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I caught the Terrifier 3 world premiere at Fantastic Fest 2024 and my brain has been chemically changed. Damien Leone ratcheted up the carnage as we follow the surviving siblings trying to move forward after the last film’s events when Art returns for more terror during the holidays. Terrifier 3 releases in theaters on October 11, 2024, and this ride is well worth the ticket. It’s a bloody all-you-can-eat feast for the eyes.
Damien Leone asked the crowd if they brought barf bags and I should have brought mine. As an Art The Clown fan club member, I was already primed for buckets of blood. But Terrifier 3 was an industrial vat of gore. The experience felt like a two-hour Mortal Kombat “Test Your Might” mini-game and a sporting event simultaneously. There was a rhythm of groans and gasps as viewers battled with how much gore and guts they could handle in a given moment. As increasing amounts of viscera hit the screen some audience members shifted in their seats and peeked through their eyes, while others clapped and cheered, welcoming the onslaught of ultraviolence. I floated between beckoning the blood and gritting my teeth, questioning if I could handle what I was asking for. Terrifier 3 stretched my stamina like an elastic band pulled taut. I felt exhausted within 15 minutes but was still eager for the ride.
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The primary draw for Terrifier movies is Art’s antics, and he did not disappoint. David Howard Thornton does an amazing job of using physical comedy to give Art the humanity needed for the audience to take moments to laugh at him… even if he just murdered someone’s entire bloodline. I giggled at every interaction Art had that involved Santa (or pretending to be Santa), even though it meant the imminent doom of the characters (kids included) around him. Those characters’ misfortunes become the kills we ultimately line up to see. It’s a darkly playful balancing act and Thornton as Art always does it well.
If you’re going to the theater solely for the kills, you will definitely get your fill and more. Terrifier 3 is far more brutal than the last film. The body count is higher, and the kills feel meaner, but the jolly yuletide veneer helps maintain the playfulness. There is an excess of removed and mutilated limbs. There are exposed teeth and jaws, glass in crevices, rusty chainsaws, and more. One of the kills seems like an intentional response to another kill in the franchise. Damien Leone’s use of rats makes me believe he has a personal vendetta against me. The violence put me in a submission hold and I often found myself at the brink of tapping out. The runtime exacerbated that feeling.
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Horror fans will see various campy head nods to other iconic or cult horror movies. The opening scene feels like a cousin of Silent Night Deadly Night as a nefarious Santa attacks a family (one of my favorite scenes). There’s a scene that reminds me of House of Wax (2005) where the intense fear behind a paralyzed face is palpable. There’s a nod to The Shining involving an ax. Art’s headless adventures feel like a call to The Re-Animator. A special kill gives a nods to one of my favorite Jason movies (If I tell you which, it will spoil the kill). Fans will also be delighted to see a few cameos from horror icons.
The special effects, holiday setting, and dark humor worked well enough. However, I am still digesting Victoria’s (Samantha Scaffidi) story. Her dialogue felt over-the-top and she spoke often. It felt out of place because Art is the silent type. Victoria’s character also participates in self-mutilation more than once and that stressed me out more than many of the kills (I almost needed the barf bag for one of these scenes). Her scenes were more difficult for me to watch because her character lacked the balance of humor and violence; she was just mean. However, I did appreciate that she matched Art’s freak.
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I saw the value in discussing Sienna’s (Lauren LaVera) trauma and describing her mental state, but I do not feel like it was handled with the best care. How Jonathan (Elliott Fullam) engages with the threat felt unrealistic. I appreciated the bond between the siblings in Terrifier 2, but they spent more time apart in this story. There’s an off-screen kill that felt anti-climactic. At one point the story feels like Monday Night Raw, which could easily transport some viewers out of the movie (not me—I love chaos). The end left me with more questions than answers, but left room for the story to continue. As the story progresses, I hope there’s more focus on fleshing out the story instead of trying to top the last movie. Art The Clown has nothing to prove!
Overall, Terrifier 3 is a blood fest that will test your gore fortitude. Whether it’s the severed limbs or casual cannibalism, something is sure to make your knees tingle during the runtime. It’s the ultimate thrill ride for horror fans during the spooky season. How long will you look at the screen when the camera doesn’t cut?
Summary
‘Terrifier 3’ is a bloody all-you-can-eat feast for the eyes.
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