With the release of “Terrifier” in 2016, Art the Clown captured the attention of the horror community.
Horror fans were clamoring for more thanks to David Howard Thorton’s legendary performance as Art the Clown and the inventive, gory killings. The writer, director, producer, editor, and makeup artist is Damien Leone once more. In “Terrifier 2,” Leone makes almost every aspect of filming better. The outcome of his painstaking direction of the picture and Howard Thorton’s reappearance as Art the Clown is a movie that runs for almost two and a half hours. On October 6, 2022, “Terrifier 2” was released in a few theatres.
“Terrifier 2” aims for the galaxy rather than the stars. This movie was jam-packed to the utmost by Leone and crew. The body count is high, the kills are downright grotesque, and Art the Clown’s personality is further developed. Despite this, the movie isn’t exactly a hit. As a fan of horror, there is much to enjoy here, but this ambitious movie has several problems.
The real heroes of “Terrifier 2” are Leone and the special effects crew he oversaw. At times, the killings here are simply jaw-dropping. Art the Clown can and will disassemble any single bodily part imaginable. Every time they are, it appears to be terrifyingly realistic. Each and every severance, cut, and stabbing that Art’s victims endure are palpable. The makeup and special effects teams here are incredibly talented and deserving of all the accolades in the world. There are so many nauseating, repulsive uses of blood and gore that, in the hands of a weaker makeup and effects crew, might not appear as convincing. They really do make the movie.
Here, David Howard Thorton effectively changes Art the Clown from a horror antagonist into a horror icon. Despite the fact that he is silent throughout both movies, his physical performance, eye movements, and overall presence are very outstanding. Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees are two examples of killers that strike the ideal mix between being silent and charismatic (Freddy Kruger, Chucky). When he begins slaughtering his victims, he is absolutely terrifying. However, throughout the entire movie, hysterical, darkly humorous moments are produced by Leone’s writing and Thorton’s physical acting.
Comparing “Terrifer 2” to the first, every aspect of filmmaking has been improved. The film’s budget, which is significantly more than the original’s pitiful $100,000 one, results in slightly improved cinematography. Additionally, this has much superior acting. Compared to the original’s small cast, this one is far larger, and most of the actors seem to have more experience. Despite some subpar performances, this is a vast improvement over the terrible acting in the original. Along with the cast’s improved acting, “Terrifier 2” also has a much better story. The first “Terrifier,” which was simply an 84-minute compilation of Art hunting and killing individuals, had the feel of an extended short movie.
Actually, “Terrifier 2” contains a storyline and character arcs.
Speaking of the performance, Sienna’s Lauren LaVera is extremely good in this scene. LaVera gives her character a sympathetic and endearing performance that makes you genuinely care for her. Sienna is the stereotypical horror heroine and “final female” who battles Art at the conclusion. Damien Leone paints her with enough eccentricities despite the fact that her character is undoubtedly typical to keep her from becoming overly unoriginal. She wears a Wonder Woman-inspired outfit in the third act when she battles Art, and it will undoubtedly become a classic horror look.
However, none of this means that “Terrifier 2” is without faults. To begin with, the movie is far too long. It seems absurd that this movie is almost two hours long. Particularly in the second half, the entire plot starts to feel bloated. A rewriting, especially for the third act and second half, may have been advantageous.
I enjoy gore since I’m a horror enthusiast. I enjoy cruelty in general, original killings, and well-executed effects. However, one may argue that “Terrifier 2” goes a little too far in this area. I’m all for harsh killing and the director torturing his characters, but I do believe that parts of the killing and torture are a little over the top. The best horror movies strike the proper balance between explicit and psychological fear; this is essential. If you don’t handle blood and guts well, I strongly advise avoiding this movie. At times, “Terrifier 2” is just insane.
It’s a little too ambitious for its own good, but “Terrifier 2” swings for the fences and hits a triple. For any seasoned horror lover, though, Damien Leon’s violent adventure is worth the admission fee. The excessive brutality and problematic storylines are overshadowed by the horrifying gore, Howard Thorton’s portrayal of Art the Clown, and the makeup and practical effects alone. 7 out of 10.