Terrifier (2018)- Dark, Violent, Gory and Very Well Done Terrifier Brings the Horror and is a Must Watch-Fitz of Horror Review

Written by Bryan Fitzgerald (Fitz of Horror) April 5, 2018

Synopsis- A maniacal clown named Art, terrorizes three young women on Halloween night and everyone else who stands in his way. 

Not since The Barn or Circus of the Dead has an independent horror movie created so much buzz and been so polarizing as Damien Leone’s Terrifier. It has spread throughout the horror community like wildfire and the consensus is that everyone seems to love it, as did I.

Terrifier takes chances that work to perfection resulting in a horror movie that can actually be considered legitimately scary. The story is your typical “cat and mouse” madman chasing his victims for the slaughter but the undeniably evil villain and his methods of hunting and killing his prey in such wildly over the top and gory ways sets this film apart from your typical slasher fare.

The film opens on a news interview with a “final girl” victim of Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) but she definitely didn’t come away from her experience with him unscarred. The opening news interview itself is somewhat jarring and unexpected and leads to an intense opening sequence to start the film.

When we meet our prey, Tara (Jenna Kanell) and Dawn (Catherine Corcoran), the sense of dread is already pretty thick but they are likeable characters so it is easy to root for them. They are both leaving a Halloween party a bit tipsy and when they are arguing about who is going to drive home they see a man dressed as a clown coming down the street, normally this wouldn’t be out of the ordinary since it’s Halloween but this clown was extra creepy and gives Tara a bad feeling right away. They decide to go get something to eat to sober up but soon realize that they have an unwanted follower.

The film ends up in a mostly abandoned apartment building that is being bombed for rats which brings two more characters to the story and eventual chase. This proves to be the perfect claustrophobic setting for our pursuit because all of the doors and windows are locked and the only way out is through the maniacal clown and his deadly bag of tricks.

What makes Art the Clown especially scary is the fact that he is completely mute. His facial expressions and actions are downright creepy and lend to an overall uneasy feeling that just exudes from him throughout the entire film. The violence, intensity and realistic gore take this film to the next level as well. Terrifier does not shy away from the “money shot”and there are a few deaths that will probably take you by surprise. I will just say that a portion of this film was heavily influenced by the Miami Cannibal from a few years back and it was absolutely genius.

This movie brings the horror even for the seemingly jaded horror fans. It is a triumph of indie film making and the bloody birth of a new legend. I put Art the Clown up there with Papa Corn from Circus of the Dead as far a pure insanity and viciousness and he may just stand alone in the original kills department. 

David Howard Thornton’s turn as Art the Clown is nothing short of iconic. His gestures, movements and facial expressions set him apart from most slashers that came before him and in others hands, some of the situations could have come across as cheesy and laughable but his performance took it to a level of fear that is a rarity in most modern horror movies that try to take it to this place.

I am really hoping that we haven’t seen the last of Art the Clown and maybe someday we can get a Terrifier/Circus of the Dead mashup that could take the level of clown depravity to heights of which would make everyone forever forget the name Pennywise.

Terrifier was spawned from the 2013 Halloween themed anthology All Hallows Eve featuring a very popular segment featuring Art the Clown and is still available on VOD platforms and double feature blu ray on Amazon.There is also a short film from 2011 also called Terrifier that gave Art the Clown his first on screen appearance.

Get the 2 disc blu ray at epic-pictures.com

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