Film Review: Terrifier 3 | HNN

Film Review: Terrifier 3

Directed & written by:

Damien Leone

Starring: 

David Howard Thornton, Lauren Lavera, Elliott Fullam, Samantha Scaffidi, Antonella Rose, Margaret Anne Florence, Bryce Johnson, Alexa Blair, Mason Mecartea, Krsy Fox, Clint Howard, Jon Abrahams with Chris Jericho, Daniel Roebuck, and Jason Patric

Synopsis:

Art the Clown is set to unleash chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.

Review:

“It’s a Terrifier Christmas” this year folks. Get ready, leave the chainsaws and horns out for Art.

Terrifier 3 was directed and written by Damien Leone. The cast is awesome. Damien takes us on a journey, and Art the Clown takes on Christmas. Jingle All the Way, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, Home Alone, A Christmas Story, Love Actually, The Grinch, Die Hard (it’s a Christmas movie.) and of course, ELF!!! I LOVE ELF! “So, good news… I saw a dog today.” – Buddy the Elf. NOW, Art the Clown.

Now, let’s not forget Black Christmas (1974), Krampus, Gremlins, Scrooged, Anna and the Apocalypse, Silent Night, It’s a Wonderful Knife, Red Christmas, Silent Night (2021), Violent Night, Once Upon a Time at Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, The Mean One, and more.

Christmas with Art the Clown…. What more could you ask for??? He wound up cleaning up, and doing the dishes after committing heinous crimes with a Santa suit on. An unsuspecting family waiting for Saint Nick gets quite a surprise. You may have guessed it, Art comes back.

If you get nauseous from blood or guts or an axe to the head, you may want to cover those eyes. Art is NOT playing around. Director Damien Leone is taking Art, the gore, the special effects, the characters, the kills to the next level. We do get some returning characters, including ever bodies beloved Art the Clown, portrayed oh-so-devilishly by David Howard Thornton. Art also gets a friend that sometimes resembles Radu’s mother from SUBSPECIES, and as an O.G. Horror fan since I’m a kid, I genuinely appreciate all the details and wild shit Damien Leone has added since the first TERRIFIER. Art The Clown has reached the horror community. The horror community is not always an easy community. We love…. and we don’t…

Some fans are diehard, and some well… Art will never be Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger, Jack the Ripper… But Damien Leone made a fascinating character that continues to win over the hearts of horror fans.

What a joy to see Daniel Roebuck as Santa after being an extra with my amazing friend Paula Gallo in Saint Nick of Bethlehem where Daniel plays Nick. Art meets quite a few legends including Clint Howard. Art shows up at a bar, and you got Eddie (Bradley Stryker) the owner of the bar asking for I.D. Santa Clause (Daniel Roebuck), and Clint Howard trying to enjoy a drink with Art the Clown but he’s not having it. Daniel Roebuck is right about one thing, the holidays, and Art the Clown both make people happy.

Clown Clause… What a gig, Art sure is a funny fucker. Santa aka Charles tries to talk some sense into Art but you would be better off just saving the speech. The kills are pretty wild, and brutal. Leone REALLY SAID, HOW GROSS AND SICK can I make this with a sense of humor, and some razzle dazzle from David Howard Thornton.

Sienna portrayed again by Lauren LaVera is just awesome, she is beyond a FINAL GIRL! She is kicking all the ass. We find out that Art needs a host to come back… Wait a minute… Did someone consult with CHUCKY before doing this? Victoria Heyes is portrayed incredibly by Samantha Saciffidi, and WHAT A CHARACTER she plays. A killer but I still think she gives off the ageless sorceress Mummy vibes from SUBSPECIES. I LOVE SUBSPECIES.

Well, Art the Clown decides to go to the mall. Nobody thinks of this, I mean I would be okay seeing Art the Clown instead of Santa but, I digress. Jonathan Shaw (Elliott Fullam) is trying to compose himself and have conversations with his sister.

The mall scene is disturbing. It touches and SMACKS the life out of a ton of nerves. As a society we have become so immune to the disturbing stuff that happens. I will say the close-up to Art after the horrific scene, I did expect a Home Alone moment. It was disturbing. As a horror fan, it takes a lot but that’s what gets the nerves, it’s that horrific tension, and stuff that people see, and think WOW, this is scary. I appreciate that Damien Leone added in some stuff for Sienna to talk about regarding everything she went through. She talks about flashbacks, and moments that one could say, she probably has PTSD, and is in fight or flight mode all the time.

Jason Patric appears in Terrifier 3; Jason plays Michael. It was great to see him in Terrifier 3. Oh, horror cosplayers, ALL of you will have to get Art the Clown’s new glasses. Antonella Rose does a great job as Gabbie. She looks up to Sienna, and Gabbie also does a lot of reading. She upsets Sienna but she wanted to know about everything that Sienna went through.

We also meet Mia (Alexa Blair Robertson) who sounds like me after watching a film, I have so many questions. How was the freeze killing scene filmed? How is Victoria ripping a face off with her bare hands? TOM SAVINI! WHAT!!! Gratuitous shower scene… And I haven’t seen Art drink water yet.  OOOOOooooo OUCH OUCH… OH SHIT The leg scene. Who gave him a chainsaw. HOLY Practical effects. Are they? A Terrifier Christmas Song!!! Damien Leone truly went all out. There are so many small details, and just pure insanity.

The leg scene. The kills in Terrifier 3 are just insanity. Does Santa have a “You should be a permanent Parole List?” This was one hell of a ride. The slight homages. The kills are brutal, different, strategic. Will there be another one? A spin-off? Will Art go to space? Maybe vacation at a nice resort? The cast was awesome. The execution to come up with something that sort of tied everything together but NO spoilers, go watch the movie.

And… Yes, Frankenstein is a classic. Thanks for always genuinely showing love to the horror fans Damien Leone, and David Howard Thornton.

Make sure to go to see Terrifier 3 in theaters.