Art the Clown returns in Terrifier 3, Damien Leone’s third film in his Terrifier franchise. Terrifier 3 contains just as much of Art the Clowns antics as you’d expect from the franchise, but the quality and production design have improved immensely. While the larger budget is on full display, the third film can’t quite top its sophomore outing.

Terrifier 3 is a specific film for a specific audience. The movie is brutal, disgusting at times and thin on plot. Everyone entering the film knows exactly what type of film they are going to see and Damien Leone delivers his signature style in spades. While the film may not be everyone’s cup of tea, a magnificent performance from Lauren LaVera makes this gorefest a serviceable film.

Back in the Hatchet

Terrifier 3 picks up five years after the events of Art’s second rampage. The second film delivered brutal cinematic violence, but was relatively thin on plot and backstory. Terrifier 3 aims to remedy that by giving some motivation to Art and his final girl Sienna.

While Terrifier 3 does have a plot, it’s all secondary to the kills and vibe of the film. The film takes place during the Christmas holiday, which is really just an excuse to put Art in a Santa costume and create some religious imagery. If you are the kind of viewer on board with that, then this is a film for you. If seeing faces ripped off and bodies dismembered isn’t your thing, then nothing in this third film will sway your movie-going choices.

An Ode to Horror

Damien Leone clearly has a love for horror movies and special effects. He has done a remarkable job bringing horrible gore to the screen and he does so again with this film. Terrifier 3 doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it does pay homage to horror in interesting ways.

There are numerous references throughout to everything from The Shinning to Psycho. It’s all done again here with little respect and in an over-the-top manner. And that’s perfectly fine for this franchise. Terrifier knows what it is and who it will appeal to. Specifically, the sickos who find American horror movies too tame.

A Terrifier Christmas

Setting the film during Christmas time allows Terrifier 3 to pay homage not just to horror movies, but to the Christmas genre as well. There is a plethora of Christmas imagery and cheery music played throughout the film that adds to the over-the-top campy style of this film series. Some tracks from Terrifier 2’s amazing soundtrack are back, but the synth-pumping beats of the second film are sorely missed.

The first films in the franchise tried to be straight-up horror movies and that worked to a point. By the third entry in every horror franchise, there typically needs to be some type of pivot to keep the series feeling fresh. Terrifier has gone full-on camp with its latest entry and it’s a decision that will ultimately serve them well in the long run.

Art Goes to Hell

The biggest misstep with Terrifier 3 is the convoluted backstory they’ve given to Art the Clown and Sienna Shaw. It was inevitable that eventually, the series would have to create some type of motive for Art, but the series works best when we know nothing about the killer clown. Art was terrifying because of his opacity. But now, there is little to fear.

Art the Clown is about as unsettling as a horror movie villain can be. Seeing him in a Santa outfit adds laughs but also raises the unease. Whenever Art interacts with children onscreen there is a moment of dread as the audience knows exactly what he’s capable of. Terrifier 3 makes no attempts to tone down Art, allowing him to kill people of all ages in spectacularly gruesome fashion even though it’s now mostly played for laughs.

Sienna Shaw vs Art the Clown

Terrifier 3 wisely chooses to continue the story of Sienna Shaw and her fight against Art. Lauren LaVera was a standout in the last film and she continues to shine in this latest flick. Acting far above her weight for a film that features a clown relieving himself on a mall store Santa’s lap.

The film continues to delve into Sienna’s backstory, expanding on her father and highlighting her own PTSD struggles after her last encounter with Art. LaVerna is quickly becoming a horror icon in her own right, and the imagery used for her at the end of this film only solidifies this. Unfortunately, her badass winged costume doesn’t make a return, but the film makes up for it by depicting her as a selfless heroine. The only one capable of conquering true evil.

Continuing to Terrify

Terrifier 3 is not a great film but it doesn’t want to be. It wants to be a film that graphically depicts the worst way to be chainsawed in half. There are two ways a person can be cut in half, and Terrifier 3 has the guts to show the audience both. But this third entry also brings in a ton of religious imagery and overtly heroic themes. Every film is about something and Terrifier 3 tries a little too hard to be about the epic battle of good vs evil.

Regardless, Terrifier 3 will be for some people and absolutely not for others. Giving a review score is almost nonsensical as the average moviegoer will know right away whether or not this movie is for them. It’s an unrated film where a psychopath clown dresses up like Santa and commits literal acts of terrorism. If you can stomach the violence and appreciate the camp this flick is for you. If you’d rather watch a psychopath clown grow a conscience during a courtroom drama, then oddly enough that exists for you as well. Terrifier 3 will be unwatchable to some and amazing to others. And you probably already know what camp you’ll fall into.