The Reel Review
A killer clown dressed in black and white with matching face paint and a penchant for gore goes on a Halloween night murder rampage, in this 2016 slasher horror. This is the second feature film featuring the murderous Art the Clown, following writer/director Damien Leone’s 2013 anthology film All Hallows Eve.
Released in 2016, Terrifier has a distinctly vintage, 1980s feel to it, featuring the flimsiest of plots and some laughably bad acting and dialogue. But let’s be real – no one watching Terrifier is expecting high art. As far as suspense goes, it’s okay (there is one really well-done jump scare) but this is first and foremost a film for gore aficionados.
While not that realistic, the gore in Terrifier is still super gross. A few moments of macabre humor lighten the tone, but for the most part, Terrifier just isn’t that terrifying… or even that well done. If pointless, gratuitous gore is your thing, then enjoy, but most viewers will find this schlocky horror a boring and silly waste of time.
REEL FACTS
• Terrifier received three Fangoria Chainsaw Award nominations: Best Limited Release, Best Supporting Actor (Thornton as Art the Clown), and Best Makeup FX (writer/director Damien Leone)
• David Howard Thornton was cast as Art the Clown after Michael Gianelli decided not to reprise his role from 2013’s All Hallows Eve. As a result, the latex face mold used in the prior film had to be modified to fit Thornton’s face, to maintain continuity in Art the Clown’s appearance in the two films.
• Jenna Kanell and Catherine Corcoran were each filming other horror movies at the same time as Terrifier – The Bye Bye Man and Chuck – which required juggling of shooting schedules to work in the filming of their scenes together.
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