The Jester (2023 film)
2023 slasher film by Colin Krawchuk
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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 Servitto. The plot follows a deadly magician who terrorizes the inhabitants of a small town on Halloween night.
- Michael Sheffield
- Colin Krawchuk
- Patrick Ewald
- Brian Clarke
- Katie Page
- Chad Horn
- Carlo Glorioso
- Ted Hentschke
- Cory Okouchi
| The Jester | |
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| 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 |
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]
The film tells the story of two half-sisters who meet at their father's funeral, and are tormented by the Jester.[2] According to Krawchuk, although the team had originally had considered a story that would explore the Jester's background, they later decided that focusing on the other characters would be more interesting.[3]
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.[4]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 25% of 8 critics' reviews are positive.[5][6]
Martin Unsworth of Starburst magazine gave the film 3/5 stars, writing that its "mix of drama and horror doesn't quite gel" although "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".[7] Comparing the Jester to Art the Clown, Unsworth described the villain as "a great, simple concoction that is creepy enough to enter the imagination of fans".[7]
Phil Hoad of The Guardian gave the film 2/5 stars. While praising the Jester, he 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."[8]
Sequel
A sequel titled The Jester 2 was released in September 2025, with Sheffield reprising his role as the Jester.[9]