Director – Damien Leone (Frankenstein vs. the Mummy, All Hallow’s Eve)
Starring – Lauren LaVera (The Well, Chestnut), David Howard Thornton (Gotham, The Mean One), and Antonella Rose (Fear the Walking Dead, Candy)
Release Date – 2024
Rating – 2.5/5
The Terrifier films have gained a lot of fans over the years and it’s impressive to see a film series with a moderately small budget gain the success that it has. Art is a prominent figure at Spirit Halloween and can be found on shirts at various stores like Spencer’s and Hot Topic. He’s also featured as an operator in Call of Duty. However, I’m not a fan. I watched the first two films sometime back and while I was impressed by the gore, the films themselves were lacking. I wanted to love them but both films are like the Scream franchise to me. They are widely popular but I can barely finish them.
When news about the third Terrifier broke, I figured I would skip it. The first two did nothing for me and I would almost bet the third would be the same way. However, my interest in it was peaked when it was revealed to be a Christmas flick. I have a soft spot for Christmas horror and knew I would need to see it eventually. I became even more interested in the film after Umbrella Entertainment announced an UHD release of all three films in a nice box set. I snagged it and after wait forever, it was finally time to check it out.
**Spoiler Alert** The film once again follows Art the Clown who is back after Victoria Heyes becomes possessed by the little girl from part 2 and grows a new head for him inside her. The two are reunited and begin their killing spree 5 years later and once again set their sights on Sienna and her family. **Spoiler Alert**
I went into Terrifier 3 hoping it was as good as the general public lead me to believe but at the end of the day it was just like the first two films. It’s full of amazing gore, some humor (intentional and unintentional), and unlikable characters with painstakingly dull dialogue. I wanted to love this one so I could have a new Christmas flick to enjoy during the holidays but this one wasn’t for me.
The acting in this one is exactly what I expected. The cast does a decent enough job but the characters themselves are not likable at all. Thornton has become a pop culture icon with his portrayal of Art. He really does get into the character and I couldn’t imagine someone else donning the make-up. With that being said, I’m glad the film embraced a second killer with Victoria. Art’s silent killing and miming is a bit dull to me while the Heyes character brings much more personality. In fact, I would much prefer this character having her own film over Art.
The story for this one is just a vehicle for the kills. I love a good horror film with brutal deaths and amazing practical effects but I need a story to get me there. Terrifier 3 was severely lacking in this department. Art and Victoria awaken after a 5 year nap to kill Sienna and her brother. While the story may be similar to a Friday the 13th sequel, unlike a Friday the 13th sequel, the unlikable characters in Terrifier makes this one a difficult one to finish.
Finally, it wouldn’t be a Terrifier film if there wasn’t over the top blood and gore. The deaths in this one will become just as iconic as the Art character. They are brutal, violent, and look absolutely amazing. The practical effects are top notch and easily the best of the trilogy. Overall, Terrifier 3 is consistent with the other films but don’t offer up much to the diehard horror fan but if you don’t watch a lot of horror or only watch theatrical releases then you may enjoy yourself if you are not accustomed to the amount of gore that this one delivers. While I did enjoy the deaths and effects, I can name several other films that offer just as impressive death scenes with stories that are worth your time.
