Terrifier 3.

Review #2273: Terrifier 3.

Cast: 

David Howard Thornton (Art the Clown), Lauren LaVera (Sienna Shaw), Elliot Fullam (Jonathan Shaw), Samantha Scaffidi (Victoria "Vicky" Heyes), Margaret Anne Florence (Jessica), Bryce Johnson (Greg), Antonella Rose (Gabbie), Chris Jericho (Burke), Daniel Roebuck (Santa Claus), Tom Savini (a bystander), and Jason Patric (Michael Shaw) Directed by Damien Leone (#2271 - Terrifier, #2272 - Terrifier 2)

Review: 

“Yeah, I do set boundaries on myself. I would say there’s no subject matter that’s too taboo that I won’t tackle it, if I really feel it’s necessary to the story or something. But then if I decide to go in that direction, it’s my responsibility to execute it in a tolerable way and to see if I could still make it palatable somehow—because we could certainly make these scenes 10 times worse than they are. But then you’re really going to alienate everybody. And ultimately, I want this to be a fun experience for the audience, even though that’s—of course, taste is subjective and we’re clearly going beyond the boundaries of what some people feel is accessible, acceptable, and what their taste is.”

...I really should kick myself for not inquiring earlier about the Terrifier films. No, really, I should. These are films that Damien Leone clearly put his soul into when it comes to making clear-headed horror film that ended up far better than I expected them to be. The interest for these films is a hell of a thing to think about. Leone aimed to make sequels that would not simply just be gorefests for its mime clown killer but instead build on the weird journey that arises from having both gore and humor. Leone has stated countless times about the kind of curiosity that the films have generated for its fans, ones who really are "trying to find ways to deal with the horrors of reality". You don't always get horror sequels that increase their budget (apparently $2 million here) from before, but this is one of them, complete with deciding to be a Christmas-themed horror movie. It also begins with a cold open because Leone aimed to remind one quickly about the creep factor intended with this lead character right then and there from someone who has stated their appreciation for Black Christmas and Tales from the Crypt's "And All Through the House". The aim of gore and disgust for a certain type of audience was the perfect bait for me to watch on opening night, but I would like to personally thank Cinemark for having a "one-day only" double feature of the second film and this one so I could make up for my stupidity. A fourth film apparently is in development, so we shall see where that could go in gut-churners.

I wonder sometimes why I enjoy certain kinds of "depraved" movies. Mayhem is fun when you are ready for where it is going to go in terms of enthusiasm from the person behind the camera, and I think certain people go for these kinds of movies because they like it as a vessel of release from what they see in their own life. You could see garbage or flowers in the proverbial field of life, but you sure need something to deal with what you see day after day, and movies are quite the way to confront that itch. With Art the Clown, we have a guy who awakens after a five-year sleep to go right back to the craft of dedicated, equal-opportunity mayhem that seems to reflect the viewer when it comes to dedicating time to the craft. It is the kind of movie to inspire the same amount of wincing (if not more) when it comes to the execution of carnage in a 125-minute venture for relative curiosity. LaVera and Scaffidi are the key returning (speaking) people returning for this film, and each do a pretty useful job in showing the reflection of what it means to live in the shadow of terror (if one forgets, the second film ended with a birthing scene). One can either be chilling or resourceful when it comes to coping with seeing the face of their plight then and back and again, and each are committed to making those moments engage with the audience. This is an atmosphere of strange swords and possessions that I enjoyed seeing play out to the end for 125 minutes because it pushes that envelope just a bit further beyond having a Santa impersonator get their beard ripped off (think "bomb" and go from there). While it might not make as much of a splash as it would like when it comes to examining the after-events of terror, but it has enough energy to rise above say, an average 80s slasher (complete with Clint Howard showing up for whatever reason), and it is clear from its ending that no matter where it ultimately ends up, one probably won't be shortchanged. I do think there will be a fun debate over just which sequel is the standout feature (the second might be a smidge better). You don't get many sequels that seem to polish further on the previous venture, particularly since the second already polished what had come before in the first film. But here we are with a movie I enjoyed pretty well and look forward to getting around to again maybe a few years down the line when thinking back to gory yuletide stuff.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Terrifier 2.

Review #2272: Terrifier 2.

Cast: 

Lauren LaVera (Sienna Shaw), David Howard Thornton (Art the Clown), Elliott Fullam (Jonathan), Sarah Voigt (Barbara), Kailey Hyman (Brooke), Casey Hartnett (Allie), Charlie McElveen (Jeff), Amelie McLain (the Little Pale Girl), Johnath Davis (Ricky), Samantha Scaffidi (Victoria Heyes), Leah Voysey (Clown Cafe TV host / Nurse), Chris Jericho (Burke), and Felissa Rose (Ms. Principe) Directed by Damien Leone (#2271 - Terrifier)

Review:

 “I’m trying to transcend the slasher genre and make something you really haven’t seen in a long time… We’re always trying to push it as far as we can and deliver the goods above and beyond everyone’s expectations.” 

Well, when you have a sequel, you go all out for it. When Damien Leone had envisioned a film involving the character of Art the Clown after filming his short film "The 9th Circle", it involved a character basically dressed up as an angel (with a plot outline that he described as "basically Rob Zombie's 31"). So, now here we are with a "heart and soul" for this feature film, which he wrote the first draft of the screenplay in 2019. While this film would have funding come from private investment, he did launch an Indiegogo campaign in order to do a practical effects sequence for $50,000 - it proceeded to make four times that. After a COVID-interrupted session of filming, the movie was finished in 2021 before release the following year. As before, Leone edited the film to go with writing/directing. There was enough demand for the film to be in theaters for more than a week, and it ended up making, well, millions of dollars. 

Honestly, some of the horror movies are enjoyable not so much for the level of terror or gore they show but for the curiosity they generate when it comes to "how did they do that?" Maybe it is a geeky thing, but really, that bedroom sequence is a fascinating one in execution when it comes to the mix of churn and execution that really does drive the imagination beyond the splatter (for those who like to read details, here). Sure, it can feel long at 138 minutes when it comes to trying to go through the whole gauntlet of its setup (particularly since it was built with a sequel in mind), but I had quite the treat with the movie specifically because it just has the energy of a madman that takes you on a ride worth rolling with. For a movie about an equal-opportunity killer clown, it sure the kind of experience that can raise up a chuckle at the strangest of times (I say "equal-opportunity" because yes, he is as violent to men and women on the same level when it comes to general skullduggery, whether that involves nibbling or using a gun). The first film felt like a demo reel of potential involving a few decent effects and a budget that looked like its budget (around the Roger Corman level but not derogatory) that I accepted for all of its average executions. The second is the logical extension of having time to really draw out a solid lead performance to go along with the already apparent talent in drawing curiosity in a mime that really can be scary (funny or otherwise). Oh, and the gore, but I'm sure you don't need me to sing too many praises about (mostly) practical effects (incidentally, it isn't that often one can watch a "Not Rated" movie). Leone had stated one of his regrets in the first place was in the lack of character development, and it is evident that LaVera is given a chance to really make something worthwhile beyond the usual "final" cliches. In that sense, she is engaging enough to follow along with in likable charm that doesn't fold (i.e. get overshadowed too much by the obvious) under the pressure. The rest of the cast is generally interesting enough to be set up for the inevitable trap (i.e. not particularly hateable). Maybe I'm just a nut, but there are actually a few darkly amusing moments within such commitment to gore, probably best represented with the nightmare sequence involving an attempt at building cheer before getting tommy gun'd to death. Of course, I can also cite the costume shop sequence in casual terror and amusement, because seeing silly glasses getting tried on wordlessly is hard to resist. While I can't really explain the "Little Pale Girl" particularly well, I will say that having a wordless "patty cake" in a laundromat while one tries to clean up is about all one might need to explain the strange qualities that come up for the moments ahead. Admittedly, the climax is a strange one to swallow when it comes to drawing out how to keep interest in a sequel and not go completely into doing a "slasher ending" bit, which here happen to involve, well, swords and body stuff (some "final girls" end up coping better than others, suffice to say). But I accept it because it was a neat ride that did not bump off the rails into safe-town, so on that note I can safely say it did what one wants most from a sequel: live up to the original and exceed it with fanfare. Terrifier 2 has an obvious target in mind: people who go for the gore and the craft that comes from it. It invites interest in a third film, so on that note...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.