The Jester (2023 film)
| The Jester | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Colin Krawchuk |
| Screenplay by | Colin Krawchuk |
| Story by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Joe Davidson |
| Edited by | Colin Krawchuk |
| Music by | Rafal Gosciminski |
Production company | |
Release date |
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Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Box office | $995,780 |
The Jester is a 2023 American independent slasher film written, directed and edited by Colin Krawchuk in his directorial debut. It stars Michael Sheffield, Lelia Symington, Delaney White and Matt Serivtto. The plot follows a deadly magician who terrorizes the inhabitants of a small town on Halloween night.
Plot
Cast
- Michael Sheffield as the Jester
- Lelia Symington as Emma
- Delaney White as Jocelyn
- Matt Servitto as John
Production
The Jester is based on a trilogy of short films by Krawchuk first released on YouTube in 2016.[1] Eduardo Sánchez, co-creator of The Blair Witch Project, served as an executive producer on the film.[1]
Krawchuk said in an interview, "Originally, we had tried coming up with a story that addressed the 'mechanics' of the Jester; how he worked, what he was, where he came from, etc. Then, at a certain point, we realized we don't actually want to know those answers. We wanted to instead focus on the characters in the story, which were 2D horror-movie archetypes at that time."[2]
Release
The film is distributed by DREAD. It had a limited theatrical run starting on September 29, 2023, followed by a video on demand release on October 3, 2023.[3]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 25% of 8 critics' reviews are positive.[4]
Martin Unsworth of Starburst magazine gave the film 3/5 stars, writing, "This mix of drama and horror doesn't quite gel here, which is a shame. It picks up as it progresses, and there will certainly be times when you'll question whether you're being shown reality or if it's a projection of what's inside the characters. Like Art the Clown, the Jester is a great, simple concoction that is creepy enough to enter the imagination of fans."[5]
Phil Hoad of The Guardian gave the film 2/5 stars. He praised the Jester, but said, "It's just a shame the non-homicidal portions have none of the same sprezzatura. Writer-director Colin Krawchuk saddles us with a poorly written, lead-footed plot delivered in stodgy lumps between killings."[6]
Sequel
A sequel titled The Jester 2 was released in September 2025, with Sheffield reprising his role as the Jester.[7]
References
- ^ a b Squires, John (September 11, 2023). "'The Jester' Trailer – Horror Movie Produced by 'Blair Witch Project' Director Coming This Halloween". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ^ "Exclusive Interview – Writer-director Colin Krawchuk on his new horror film The Jester". Flickering Myth. October 3, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ^ Korngut, Josh (September 29, 2023). "'The Jester' Interview: Director Colin Krawchuk Reveals A New Horror Icon [Exclusive]". Dread Central. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ^ "The Jester (2023)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ^ Unsworth, Martin (November 7, 2023). "THE JESTER". Starburst. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ^ Hoad, Phil (November 7, 2023). "The Jester review – fairground horror puts a lot of imagination into its carnage". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ^ Squires, John (August 20, 2025). "'The Jester 2' Official Trailer – The Killer Clown Returns to Theaters This September". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
External links
- The Jester at IMDb