Terrifier 3 – Movie Review (4/5)

TERRIFIER 3 is out in theaters now! If you enjoyed the first two movies and all the depravity they had to offer, you are probably going to have a great time with Terrifier 3. Read our movie review!

Regardless of its humble and very low-budget origins, the Terrifier series is now one of the most prominent franchises that the horror genre has to offer.

Art the Clown is also one of the most iconic fictional characters to have emerged over the last few years, which probably came as a massive surprise to the filmmakers.

For the highly anticipated third entry, writer and director Damien Leone returns to deliver another offering of gore-soaked mayhem, with David Howard Thornton once again delivering a memorable performance as Art the Clown.

If you enjoyed the first two movies and all the depravity they had to offer, you are probably going to have a great time with Terrifier 3.

Art the Clown as Santa Claus

The film begins with a particularly shocking opening sequence in which Art the Clown, who is disguised as Santa Claus, pays a visit to an unsuspecting family on Christmas Eve.

Instead of bringing gifts, the psychotic clown delivers carnage and mayhem in a way that has now become expected from the Terrifier franchise.

But witnessing such brutality being committed towards an innocent family at a time when kindness and goodwill are meant to be spread was particularly shocking and unforgettably disturbing.

Since the purpose of each Terrifier film seems to be to surpass its predecessor when it comes to mortifying its audience, this scene will no doubt mortify viewers for many years to come.

And the mayhem refuses to slow down after the opening. Lauren LaVera returns as Sienna Shaw, who has been staying in a mental health facility following her encounter with Art in the second movie.

The impossible readjustment

After moving in with her aunt and uncle, Sienna struggles to readjust to normal life, as would anyone who encountered a maniac like Art and lived to tell the tale.

But the resilient Sienna does everything she can to readjust back into society, while also developing a strong bond with her niece Gabbie (Antonella Rose), and maintaining close contact with her younger brother, Jonathan (Elliott Fullam).

But Art soon returns to his old ways, forcing Sienna to once again confront the clown who took everything from her.

Lauren LaVera is also perfect in the role of Sienna, flawlessly capturing the character’s conflicting levels of despair and determination, believably making Siena into someone who refuses to yield, despite the hardships she has endured.

The Terrifier 3 supporting characters

Margaret Anne Florence and Bryce Johnson were also both in top form as Jess and Greg, Sienna’s aunt and uncle, with the conflicting personalities of the characters resulting in captivating levels of conflict.

Jess is more understanding and sympathetic towards Sienna when her niece begins to showcase alarming behavior after coming to live with them, while Greg simply wants to have Sienna recommitted.

The arguments between the husband and wife convincingly made them seem like a married couple who have no doubt experienced multiple disagreements throughout their time together, with the chemistry between the two actors being undeniable.

From survivor to celebrity

Fullam was also praiseworthy as Elliot, expertly conveying the character’s shy and introverted nature as he struggles with the celebrity status he achieved after surviving his encounter with Art in the second movie.

There was even a scene in which Elliot was confronted by exploitative podcasters who wanted to interview him.

Fullam admirably conveyed Elliot’s struggle to maintain his composure throughout this scene, as the character was clearly mortified by the prospect of recounting his horrific encounter with Art the Clown.

The ultimate “survivor”

While Art was decapitated at the end of Terrifier 2, the loss of his head does not prevent the murderous clown from gradually returning to full power and continuing his rampage.

The supernatural elements on display in the Terrifier films notably become more prevalent with each passing entry.

The fact that we were shown in explicit detail how Art returned to full power after losing his head no doubt spoiled the mystery surrounding the character to an extent. It would certainly have been more mysterious and suspenseful if Art had simply returned without an explanation.

Shorter but not short

Although it was shorter than the second movie, Terrifier 2 still has a relatively hefty runtime. And there were multiple scenes consisting primarily of dialogue and not much else that could have been trimmed.

But Leone still wisely used the long runtime to develop the characters and their personalities, making us care about the people in a film in a way that is beyond most slasher movies.

Everyone in Terrifier 3 has their own unique personality instead of being a cardboard cutout, and Leone certainly deserves praise for this.

However, the prolonged runtime also meant that things were a little slow to get going in the first act, and viewers will no doubt wish to see more of Art throughout this portion of the film.

Too many offscreen events

It also came as a disappointment to learn that several notable characters were killed off onscreen. Especially since so much time had been dedicated to allowing us to get to know these individuals before we were refused to witness their ends.

Needless to say, David Howard Thornton was also brilliant as Art the Clown throughout every scene he was in. Utilizing his talents as a mime artist, Thornton perfectly captures Art’s exaggerated movements and expressions in a way that very few other actors could.

At some points, Art seems to become so expressive that you really will start to question if the character is being played by an actual human being.

Thornton was so stunning to witness as Art the Clown that your eyes will feel like they are glued to the screen whenever the actor appears. One can only hope that Thornton continues to play the character for many years to come.

A giddy psycho killer?! Why yes!

And despite being a psychotic killer, Art will also no doubt leave viewers laughing uncontrollably at various points.

Not only does he become as giddy as a child when he encounters a Santa impersonator, but Art also awkwardly sniffs his arm when he overhears someone asking what he must smell like.

Deranged as he might be, Art the Clown will never fail to make you laugh. And the maniacal Art spends a significant portion of Terrifier 3 dressed as Santa Claus because the filmmakers really did want to wallow in absurdity this time around.

Samantha Scaffidi is back as Victoria Heyes

Samantha Scaffidi also reprises her role as Victoria Heyes, who was severely disfigured during her encounter with Art in the first Terrifier movie.

Now just as psychotic as the clown who maimed her, Heyes spends a significant amount of time with Art throughout Terrifier 3, becoming his accomplice during his continued killing spree.

Scaffidi clearly enjoyed the opportunity to play a depraved character, because the actress was brilliantly unhinged throughout her scenes. Due to Scaffidi’s menacing performance, Heyes became just as memorable as Art, which certainly was no easy feat.

MORE HORROR WITH A CLOWN

An iconic subgenre with many fans – check out Clown (2016) >

But despite being a murderous lunatic, the heavily deformed Heyes has also maintained her twisted sense of humor, which is showcased by the way in which she repeatedly toots a horn before embarking on her killing spree.

The gleeful expression on the character’s face as she does this will no doubt leave you smiling along with her. Art and Heyes seemed to be competing to see who could be the most unhinged throughout the film, making them into an ideal pair of maniacs.

Outrageously gruesome

The kills were just as outrageously gruesome as you would expect, with the spectacular practical effects being on full display throughout each death sequence.

Art dismembers and disembowels just about everyone he encounters, and each death sequence was more brutal than the last. And because the Terrifier franchise clearly values creativity in its kills, Art also inventively uses liquid nitrogen to torture his foes in a way that has rarely been seen in other films.

Without going into spoilers, there was also a brilliant death sequence that pays homage to Psycho, as Leone clearly wanted to pay his respects to one of the greatest movies of all time.

Watch Terrifier 3 in movie theaters now

Terrifier 3 gives fans of the franchise exactly what they want, making it a film that understands and respects its target audience. Fans of the first two movies will no doubt be in for a memorable viewing experience.

As will anyone who is looking for a relentless horror film that does not shy away from depicting extreme levels of gore.

The strong performances from the cast also helped to elevate Terrifier 3 into a film worthy of your immediate attention, since each actor involved gave everything they had to their individual performances.

Leone has clearly created another film that horror fans will appreciate for many years to come, and Terrifier 3 will no doubt be remembered as one of the best slasher movies of the decade.

Terrifier 3 is out in theaters now.

Details

Director: Damien Leone
Writer: Damien Leone
Stars: Lauren LaVera, David Howard Thornton, Antonella Rose, Samantha Scaffidi, Chris Jericho, Elliott Fullam