For the fourth entry in the seemingly unending Children of the Corn series, a young Naomi Watts slums her way through a mid-90shorror flick full of flash cuts, Exorcist-styled possessions, and other yawn-inducing fright flick clichés. Aided by screen veteran Karen Black, King Kong's future crush is merely set dressing for this ho-hum entry that echoes many of the plot points already covered in the first three films. A few death scenes are worthy of notice, including a nasty one where a guy gets cut in half by a stretcher (!), as well as a syringe crucifixion that includes a violent hit to the face by a scythe (a tool that's used in much of the series' advertisements, but rarely utilized in the films). Seasoned audiences will notice a shift in the series at this point as the Dimension production company name and stamp of blasé approval is prominent in the opening credits. Dull, tired, and devoid of any interest outside of seeing a prominent actress still getting her start in the business, Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering is a spoiled bit of horrorific produce that should have never made it on the shelves.
