Terrifier (2016) Review

Following the news that Terrifier 3 has been announced, we felt it was high time that we reviewed the previous films. Since his early appearance in All Hallows Eve (2013), Art the Clown has been thrust into horror stardom, fast becoming a distinctive silent horror icon.

Directed by Damien Leone, Terrifier is a 2016 American slasher film which thrusts us headlong into a night of terror on Halloween. It’s a familiar setup, where a malevolent clown, Art, with a penchant for murder, terrorizes unsuspecting victims. But it’s not just the plot’s familiarity that grabs our attention, it’s the unapologetically raw execution.

From the outset, Terrifier sets the disturbing stage with an eerie, disfigured face on a crackling television screen. The face belongs to a lone survivor of Art’s destruction, the aftermath of the ‘Miles County Massacre’. From the outset we’re plunged into a world of discomfort, making us squirm in our seats, a feeling that persists throughout the film.

The film rolls back to the hours preceding the massacre and we are introduced to Tara and Dawn, two young women reaching the end of a boozy Halloween night and in need of food and transport. After an early (though uneventful) encounter with Art, they call on Tara’s sister Victoria for a lift home, and in a surprisingly short amount of time between that call and Victoria’s arrival, all hell has broken loose and Art has already amassed a big body count.

Terrifier is essentially a series of rough-and-ready scenarios with shallow characters, average acting and extreme violence. This combination of jarring elements – eighties level production and noughties levels of torture and violence – leave the film straddling two very different worlds. It’s a homage to classic horror while at the same time pushing boundaries of what is acceptable for audiences.

This seems to chime well for younger audiences who are regularly fed self-shot video that is light on production and extreme gore and violence which is now sadly a common feature on social media platforms and niche websites. This in part is why Leone has seen such rapid success.

What gives Terrifier its unique edge, despite the overarching familiarity of its plot, is the portrayal of Art the Clown. This unhinged mime, brought to life by David Howard Thornton, is the pivot on which the film’s menace turns. Thornton’s performance as Art stands out, primarily because of his ability to make silence scream louder than words. There’s an unnerving quality to this character, a silent malevolence and an unrelenting, smiling evil. These are the qualities that shone through from Art’s initial screen appearances.

It’s worth stating now, Terrifier is not for the faint of heart. The film’s most grotesque moments involve Art and his victims, culminating in shocking displays of brutality. One scene involving a woman hanging upside-down is enough to test the stomach of any seasoned horror fan. And at times the sheer quantity of gore can at times detract from Art’s ominous presence. He morphs from a sinister entity to a more generic, albeit highly violent, slasher villain.

The film’s setting and execution play a pivotal role in its ability to chill audiences. The cinematography by George Steuber, employing a predominantly black-and-white aesthetic with shades of grey, effectively highlights the film’s brutality. This visual style accentuates the stark contrast of blood and gore, making them all the more unsettling. The juxtaposition of light and shadow creates a disquieting ambiance that is visually arresting, mirroring the high contrast white and black of Art himself.

Terrifier is not without its flaws. While the film excels in presenting its grotesque kills (especially given the tiny budget), it sometimes falls short in character development. The victims are, for the most part, rather generic, without leaving a lasting impression. Their characters serve as conduits for Art’s violence, and the film doesn’t invest much in their depth.

The film’s excessive violence can also lead some other critical thinking. In the age of the #TimesUp movement and increased sensitivity to depictions of violence against women, does Terrifier over-step the mark? The film seems to dwell disproportionately on the torment and suffering of female characters while dispatching male characters relatively swiftly and with less agony. This apparent disparity may not align with the evolving sensibilities of modern cinema-goers. Terrifier in part harks back to an era of horror when graphic, brutal violence was more commonplace and less scrutinized.

While the film may not live up to the title’s promise of being “terrifying,” it does offer effectively executed scenes and impressive special effects. The gruesome kills, aside from one particular piece of practical effects, are a testament to the filmmakers’ dedication to delivering unapologetic blood, gore, and twisted fun. As the clown horror subgenre continues to draw audiences, this film brings its own brand of menacing entertainment, offering a dark, brutal journey into the heart of Halloween night’s horror.

In the end, Terrifier doesn’t break new ground in the horror genre, but it does manage to stir discomfort and unease. As the clown’s eerie smile looms large in the darkened corners of the film, one wonders who the man behind the mask is, and how he possesses seemingly supernatural powers. I guess we’ll have to watch Terrifier 2 to find out.

Movie Rating:

Terrifier trailer