The Jack in the Box(2019)
2019 · Lawrence Fowler · 87 min
When a vintage Jack-in-the-box is un-earthed and opened, it's new owners soon have reason to believe the creepy clown doll within has a life of its own.
Horror
5.7487 votes
TMDB score
2/5
Intensity
2/5
Gore
1/5
Stays with you
How The Jack in the Box scares
The Jack in the Box leans on a cursed-toy setup, with a creepy clown figure showing up in the background before lurching into sudden attacks. Pacing is uneven, mixing slow household scenes with quick jolts meant to startle rather than build deep dread. The threat is supernatural and cartoonish rather than grounded, so it plays more like a low-budget creature feature than something that gets under your skin. It's a casual, undemanding watch for fans of killer-toy horror who aren't expecting much lasting impact.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, The Jack in the Box rates psychological 2/5, visceral 3/5, gore 2/5, lingering effect 1/5, and overall intensity 2/5.
- Psychological: 2 of 5
- Visceral: 3 of 5
- Gore: 2 of 5
- Lingering: 1 of 5
- Intensity: 2 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 70 of 100 — leans Jump scares
Supernatural vs Real-world: 15 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 30 of 100 — leans Fun-scary
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
A slow, low-budget build with scattered jolts that gradually escalates into a busier, more chaotic final stretch.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5.
How scary is The Jack in the Box?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, The Jack in the Box rates 2/5 — moderately scary, delivering its fear through jump scares more than lingering dread. It works on both fronts, unsettling the mind while going for the body. Expect it to be moderately gory and fun-first. The dread fades once the credits roll.
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