The Screambox exclusive “The Terrifier 2” dropped on Oct. 31 after a limited theatrical release, which continues from the first movie with Art the clown continuing his brutal rampage on Halloween night after surviving a gunshot to the head. This movie is not rated, which means the content is so graphic and grotesque the Motion Picture Association didn’t think it was suitable for an R rating.
This movie is not for the faint of heart. News stories reported that during screenings of this movie in early October, several people fainted and vomited during the movie with an ambulance being called for one of the showings.
It’s not clear if this was real or simply a publicity stunt, but after viewing this movie I don’t think any of this was for publicity. If you are familiar with “Terrifier,” this shouldn’t surprise you.
The killer clown genre has been oversaturated with countless movies following the trope, but this movie sets itself apart. “The Terrifier 2” is technically the fourth installment of the series. The first two additions being “The Ninth Circle” and “All Hallows Eve”, both are horror shorts by director Damien Leone.
Both feature the same character: Art the Clown. Art is a mime with homicidal tendencies and a knack for torture. I would say Art is one of the scarier movie clowns. This is another thing that sets “The Terrifier 2” apart from other killer clowns is the movie style.
With a budget of $250,000 you would think this movie is hot garbage, but it isn’t. This low-budget horror movie is very well done and better than most multi-million-dollar horror pictures that fail to surprise or impress me in any way.
Unlike the first “Terrifier,” this movie has a plot. The movie takes place one year after the events of the first. The movie follows Sienna, played by Lauren LaVerra, and her brother Jonathan, played by Elliot Fullman, desperately trying to survive Halloween night while being stalked by Art the Clown, played by David Howard Thorton. Their friends and innocent bystanders, unfortunately, get caught between them and meet their untimely ends.
The acting in this movie is superb, considering its budget. The actors make me care about their characters, making their deaths even tougher to watch. David Howard Thorton puts on the show of a lifetime as Art the Clown. His creepy demeanor and mime acting makes Art the Clown the next horror icon that will haunt your nightmares.
This was a good, low-budget, indie horror film. However, I would only recommend it to you if you’re a horror super fan. The long-drawn-out death scenes and over-the-top violence and gore isn’t for everyone, especially casual horror enjoyers. The movie can be streamed on Screambox, a new horror-exclusive streaming service with original movies and horror classics.
I give this movie a solid 8/10
Ben DeWitt can be reached at [email protected]