Making waves worldwide at the box office, it divided its audience in the process.
I had high expectations for this third installment, simply because the trailers looked very appealing to horror fans: our favorite clown during Christmas time. I wrote this article fresh out of the theater and I tweaked it up a little, but the feeling remains. I can say that it’s a worthy addition to the Art the Clown trilogy.
There are a few misunderstandings and a few very slow moments, let’s be honest, but that doesn’t detract from the film as a whole. I loved Terrifier, but I found Terrifier 2 very (too?) long, even though I like the main characters.
The first movie is my precious little one.
Allie is what saved the second installment for me. I don’t really care about the lore, even if it’s interesting to have one. It’s a bit like Freddy with his demons; it’s not necessarily useful.
Sienna and the human factor
I’m not going to go too much into the opening scene. It has received enough praise as is.
We meet again with Sienna, five years after the events of the second installment, still traumatized, joining her aunt, uncle, and niece, her brother now being in college. The human part seems much more fluid and less boring, the pace is better, which makes them more interesting.
Art, on the other hand, is… still perfection.
You can see that David Howard Thornton is having a blast playing him, and Art discovering Christmas makes me almost as happy as he is (the encounter with Santa Claus was almost touching, but let’s not get carried away, we’re here for the gallons of fake blood) !
Why less is more
Unfortunately, however, he is not alone.
I found the replacement of the “Little Pale Girl” by Victoria… annoying and unnecessary. Continuing the tradition of semi-mute villains was a strength. The fact that she only speaks in monologues feels empty and hollow.
Trust your audience. Trust David’s acting. Write, don’t tell.
The masturbation wasn’t necessary either.
She was more interesting as a human victim.
I understand that some people like her, but sadly that’s not the case for me.
I get the impression that Damien Leone has something against women. Between Allie, Victoria, and the cat lady (who doesn’t even have a name), it’s intense. Especially when you consider that he refused to let David Howard Thornton make a testicle balloon in the second film. Cole’s death saves my view of the subject a little.
Hopefully 4 will be a bit less one sided.
References, easter eggs, and horror cameos
Fortunately, Art is there to give us more laughs, cult scenes, and gore. After all, he’s the reason we’re here !
References to horror are scattered throughout the movie : Art in front of the window on the rocking chair is a tribute to Black Christmas, Jason Patric plays Sienna’s father, he also played Michael in The Lost Boys, from which we can see the Chinese takeway boxes during the meal scene.
We have a cameo appearance by horror legend Tom Savini—who is responsible for many monsters in the industry—best known for his role in From Dusk Till Dawn. We also have a song created in partnership with metalcore band Ice Nine Kills, Clint Howard as the barfly we know from Ice Cream Man, and the big reference to The Shining in the opening scene with Art instead of Jack Nicholson, among many others.
A worthy addition, despite the flaws
As for inconsistencies and things I didn’t like, my biggest issue is Jonathan’s potential death, which I find hard to believe. Would such a main character have been killed off-screen ? Why? How?
His presence served almost no purpose in this installment, even though he was in the final duo in the previous one, which is a shame. (Okay, thanks to him we got the shower scene, so I forgive him, but still.)
The five-year jump isn’t explained any further than that either, which was also a rather strange decision.
The mix of Halloween and Christmas seasons was excellent, even if it leaves me with the same question I had about Twisty in season 4 of American Horror Story.
How is it that no one seems to mind Art walking around as a bloody clown when it’s not Halloween? How is everyone okay with that? Is it everyday life for people ?
The scene with Mia describing her kink and Art’s reaction? A gem.
The shower scene? Wonderful.
The scene where he makes an angel in fresh blood? Absolute perfection.
The ending saves or kills a movie
I’ll end this by saying that I was disappointed by the ending.
Sadly, just because of Victoria… if she hadn’t been there, it would have been so much fun and horrible.
Art going crazy is the best.
They shouldn’t refuse to let the audience guess things without having to explain them.
Art showing the skull to the aunt, then putting the glasses on it, all that would have worked better without words.
And honestly, I think I could have watched two hours of Art slapping Sienna on the back of the head while laughing every single time, which shows how much I enjoy his “clowning around.”
The guy tortures her, traumatizes her, and ultimately treats her like his little sister who stole his last piece of candy. Help.
The visuals were really excellent, especially the religious references scattered throughout the film.
The Virgin Mary with the demon is a masterpiece.
The story is more developed than in its predecessors, the characters are better developed too, and they react much more naturally to the events presented. Deaths have always been a strong argument for this franchise, and they don’t disappoint, with an “always more” approach!
And Art remains Art (with a big bonus point for the fake beard—I picture him carrying wig glue in his bag now).
I got to chat a bit with Mason Mecartea (the actor who plays Cole) ina convention.
On top of being absolutely adorable, he is a huuuuge horror fan. He was fangirling at the side of the Saw panel and waited backstage to meet Shawnee Smith. It was fun to discover that he is one of us weirdos.
On a side note : Catherine Corcoran (Dawn in the first one) sued the Terrifier team.
She almost died shooting her death scene and was never compensated for it. There was no explicit clause for her nudity either. She is owed a susbtantial amount of money in royalties that never came.
Leone and Falcone, who are behind the Terrifier movies, seem mainly dismissive.
That attitude alone kind of makes me take a step back from fully loving the franchise.
My rating: 3,75/5 bats
🦇🦇🦇🎅🎅
(Picture a quarter-eaten bat here for Leone’s behaviour)