Art the Clown returns in “Terrifier 3,” the third installment of the supernatural slasher franchise of the same name. Set in the days leading up to Christmas, the story follows the converging lives of Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera) and the barbaric clown villain himself (David Howard Thornton), as he continues on his path of destruction.
Released on Oct. 11, “Terrifier 3” takes what audiences loved about the previous films — unapologetic gore and extreme violence — and multiplies it by a thousand. The amount of gore and slaughter is nauseating, with every murder scene seemingly trying to top the one before it. By the time the final act rolls around, the extravagant deaths are almost comical.
Despite “Terrifier 3” being a horror movie, it’s hard not to laugh at certain scenes. It’s as though director Damien Leone asked, “What’s the most outrageous way to kill somebody?” then took those ideas and dialed them up to cringeworthy levels. From a purely narrative standpoint, they don’t do much to advance the plot. Besides one or two murders, everything else is just for audience enjoyment — or disgust.
So, did “Terrifier 3” accomplish its purpose? Well, yes.
For the most part, the reason people are buying movie tickets is not because they care about Sienna Shaw’s character arc. It’s because they want to see people die in the most gruesome ways possible. In one of my least favorite — yet most unforgettable — scenes, Art the Clown scalps a demolition man while his accomplice pleasures herself with a knife. Why did she do that? Because the filmmakers knew that it would make people tell their friends, “I just saw the craziest movie.”
In a sense, it’s taking the slasher movie back to its B-movie roots. “Terrifier 3” isn’t trying to win an Oscar; it’s trying to distract you from your upcoming midterms for a few hours.
On a less humorous note, the rest of the movie just isn’t that good. “Terrifier 3” can’t seem to juggle the tone switch from the horrifying heights of Art the Clown’s murder spree to the rather stale storyline of Sienna Shaw. Instead of finding the right mix that amplifies each character’s stories, it pushes each arc into the complete opposite end of the spectrum. Art moves at a dizzyingly fast pace, while Sienna’s characterization is grudgingly slow. The last 20 minutes are the closest we get to a good mix of the characters because that’s when they are finally together.
One of the few highlights of the movie is the filmmaking itself. For a movie with a premise as basic as it is, the cinematography is excellent. There are quite a few times when certain shots surprise you with their technique, and then the scene devolves back into senseless gore again.
Another high point is the acting. Even amidst the plot of a simple killer clown going on a rampage, the performances of the cast breathe life into what could’ve been a very stale film. Gabbie Shaw (Antonella Rose), the young niece of protagonist Sienna Shaw, does a fantastic job for an 11-year-old actress. The relationship between Gabbie and Sienna feels real and adds a level of emotional depth that the majority of the movie lacks.
“Terrifier 3” delivers on the promise it makes to its core fan base: unrelenting death, creative kills and a uniquely sadistic villain. Beyond that, however, the film staggers. If you’re unsure whether you’re willing to drop money on this film, try watching a couple of scenes from Terrifier 2. If you like it enough to see two hours of it, go ahead and watch this movie. If not, save yourself the time.
Quinn Lakers Satterlund is an Arts & Entertainment intern for the fall 2024 quarter. He can be reached at qsatterl@uci.edu.
Edited by Alaina Retodo and Jaheem Conley.