After seeing Art the Clown in the original Terrifier, I instantly knew Damien Leone had something special on his hands. The sheer brutality exhibited in that flick harkened back to the grindhouse gore films I adored from the 70’s and 80’s. Then along came Terrifier 2 and Leone upped the ante. The bedroom scene alone is the stuff of legend. Whatever following Art the Clown amassed after the first installment skyrocketed after the second. When Terrifier 3 was announced and as a holiday movie to boot, the diehard fans went batshit.
Taking place five years after the nightmarish events of Terrifier 2, we find Sienna (Lauren LeVera) and her brother Johnathan (Elliot Fullam) attempting to return to normal life after that brutal encounter with Art the Clown (David Howard Thorton). Little do they know that Art has returned (well his head at least) via a surrogate birth from former survivor Victoria (Samantha Scaffidi).
Thornton returns as Art the Clown, bringing his silent, darkly comedic persona to life once again. The man can’t help but make you crack a smile while delivering some of the most brutal kills on screen. You can’t have something that evil though without its antithesis. That’s where LaVera comes in. Expanding on the trauma endured in part 2, LaVera’s performance brings added emotional depth to the damaged character. Another role I’m glad they expanded on is Victoria. You should remember her as the sole survivor of the first installment. Badly disfigured by Art and driven mad in the process. Scaffidi’s performance is disturbing to say the least. Her character is completely unhinged and slightly annoying but played to perfection.
There are quite a few cameos in this one. Jericho returns as an asylum orderly and we get bit-part performances from Clint Howard and Tom Savini as well. The one that surprised me though was Jason Patric (The Lost Boys) as Sienna’s father. Shown briefly in flashbacks guiding Sienna to the role she’s meant to play in this story.
Taking the backstory that was introduced in Terrifier 2 and expanding upon it. Terrifier 3 builds a larger lore around the sadistic clown and his motivations. Effectively taking him to legendary slasher status and hinting at possibly something slightly more evil in the periphery pulling the strings. Moving away from Halloween night, this entry takes place during the Christmas season. Giving Leone and the gang the opportunity to expand to a whole new playground. No one is safe. Not even the kids.
Terrifier 3 takes things to a whole new level. The third act goes from 0-100, effectively escalating the violence and brutality to a level I haven’t experienced since well, ever. The passion Damien Leone has for this genre is evident in the work he puts into the kill scenes. The “realism” is damn near nauseating. From the viscera spilling out of open cavities to the bone-chilling sound design. Leone’s love for ultraviolence is crystal clear and I am here for every single bit of it.
If I’m being honest, I am struggling to find a flaw in this film. Granted, I am a fan as well as a proponent of the genre as a whole. Let’s just say, without giving too much away, it would probably be the finale. Leaving things open-ended like it did, left me craving more. Lucky for us, Damien Leone confirmed there will be a Terrifier 4 during a Q&A at Fantastic Fest. So don’t fret gorehounds.
There has been a long drought when it comes to original slasher material. You have your Friday the 13th, Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street franchises which are the staples of slasher lore. Tried and true. Then along came Ghostface who basically was an homage to the originals and a decent one at that. But the audiences were growing tired of the endless, repetitive sequels. We needed something new. Something Fresh. Leone with the help of the talented acting of David Howard Thornton delivered that in a disgusting little package known as the Terrifier franchise and each entry just tops the last.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Art the clown belongs in the pantheon of slasher icons. Right up there with Michael, Jason and Freddy. Come at me if you will, but I stand by that statement. From the first scene, Terrifier 3 will deliver everything fans crave with the utter brutality they’ve come to expect from the franchise and the climax will leave you wanting more. It’s depraved, it’s savage, it’s extremely vile…and I loved every minute of it!
Terrifier 3 is in theaters now so get your ass to the theater and experience it on the big screen.
