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'Terrifier' is a Terrifyingly Awful Franchise

October 31, 2024
By:
Tyler Banark
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With today being Halloween, some people may be out trick-or-treating, partying, or settling in to watch a movie that ought to give them a good spook. The Terrifier movies have recently sparked considerable debate in the horror genre and have made for must-watches leading up to the holiday. Created by Damien Leone, these films follow Art the Clown, a sadistic and mute killer with a penchant for gruesome murders, as he terrorizes his victims in ruthless and graphic ways. While these movies have gained a cult following, there is a solid case to be made for why the Terrifier films are fundamentally flawed, relying heavily on shock value over substance. Some fans praise their audacious gore and chilling antagonist. Still, they fall short due to several recurring issues: a lack of narrative depth, excessive reliance on graphic violence, shallow character development, and underwhelming storytelling. The Terrifer movies are distasteful to the point where I didn’t bother watching the third one, so this will focus on the first two movies, mindless terror that doesn’t care for their audience.


One of the most prominent critiques of the Terrifier series is its reliance on gore and shock as its primary source of horror. While horror is a genre where blood and violence are often used to drive fear, Terrifier takes this to such an extreme that it loses effectiveness. The graphic, drawn-out torture scenes and relentless bloodshed feel gratuitous rather than serving any narrative purpose, overshadowing any plot that might add weight or substance to the horror. Horror movies often employ gore effectively to enhance fear, yet Terrifier appears to use it as the central element, leaving audiences feeling numb rather than scared.


Terrifier 2 received notoriety for scenes so violent and extreme that they reportedly led to physical reactions from audiences, including fainting and vomiting. While this attention-grabbing tactic may appeal to some viewers looking for intense thrills, it reflects a shallow approach to horror. Many horror enthusiasts seek out intelligent, suspenseful, or psychologically imaginative films that engage on multiple levels; Terrifier, however, lacks this nuance. In classic horror, gore emphasizes stakes or builds atmosphere. Films like Halloween or The Texas Chain Saw Massacre use violence as a component of a larger story, moving the plot along and adding that fear factor that’ll resonate with fans over time.



Another major criticism of the Terrifier films is their need for more substantial plot and character development. Both movies present bare-bones narratives with little complexity or depth. The premise of Terrifier follows Art the Clown as he terrorizes unsuspecting victims on Halloween night. There’s minimal context or background given to either Art or his victims, resulting in a superficial and uninspired story. The result is a narrative that feels cold and detached, with victims who are reduced to mere props in a series of violent set pieces rather than characters with agency or humanity. The lack of development makes Art feel like a one-dimensional antagonist without the psychology that makes other horror villains memorable.


Some horror movies thrive on the simplicity of their villains, Art the Clown symbolizes the dangers of reducing a character to mere shock and brutality. Art is undoubtedly memorable with his unsettling appearance and mime-like mannerisms, but he lacks the layers that make other horror villains iconic. Characters like Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, and even Leatherface are physically menacing, but they have a history or mythos that explain their descent into violence, making them not only terrifying but also intriguing. Art exists as a terrifying enigma without a clear backstory, purpose, or motivation. His violent actions are unprovoked and directionless.


The horror genre is known for its inventiveness and ability to push boundaries. It often uses subtext, metaphors, and symbolic elements to explore real-world fears and anxieties. Classic horror movies like Psycho or The Shining, or even modern horror successes like Hereditary or Get Out, have been praised for engaging audiences on intellectual and emotional levels. However, Terrifier lacks such artistic ambition, opting for cheap thrills and extreme violence as its main draws, limiting its relevance within the horror genre. Leone’s films provide neither a fresh perspective nor any meaningful exploration of societal fears. The series feels dated by focusing on a purely visceral approach, evoking early slasher tropes without significant twists. It’s a simplistic throwback, devoid of creativity and artistry, and failing to elevate itself to the level of genre-defining horror.



The ethical questions surrounding gratuitous violence are also a point of contention in the Terrifier movies. It takes this to another level by normalizing depictions of extreme torture and murder that border on exploitation. When violence is shown with such detail and with such little justification or context, it risks crossing into unethical territory. Horror filmmakers have long walked a fine line between terrifying audiences and respecting their limits. Movies like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Saw may have been graphic, but they often came with a purpose—social critique, commentary on survival, or explorations of morality. Terrifier, however, seems to revel in violence for its own sake, potentially desensitizing audiences to extreme images and blurring the line between entertainment and sadism.


Effective horror often relies on psychological tension, suspense, and an atmosphere of dread that keeps viewers on edge. Movies like Halloween and The Silence of the Lambs masterfully build terror by cultivating anticipation and fear of the unknown. The Terrifier films largely abandon this approach, choosing shock over suspense. Rather than building tension through careful pacing and eerie setups, the movies jump into graphic scenes that feel disjointed from any broader, sustained narrative. The absence of subtlety is especially apparent in Terrifier’s portrayal of Art’s murders, which are conducted in full view of the camera, leaving little room for suspense. This approach undermines the potential for psychological horror, making the movies feel less like an exploration of terror and more like a visual assault.


The Terrifier movies represent a missed opportunity to offer something unique or relevant in horror. While they may attract viewers seeking extreme thrills, these movies fail to deliver the storytelling that defines excellent horror cinema. An over-reliance on gore, weak character development, an unengaging antagonist, pacing issues, and a lack of innovation kills these movies in the excessive fashion Leone gives audiences over and over again.


You can follow Tyler and hear more of his thoughts on Twitter, Instagram, and Letterboxd.

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