MovieChat Forums > Children of the Corn (2009) Discussion > Would have been scary if Isaac had a clu...

Would have been scary if Isaac had a clue what he was talking about!!

posted 12 years ago by therosemcgowan
6 replies | jump to latest

This kid who played Isaac clearly didn't understand or have a clue as to what he was saying at all. His lines were delivered without feeling, he was simply repeating what he had memorized or had been told to say. He clearly didn't understand some of the things he said and looked uncomfortable pronouncing the larger words. I understand he is a child and shouldn't as a child understand those things but considering his character is a charismatic cult leader driving kids and teens to murder people, I would think he should have some feeling behind what he is saying and some understanding and believability. which is why I think they would have been better off casting it the way the original was, with an adult that resembles a child instead of an actual child portraying Isaac. A kid that age doesn't understand half the terms and words Isaac uses or even really know how to pronounce them let alone be convincing enough to get you to believe he could drive 18 year old adults to kill someone. I found myself half way through wondering when the older kids were going to beat isaac up and throw him in the corn instead of bow down to him. The original Isaac was scary because as an adult He clearly knew what he was saying and brought a believability, and charisma to it. You believed he could drive those kids to kill adults you believed he was evil, you believed that he believed what he was saying with all his heart which again was what made it scary. The kid did his best and I applaud him for that, it's just repeating what you have memorized as fast as you can does not equal acting. sorry..

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[–] wallacesawyer 12 years ago

He is a bit too young to pull this off convincingly. I can tell this film wanted to be more like the short story than necessary, as Isaac was 7 I think, but he didn't actually have to be that young.

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[–] Oddark123 12 years ago

It's probably why they cast Franklin back then. An element of the idea really is these are supposed to be kids following an order of HWWBTR, but at the same time in order to cast such a role you would really need a young kid who is that creepy. How many of those do you find acting in Hollywood at that age? Probably none, i'm sure out there on some farm right now you could probably find someone to fit Issac but in reality the best you will get is someone who doesn't really fit the role intellectually (like in this) or someone who can play younger (like the original)

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[–] unknown_soul278 11 years ago

I think Franklin's true age was one reason he was able to play Isaac so well. He had an adult understanding of how creepy and unreal it was supposed to be. I doubt adult actors like him come along often, and Isaac was one character and this was one story that should have been left alone unless they had the right cast available.

[–] ElectricWarlock 11 years ago

I think Franklin's true age was one reason he was able to play Isaac so well. He had an adult understanding of how creepy and unreal it was supposed to be.

I agree with you and that's exactly what I said on other threads. Of course nobody's going to be as good as John Franklin. He was so perfectly cast in that role that no one in the world could be as good as him. Some actors embody their characters so perfectly that if anybody else in the world even tried, it would just seem wrong. To expect a 9-year-old kid to be able to live up to such a great performance is definitely unreasonable. There's no way someone that young could fully understand that character and the deeper meanings of the story. I don't see how people on this board could possibly expect that. For someone so young and with the role of Isaac being so difficult anyways, I think he did a very good job.

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[–] redd4576 10 years ago

I thought the same thing, that he was just repeating lines he memorized. Too young to play the role

[–] debtfull 8 years ago

Only two people can play this character. The original actor or Eric Cartman.