Terrifier 2
2022 / Damien Leone / Screambox / NR
Quick Thoughts
Dude, what is the Mom's problem?
The creepy little girl is a new addition.
Where is the clown?
Oh, this scene in the costume shot is my favorite.
I am getting Nightmare On Elm Street vibes.
Nooo, bleach, really?
Halloween night came around and Terrifier 2 was the unanimous pick for my fiance and me. We put the baby down, cracked ourselves a couple of cold ones, and qued up this insane murderous adventure. We were both fans of Terrifier, which you can find my review of below. Fair warning: If you're squeamish with blood and gore, these films are not for you. The Terrifier Franchise packs a hell of a punch when it comes to twisted kills, and repulsive practical effects.
The film picks up just after the first, Art is resurrected and wastes no time in seeking his next victim. This is followed by Art visiting a laundry mat (there are more sets in this film than the first) to wash his blood-stained clothing, which is an absolute hoot. If this film's pace, acting, and dark humor haven't caught your attention yet, then the next two and a half hours will be grueling for you.
We then spend quite some time with our protagonist, Sienna played by the brilliant Lauren LaVera. She does typical teenage stuff and has a little brother and a nagging mother (whose acting needs a whole lot of work). Her father predicted that she would have to kill Art the clown, and so he left her a magical sword...? Look, it doesn't matter. The kills are effective, and the humor is pitch-black. Some classic slasher tropes rise to the surface but are used in an almost endearing manner.
There's a plot to this film that ultimately falls flat, but that's not the biggest complaint about Terrifier 2, instead, it is the run time. I dismiss the run-time complaint because many of us have sat through shitty superhero movies, and no one pulls out their entrails over it. Horror gets a different treatment from the masses, which is why it's a miracle that this film landed in theaters and raked in the ticket sales that it did.
David Howard-Thornton is a horror icon that can go up against Robert Englund at this point. Damien Leone is proving that low-budget indie films are still the purest form of horror cinema. Lauren LaVera is 2022's final girl all the way, I'm sure we'll be seeing people donning her costume in the near future. I beg you to ignore the run time and watch this film with some friends and a couple of drinks, I'm sure it'll slay.
Tag Team Death Match. Which team takes the W?
- Jason Voorhees & Freddy Krueger
- Michael Meyers & Art The Clown