack, the grimy faux grindhouse style, and the harsh violence all make this feel like it should have been released sometime shortly after movies like The Devil's Rejects and Hostel. Heck, it even features Bill Moseley in a sort of extended cameo as the murderous leader of a carnival.

In this movie, gypsy carny crooks rove around looking for people to swindle or enslave and force to take part in their act. Enter a group of generic dumb young people that go off the beaten trail looking for whatever and find the killers. Bloodshed ensues.

Unsurprisingly, this isn't a very professional outing. It's cheap looking and not well put together. Acting is, eh, okay, and the Bill Moseley stuff is fun.There's also a gorgeous female carny dancer played by Austin Judd. Okay, so it's obvious she's a rip off of Sheri Moon's Baby Firefly but I still really liked her and hope to see her in more stuff.

The big issues here are pacing and payoff. The gore is mostly crammed into the second half of the movie and by the time it kicked in, I was already half checked out. There are some okay kills though. And a note to the filmmakers, don't tease nudity if you're not going to deliver. That happens multiple times and it's better if you just don't bother instead of going to the trouble of setting up a sex scene or a shower scene and then shooting around the girl's modesty. Just stupid and pointless.

This movie bored me more than anything and it's overall pretty skippable. There are worse movies but I still wouldn't fool with it.

I guess Bill Moseley's car note is due!

[jorgito2001 · 3/10 · 14 June 2021]

Amateur, wannabe-Devil's Rejects with bad acting, terrible direction, and even worse editing. They try to make up for that with cheap gore and gross out FX, which may please SOME horrorhounds. About the only thing slightly good in this is Bill Moseley, but he's barely used and its not enough to save this s***fest! In fact, he doesn't even belong in this cheesefest. Come on Bill! You can do better!

An average addition to the horror genre that's worth watching once for horror enthusiasts

[kevin_robbins · 5/10 · 30 August 2023]

Big Top Evil (2019) is a movie that I recently watched on Prime and follows a group of friends who picks up the wrong hitchhiker. A gorgeous blond hitchhiker tells the group of friends about a safe place to stay and a local circus 🎪 they absolutely have to attend. The friends reluctantly visit the circus and almost instantly wish they never did.

This movie is codirected by Sean Haitz (Cannibal Comedian) and Chris Potter (directorial debut) and stars Bill Moseley (Night of the Living Dead), J. LaRose (Saw III), Jisaura Cardinale (Powerpuff Girls: The Long Way Back), Sean Haitz (Mangrove Slasher 2) and Austin Judd (Cannibal Comedian).

This is one of those movies with a $30,000 budget and did the best they could with it. The storyline is straightforward, cliche, not overly imaginative but still entertaining enough to watch unfold. This felt like it was trying to feel like a Rob Zombie movie. I was surprised Bill Mosley was in this and he was definitely the best part of the movie. Candy and Casey were pretty hot and there was some random nudity here and there. While the majority of the film is frustrating, the last 20 minutes was a lot of fun we. If someone told me this is going to be low budget and gave me an entire film like the end, I would have been thoroughly entertained.

Overall, this is an average addition to the horror genre that's worth watching once for horror enthusiasts. I would score this a 5/10 and recommend seeing it once.

Not bad

[bigshow02745 · 5/10 · 31 October 2020]

This movie was better than I expected for a low budget horror movie. Bill Moseley was amazing in every scene he was in. What a great performance by a horror icon. Too bad he wasn't in more scenes though.

Sucks

[zachmorran · 2/10 · 24 September 2021]

Clowns aren't scary. And besides the fact every movie over the past few years makes the same type of clown movies where they all act the same and it's dumb. The movie is a complete waste. Even if it wasn't clowns as the monsters it's ass and and stupid.

Bad everything

[jakerchief · 1/10 · 10 October 2021]

Another low budget community college film school dropout schlock movie written and filmed by incompetent people who thought making a movie was easier than they thought.

No color grading, no mastering of the sound, a script that was written in a drunken Tuesday night. And one take scenes.

Avoid.

Stay away from the Carnival

[lukebarnes-53051 · 10/10 · 20 September 2019]

Big Top Evil is one of the best horror films I've seen in a long time, it has grungy vibes similar to the Devil's Rejects and again confirms everyone's right to fear the Circus!

Fun for the Whole Family

[shughm · 6/10 · 29 September 2020]

I've been blazing through horror films (because people in my country are getting sick, or something). It's gross.

Anyway, having screened hundreds of hours of movies created on a shoestring budget-I put this in the camp of the entertaining. Occasionally, it feels like an homage to an homage; but I still had fun with it.

Worth viewing if you're willing to go down the road less traveled.

Best horror movie ever!!

[smcallister-12278 · 10/10 · 1 April 2023]

Was it scary? No Was it a Good Story? Also no.

But let me tell you, it was pure perfection. Donny was a perfect comedic relief. While I personally have no idea what was even going on. I do know that evil clowns make for great movie. I cannot recommend this movie enough.

I personally love cheesy poorly made movies, the lower the budget the better. So with this movie having a budget under 50k it was a delightful experience. The movie was sub-pair. But the experience was well worth it. Give this movie a chance and it will change your life. All I'm hoping for is a sequel that bring candy back, and Donny of course.