In the vast, diverse, and often terrible world of slasher films, it’s safe for one to assume that every single one is indistinguishable from the last. In a room where everyone is trying to be the next Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees, it’s inevitable for one to face some cheap gore flicks along the way. Still, director Damien Leone manages to carry viewers to the high point of slasher films, even if it is through a psychotic clown. With Terrifier 3, Leone lifts the pen of tired slashers into something great, or at least, something new.
After being tormented by Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) in Terrifier 2, Sienna (Lauren LaVera), and Jonathan Shaw (Elliot Fullam), try to rebuild their lives and move on from their past. However, their attempts at normalcy are thwarted as Art returns, this time accompanied by a new antagonist, Vicky (Samantha Scaffidi). Throughout the movie, they struggle with trauma, battling not only Art the Clown’s relentless pursuit, but also their own psychological scars left behind during the events of the last movies.
While Terrifier 1 was a considerable disappointment in terms of the plot, focusing primarily on the shock value and kill scenes of the movie, Terrifier 2 and Terrifier 3 majorly expanded on the storyline of the characters and antagonists. These movies brought in consistent characters and aspects of the plot, giving the entire franchise a sense of coherence. Terrifier 3 fleshes out the characters extremely well, developing all of their personalities and using that as a foundation for the viewers to connect to their struggles.
Leone creates an environment for the viewer where they can sympathize with the protagonists, using the first half of the movie to primarily build upon Sienna and Jonathan’s personalities and problems. As the movie reaches the second half, Art goes on a ‘spree,’ killing all of the characters that the viewers of the movie had any semblance of connection to. Frankly, the entire second half of the movie was a dragged out kill scene of Sienna’s entire family in increasingly gruesome ways.
Compared to Terrifier 1 and Terrifier 2, the kill scenes in Terrifier 3 were executed with better quality and were considerably more thought out. The movie connects each kill back to its “Christmas” theme, and uses the religious symbolism and imagery to its advantage when the characters face Art. This movie stuck to its franchise’s consistent shock value, but this time gave Art a consistent murder weapon, liquid nitrogen.
This film had some unnecessary plot points, including the second antagonist Vicky, who served little purpose in the movie. Vicky is the only surviving victim of Art the Clown from Terrifier 1, who’s face became extremely disfigured in the events of the first movie, and who eventually joined Art in his murderous rampage. Her importance in the Terrifier franchise seems a bit forced, as her backstory has never been expanded on and her character switches from an unknowing victim to a ruthless killer with no explanation.
Throughout every movie in the Terrifier franchise, a constant has always been a great performance from Art the Clown, played by David Howard Thornton. A large amount of the praise for the acting in this movie has been based on Thorntons embodiment of Art, and the spirit that he brings to the role. Unfortunately, the other characters in this movie don’t live up to this same standard, and are better suited for psychological and emotional scenes in this movie, rather than the fluff and filler scenes included in this movie.
The cinematography in this movie is leagues above the visuals in Terrifier 1, with a higher budget and more competent framing of the scenes. Although the movie’s color grading and lighting contribute to the themes and overall vibe, certain scenes lack context, which contributes to the mystery and suspense of the movie. The religious symbolism, such as the crucifixion of Sienna’s uncle, and the crown of thorns placed on Sienna’s head creates a more surreal environment, and in doing so, enhances the film’s thematic elements.
More of the movie’s symbolism comes from the choice of music that Leone includes, connecting them back to the Christmas theme of this installment. A lot of the music included in this movie is considered traditional Christmas songs, and it is used to develop the mood of scenes, specifically when they include gore. A recurring song in the franchise is “Clown Cafe”, which is used when Sienna’s thoughts are being plagued with visions of Art the Clown.
Terrifier 3 has proved to be the strongest movie in the Terrifier franchise to date, showcasing the director and actor’s improvement and learning from the last movies. While there are some plot holes in this movie, such as the supernatural themes and void that opened during the second half of the movie, it has outstanding potential to grow in the following movies, and expand on the characters and theme. An appropriate rating for this movie, as someone who enjoys the Terrifier franchise, is a solid 8.5/10.