'Terrifier 2' (2022) Reaction

Damien Leone’s slasher sensation Terrifier was the success story the horror genre needed – premiering on the festival circuit in 2016 and receiving a wide release in 2018, including a brief stint on Netflix, the film was a home run for independent horror. At a time in which paranormal and psychological features dominated the silver screen, genre fans found themselves searching for a new standout slasher. The indie scene is traditionally full of hidden gems, but too often they fly under the radar to the masses due to the lack of funding for promotional material and large-scale rollouts. However, through word-of-mouth and sheer curiosity, Leone and the Fuzz on the Lens Productions team were able to unleash Terrifier to a broad audience and expose the world to Art the Clown, the silent, sadistic, and sinister villain that takes over the screen with no mercy. Heavily applauded by horror fans, the indie phenomenon was destined to have a sequel – the question then became, "how soon will it be released?"

While fans were foaming at the mouths for more clown carnage, the production and release of Terrifier 2 was put to a halt as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Fast forward two years, and the film opened in select theaters to rave reviews and reports of attendees passing out and vomiting during screenings. After what was supposed to be a weekend stay in theaters, the film had such a successful turnout that its run was extended to a week – and another week, then another week, etc. The fan-driven demand in extending and expanding the film's theatrical presence resulted in a $5.2 million gross at the box office with no signs of slowing down, and for good reason.

After the success of the first Terrifier film, many horror fans were quick to hail Art the Clown as the next big slasher icon, up there with Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers. If anyone was on the fence about such claims, Terrifier 2 solidifies Art's position as such – he is twice as creepy and twice and brutal in this film. David Howard Thornton does a fantastic job reprising his role as the violent clown, and while he may not have been the first person to play the part (Art was first played by Mike Gianelli in the short The 9th Circle (2008) the 2011 Terrifier short, and the anthology All Hallow's Eve (2013)), Thornton's made damn sure that there's nobody who can upstage his performance as Art.

No great slasher flick is complete without some kills, and Terrifier 2 has plenty of them. Fans of the first film will remember a certain kill involving a hacksaw and how graphic and shocking it was, and without giving anything away, it’s safe to say that there’s one scene in the sequel that may have surpassed it. It's also worth mentioning that not only did Damien Leone write, direct, produce, and edit these films, but he's also in charge of the special effects, which look spectacularly gruesome. From the makeup of Art the Clown himself to the bloody remnants of his victims, Leone’s ability to create eye-catching and convincing visuals with his bare hands without the reliance of digital crutches is a testament to the effectiveness, efficiency, and overall greatness of practical effects. Additionally, the set design is on point in this film with not a single element feeling out of place, from the darkly decorated Halloween store to the blood-spattered walls of the abandoned Terrifier funhouse (as well as the miniature exterior designed and created by illustrator Steve McGinnis).

Further on the point of visuals, the overall image quality of Terrifier 2 is a step up from the first movie – there seems to be a little less contrast lighting-wise, and the red and blue color tones are the most prevalent. There’s still a little bit of grittiness to the picture, but it doesn’t appear to be as exaggerated as in the first film – it’s as if someone made a grindhouse film with some extra production value, to put it in simpler terms.

With the filmmakers being fans of the genre themselves, hardcore horror fans may be able to notice glimpses of the team’s influences through the course of Terrifier 2 – from the events of the plot to diegetic settings to certain camera movements, gore-hounds may pick up on homages and similarities to films like A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Halloween (1978), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), and even Hellraiser (1987). Fans of Edgar Allan Poe and 60s horror will also notice the addition of a whole character inspired by the French-Italian film Spirits of the Dead (1968). Even the score is a love letter to 80s slashers, with the synthwave and ambient electronic soundtrack reminding fans of scores to films like A Nightmare on Elm Street, Chopping Mall (1986), and Slumber Party Massacre (1982).

The rest of the cast is outstanding as well – each actor gives a compelling performance, regardless of how major or minor their roles are. Horror fans will be delighted to see a brief cameo from genre royalty Felissa Rose, rock music fans will love seeing Elliott Fullam from the YouTube channel Little Punk People in a co-starring role, and even supporting actors like Sarah Voigt, Casey Hartnett, and Kailey Hyman do a great job bringing their characters to life and capturing the interest of the audience. However, as proficiently as the cast performs, none of them outshine the performance of the protagonist and new “final girl” of this series – Lauren LaVera as Sienna Shaw. Leone writes out a great template for this character with his script, and coupling that blueprint with LaVera’s remarkable performance makes for a character to contend with the likes of Laurie Strode and Nancy Thompson. Not enough can be said about how great it is to have not only a final girl that’s well-written on paper, but to also have someone impressively portray them and have the audience invested in them the way LaVera did.

A big topic of discussion in regards to Terrifier 2 is the runtime – clocking in at two and a half hours, it’s easy to understand why some people would have reservations about sitting through the film. Personally, I despise when movies are beyond the hour-and-a-half mark most of the time because I’ve seen too many films that go on longer than they should’ve, but Terrifier 2 goes by faster than one would think. There’s much more of a fleshed-out plot in this film in comparison to its predecessor, and it was good to have more time for the characters to develop and to get the audience invested in their story instead of just waiting for Art to show up and do his thing. This is one of the few films I’ve seen that actually benefits from being longer than usual, and it even leaves enough questions unanswered to garner up interest for a third movie.

All in all, Terrifier 2 is a gory good time that’s worth a watch, as long as you don’t have a weak heart or stomach. If the first Terrifier was the success story, then this sequel is the victory lap – if there was any doubt with the first film, Terrifier 2 sets Art the Clown’s icon status in stone, adds an extraordinary final girl to the fold, and shatters the expectations of box office projectors in the process. In a year that’s already been a landmark one for the horror genre, seeing an indie slasher sequel that was crowdfunded to a six-figure budget end up grossing several millions of dollars in a theatrical run is nothing short of magnificent. Everyone involved should be proud of themselves and celebrate the success of this developing franchise before getting back to work on the next one.

Terrifier 2 is currently playing in select theaters, and will be streaming to ScreamBox on Halloween. For showtimes, tickets, and more information about the movie, click here.

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