Blu-ray Review – Beware! Children at Play

1989's "Beware! Children at Play" isn't a well-known film, but those aware of it tend to have mixed feelings about the endeavor. Writer Fred Scharkey and director Mik Cribben attempt to create their own "Children of the Corn" experience with the feature, wading into Stephen King waters with their take on cult horrors involving ruined kids and the adults trying to make sense of madness. Viewers aren't treated to a polished understanding of taboo villainy, with Cribben acquiring a small budget for the effort, trying to win over genre fans with moments of body-blasting gore and a finale that's all about violence toward children. Naturally, this all ties into "Beowulf," right? Well, according to Scharkey, it does, working to give "Beware! Children at Play" some distinction beyond its vision for slaughtering little ones. This is a supremely weird picture, and one that visibly struggles to fill its run time. However, for some, the journey to its splatter conclusion might be worth enduring extreme dramatic flatness to get there. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com