Refreshingly dark and sick, this is a movie for those who like cinematic monsters that hit so hard they leave a mark.

While Watts deserves some credit for treating a totally ridiculous premise with a straight face, his grisly first feature plays very much like what it is: a 90-second joke stretched uncomfortably to full length.

Blending elements from body-horror, slashers, and folklore, Clown has a mean bite and cruelly sharp wit that almost balances some of the less inspired decisions from a first-time director.

While Clown is far from the disastrous misfire that typically stains VOD horror movies (most range from awful to “I never want to see a movie again”), it comes apart about halfway through, losing a very difficult tonal balance. Having said that, there’s more to like here than the studio burial would have you believe.

Jon Watts does nothing with the scarily funny notion of a respectable professional who suddenly refuses to shuck a party costume.