“Terrifier 3,” written and directed by creator Damien Leone, takes place five years after the events of “Terrifier 2.” Sienna (Lauren LaVera) and her younger brother Jonathan (Elliott Fullam) attempt to move on from the vicious Art the Clown’s (David Howard Thornton) holiday season murder spree. As a great evil awakens Art again for another slaughter fest, it’s up to Sienna to finally put a rest to the terror that haunts her and the town.
The levels of gore and bloodshed throughout the film are unlike anything seen in the horror genre. The first two films were already carnage candy for fans everywhere, but “Terrifier 3” takes things to new levels. Each kill feels more brutal, drawn out and disgusting than the films before. There are deaths at the hands of chainsaws, axes, guns and even animals.
The film’s $2 million budget, which is miles more than “Terrifier 2’s” $250,000 budget, helps add to the impressiveness. Leone and his VFX team’s practical effects only get better the more budget they’re given. It becomes impossible to look away from the terrors unfolding on screen. Everyone involved with the movie’s effects are one of the most talented individuals in the horror genre right now. It will be wild to see how the effects gets topped in the officially confirmed “Terrifier 4.”
While all the performances are solid, two people stand out from the crowd — Lauren LaVera as Sienna and David Howard Thornton as Art the Clown. LaVera gives an even better performance than the last film, cementing herself in the Scream Queen Hall of Fame. Sienna feels much more rounded out as a character in this movie’s narrative, and LaVera sells that element of the story through her excellent performance.
For Thornton as Art, he embodies the character in ways no horror actor has achieved since Robert Englund’s run as Freddy Krueger. He plays a much more malicious version of Art in this film that makes him even more terrifying than in previous entries.
Audiences don’t come to “Terrifier” movies primarily for the story. What made the story of “Terrifier 2” much more engaging is it wasn’t expected. Now that there’s a universe and lore surrounding Art, however, there is more confusion about overarching narrative. “Terrifier 3” leaves audiences with more questions rather than answering the ones asked from the previous film. This leaves the installment feeling almost more like a “Terrifier 3: Part 1” than its own standalone movie, making for a rushed third act. Maybe this was due to trimming for a shorter runtime or a quick grab at another sequel, but the story ends on a weird note.
That being said, Leone’s writing only gets better with each entry, so in no way is the story bland or too silly. The film has all the correct ingredients but needs to cook before “Terrifier 4” releases.
Overall, “Terrifier 3” will please horror fans and fuel the fire for horror haters. Its gore manages to top the previous entries remarkably and displays fantastic performances from the leads. The film is a solid watch despite some flawed storytelling and showcases just how talented Leone and his team truly are.
3 ½ vomit-inducing kills out of 5
