Terrifier 2
Gore and more are in store for this horror sequel that's most assuredly not a bore, but kind of a chore.
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Despite having heard a lot about it, I hadn’t seen writer/editor/producer/makeup effects artist/director Damien Leone’s “Terrifier” prior to this week when the opportunity to review “Terrifier 2” (which begins its limited theatrical run this evening) came about. (I must do my due diligence after all.)
I must admit I was pretty conflicted about “Terrifier.” It (and its sequel) gave me the feeling I had as a kid when I was peeping something I shouldn’t have been peeping and was worried my Mom was gonna bust into the room and exclaim, “What in the hell are you watching?!!!”
While viewing “Terrifier” I had to pause the movie when my wife entered the room as Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) was sawing a topless, hung upside down woman in half from her genitals to the top of her head. (There’s some fairly icky misogyny at play in both films, though it’s arguable it’s been somewhat diminished in the second installment … thankfully.)
“Terrifier 2” is to “Terrifier” what “Bad Boys II” is to “Bad Boys.” Where “Terrifier” was a lean and especially mean 86 minutes, “Terrifier 2” clocks in at a whopping 138 minutes. It’s bigger, badder and better than its predecessor … even if no slasher has any business whatsoever being this damned long.
“Terrifier 2” picks up one year after “Terrifier.” It’s Halloween and Art has returned to slay another day even though he shot himself in the head at the conclusion of the first installment. Siblings Sienna (Lauren LaVera) and Jonathan (Elliott Fullam) spot the killer clown at both a costume shop and school respectively. Jonathan, drawn to the darkness, desires to don an Art the Clown costume for trick-or-treating. When Sienna and Johnathan attempt to report these Art sightings to their mother Barbara (Sarah Voigt), she doesn’t believe them and chalks it up to their collective mourning over their departed Dad.
Jonathan gets himself grounded over something Art did. Sienna has plans to party with gal pals Allie (Casey Hartnett) and Brooke (Kailey Hyman). Since Barbara didn’t believe her kids, Art is free to stalk and slash every tween, teen and any other person on the scene.
Leone and Thornton should be applauded for giving bloodthirsty audiences a new slasher antihero to both cheer and fear. Art the Clown is silent much like Michael Myers and Jason Vorhees, but also manages to clown on his victims à la Freddy Krueger. Unlike Myers, Vorhees and Krueger, Art also employees guns to a disturbing degree. Thornton is appropriately terrifying as Art and engages in some especially impressive physical acting.
I also really responded to the work LaVera does as Sienna. She’s a lovely and likable presence who’s arguably the first female character in this series to have some sense of self and urgency. She’s not merely a victim, but a heroine for whom it’s easy to root. While “Terrifier 2” is entirely too long, I was thankful for the bloodletting breather we received while hanging out with Sienna and Jonathan.
Speaking of bloodletting, Leone doesn’t deny his viewers any of the ketchup they’ve come to expect. I enjoy grue just as much as your next gorehound, but I’m unaccustomed to dwelling upon it to the degree Leone inflicts upon his audience. The special effects makeups designed by Leone and Anthony Giordano with assistance from producer Phil Falcone are undeniably good, but good lord are they garish.
Even though “Terrifier 2” is better than “Terrifier,” I feel as though they’re one and done watches. They’re something that’s endured rather than enjoyed. In spite of this, my curiosity will no doubt lead me to watching the inevitable “Terrifier 3.”
Pro-Tip: Eagle-eyed rasslin’ fans will no doubt notice Chris Jericho’s name in the opening credits. Stick around through the closing credits as he doesn’t appear until a prolonged stinger tucked in there.