‘Terrifier 3’ Review: A Terrifying, Lore-Heavy Christmas Tale
'Terrifier 3' (2024)
It almost feels rare to witness a cult classic franchise form before your eyes, but that's exactly what's happening with Damien Leone’s Terrifier series. The low-budget grindhouse slasher has propelled Leone—an enthusiast of practical effects—into auteur territory, with his signature gore-heavy style on full display in Terrifier 3. It proves that not every horror fan craves “elevated horror.” Sometimes, good old-fashioned blood and guts are more than enough.
Terrifier 3 picks up with Terrifier 2’s final girl, Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera), as she reenters the world after receiving care for the traumatic events of five years ago. Her brother, Jonathan (Elliott Fullam), is seemingly doing better, attending college, and trying to avoid both his sister and his history with Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton). The story is simple, but it attempts to tug at the audience’s heartstrings by giving Sienna something to fight for—a pre-teen niece named Gabby (Antonella Rose).
Setting the film around Christmas allows Leone to tie the film’s themes to the season’s iconography, as well as to horror movies of the past that have exploited the jolliest time of year. Art the Clown dons a Santa suit—including a beard made from flesh, grotesquely glued to his face—subverting the cheerful scenery with something far more sinister. While Art seems to relish the holiday season, his playful demeanor turns deadly when confronted. Leone pushes the envelope further, incorporating religious imagery, though a sharper screenwriter could have made it more impactful rather than using it simply for striking visuals. Ultimately, Art’s presence makes the film worth enduring the unimportant family melodrama.
Some aspects of Terrifier 3 are impressive. Thornton's makeup effects and his underrated physical performance continue to captivate, holding the audience's attention even through the goriest parts of the film. With a significantly bigger budget than the previous two films (Terrifier had $35,000, Terrifier 2 increased to $250,000, and Terrifier 3 had a $2 million budget), Leone proves his ability to put every dollar on the screen with more elaborate kills, bigger sets, and practical effects that would make Peter Jackson proud.
However, Leone’s weaknesses are still evident. His screenwriting lets him down, blending shallow lore with stilted, D-level dialogue that feels inhuman. The plot is thin, as one might expect from a B-movie like Terrifier 3, yet the film is padded with excess. Instead of allowing Art to fully terrify the audience, Leone chops up the clown’s show-stopping moments to focus on Sienna’s conversations about her trauma or her interactions with Gabby. The movie is almost designed to make you wait for Art, forcing you to sit through the mundanity of family life before the real action begins.
The film's lore also lacks depth or clarity. We know that Art is an immortal demon and that Sienna is an angelic figure meant to defeat him, but additional elements muddy the story, complicating it without adding meaningful depth. Simplicity is key to these films because the extremity lies in the visuals. The best slashers keep their stories simple: Jason Voorhees seeks revenge for his mother, Freddy Krueger haunts the children of those who killed him, and Chucky is a serial killer trapped in a doll who just wants to be human again. Art is a demonic killer clown, and Sienna’s mission is to kill him—possibly at the cost of her own life. That’s all we need. That’s all we want. Keep it smart by keeping it simple.
One improvement in Leone’s storytelling is that the characters in Terrifier 3 are more likable. While Terrifier featured stock characters that were mere tropes, this installment gives its characters more substance, making the audience care about them. Unfortunately, two characters we spend a good deal of time with die off-screen, underscoring Leone’s struggle to write compelling characters. Still, this is a notable improvement over the shallow characters of the previous films, whose deaths were anticipated within seconds of their introduction.
'Terrifier 3' (2024)
Despite its shortcomings, Terrifier 3 is worth watching. Not only is it impressive to see a franchise emerge from such humble beginnings, but it's also a testament to Leone’s commitment to practical effects, highlighting the exceptional talent of the film’s below-the-line crew. From a twitching eye in a half-shredded face to a gender-swapped callback kill from the first film, Leone leans into the gory glory, creating visceral moments that will leave audiences gagged.
It would also be remiss not to mention Leone’s homages to other holiday horror classics like Black Christmas and Silent Night, Deadly Night. Leone gives these iconic films a nod while showcasing his affection for a niche subgenre without alienating viewers unfamiliar with the references. His ability to borrow from his influences and make them his own, à la Tarantino-esque style, marks him as a horror filmmaker to watch.
Grade: C+
