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The internet is a scary place. From the innocent to the downright deplorable, any and every thing is a mere keystroke away. The horror genre is well-aware of this principle and, in recent years, has tackled the dangers of the World Wide Web on many occasions. Some hit hard, reminding us what a lawless wasteland the internet can be, others simply miss. In the case of the new film from Søren Juul Petersen, The Ringmaster lands somewhere in-between, a decently entertaining horror flick that occasionally reminds us of how scary the real world is.
The Ringmaster tells the story of two girls (Anne Bergfeld and Karin Michelsen) who are tasked to cover the midnight shift at the gas station they both work for. The night unfolds with a slew of unsavory and suspicious customers until, ultimately, the girls find themselves in the middle of a torturous circus of horrors hosted by a creepy clown-faced psycho called The Ringmaster. The sickening show is broadcast live on the dark web. Much of the plot’s core elements seem very similar to other films such as Rob Zombie’s 31, the SAW franchise, and the recent hit Terrifier.
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The film is a bit slow to start, but once it does, it jumps squarely into some grim and disturbing territory. There are some well-crafted moments of suspense paired with visceral scenes of torture, but it never feels gratuitous. Part of what makes the torture circus scenes work so well is the performance of Damon Younger as the titular character. Younger’s performance as an unhinged sadistic clown is incredibly frightening and refreshingly subtle, a quality that cinematic horror clown archetypes typically lack.
The Ringmaster‘s themes of voyeurism, classism, and the evil of the internet are some of its greatest strengths. The scenario presented in this movie does not feel outside of the realm of possibility and, in that respect, the plot is quite effective. Scenes that are particularly terrifying will often quickly show a comment thread of people enjoying the “show.” This detail, though subtle, was a scary reminder that this type of thing could likely be found easily online, and it could be anyone you know in that comment section contributing revolting requests or cheering the torture along.
The Ringmaster isn’t all that original of a concept or film, but what it does, it does well. Fans of the SAW and Hostel franchises will likely enjoy this film for taking them to those same dark corners of society. Similarly, those who don’t enjoy the aforementioned films may find that The Ringmaster is more their cup of torture tea. This film takes the strong overall concept of Rob Zombie’s 31 and achieves something far more palatable and, frankly, better.
The Ringmaster will be in UK Cinemas starting December 2nd and DVD & Digital Download on November 30th.
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