A little boy goes off to live with his grandparents while his parents are estranged. He sometimes becomes frightened with certain "scary" events and people, and sometimes, not.The problem with 'The Fields" is, poor writing. The person who wrote this mess needs to take script writing classes. He has "events" he experienced as a child in his head, but does not know how to get them out of his head and on to paper. And because he does not, 'The Fields' lacks a beginning and middle, and most importantly, a satisfying ending. As a result, the viewer is subjected to scenes that make no sense (except to the writer), and nothing that keeps the viewer interested or motivated to watch. Also, who cares about what you experienced as a child? Especially when you can't weave an interesting story and interesting characters into it.If you are expecting a thriller or a scary movie, this isn't it. It is, however, a good example of a poorly written script.And, it's a good movie for young teenagers who don't care what they watch.Surprised Ms. Leachman signed on to do this.Points for locations, props, and some of the shots. Points taken off for Ms. Reid's ridiculous wig. Seriously? And points taken off for overdoing AND under doing the foley and the music.

A for effort but the low but budget and mistakes makes flat overall. They did pretty good building suspense and there are some downright good parts. But overall it felt thrown together. Continuity is really bad. Kid enters into obviously late season corn field and then walks out of mid summer corn field twice. Cloudy days are suddenly bright sunny days. Weird flashback scene or dream sequence out of nowhere with no context.

Love this film. I love it the way I love THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE (Frisch/Wise, 1942.) I shouldn't gush, but this film took me completely by surprise. I watched it on Hulu+ yesterday, April 24, 2015, for the first time; and, then, with my husband, watching, again, today. Today, it resonated even more anticipating what I knew about the plot, characters, and climax. Today, I was able to enjoy details I missed of which there were many.The thing is: I knew, when I watched THE FIELDS for the first time, that it's a special film. It's not easily categorized. When Gladys says, "It's not the dead you have to be afraid, it's the living," or something to that effect, she basically gives the story away. But this film has been poorly described and promoted. Truly, here is what the Hulu+ summary says of the film: "Steven is sent to live in the countryside with his grandparents while his parents work through their troubles. Though his grandparents are happy to host him, they warn Steven not to enter the cornfields next to their house. When he does an EVIL awakens." That's garbage. No "EVIL awakens." This is the trouble with this film, particularly here at IMDb where I can only conjecture that the low-rating for this film is due to the fact that viewers approach this film with expectations that, most definitely, are not fulfilled. There are no zombies, vampires, devil children, or alien grays here. There's something worse. There's the living; and, beyond even that, there is the notion that not all "in-breds" are chainsaw-wielding former-meat butchers turned cannibal murderers.Having been almost the exact age of Steven (Joshua Ormand) in 1973 and remembering the aftermath of the Manson murders as seen through the evening news...staying up after 11:00 pm with my parents and watching the Detroit-area television premier of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, perhaps in 1973...watching CARNIVAL OF SOULS (1963) on Saturday afternoon horror film programs...having relatives like Gladys--chain-smoking, cuss-like-a-sailor, kind and gentle and crazy funny--and,in retrospect, remembering how the "Summer of Love" turned sour, how there were Manson admirers and "hippies" really freaking out and becoming something of terrorists...suffice it to say, I "get" the horror of this film.Then there are the references to folklore--the cornfield, the raven leading Steven into it for the first time, the stick hurled out from the corn like an elf-shot. There are the references to classic films and television with clips of DRAGNET and Webb mentioning a tragedy involving a grandmother and her grandson; CARNIVAL OF SOULS with Candace Hilligoss's Mary Henry coming upon "Saltair" for the first time and foreshadowing Steven coming upon "Bushkill Park"; and, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD with its human-flesh eating, recently deceased attacking the farmhouse stronghold (remember the vulnerable back door of that black and white farmhouse kitchen?) foreshadowing the eventual attack on the farmhouse stronghold protecting Hiney, Gladys, and Steven. Then there is Manson and gang looming over all.If you lived during those early days of the 70s, no matter if in a rural area or a suburb, and you remember stories about LSD-tripping babysitters roasting their chargers and just happened to have a grandmother who loved horror movies, you'll "get" this film. If you didn't live back then, no worries but just don't think that this a film along the lines of CHILDREN OF THE CORN, whatever-that-awful-movie-with-aliens-and-Mel-Gibson-was, or some new tread on Texas CHAINSAW MASSACRE because it just isn't.On the negative side: The dark, metallic filter so commonly used and Tara Reid's wigs.

OMG.....this movie is based on true events, and it can scare the crap out of a kid! which is what this is about. Nevermind the reviewers here saying that its "boring...." whatever! I do not like slashers like Halloween, Friday the 13th...etc.....this film was told from a child's eyes and it is real stuff....I mean, who has an aunt who lives so slovenly, that the toilet doesn't work and can't even speak right, with a cigarette in her hand. And offers the kid a peanut butter and cracker from a jar that looks like it has sat there for 10 years! scary stuff. Don't go into the corn field, we will never find you, and what does he do? goes into the cornfield. Real life stuff that can scare the crap out of you! I....LOVED IT! Cloris Leachman kept me in stitches. I love her! She through f bombs left and right.....this is my kind of movie.