Don’t forget your sick bag!
When I first heard that cinemas were putting up warnings about people fainting and vomiting during screenings, I assumed it was just a publicity stunt. But then I remembered the carnage from the first two films and thought: “Yeah, that could be legit.”
Having now seen the third instalment, I can say with 100 per cent certainty that it’s true. I came pretty close.
Damien Leone returns as writer and director, delivering his twisted vision once again. Sienna (Lauren LaVera) and her brother (Elliott Fullam) are back, trying to rebuild their lives after surviving Art the Clown’s (David Howard Thornton) Halloween massacre. As Christmas approaches, they attempt to embrace the holiday spirit and move on. But just when they feel safe, Art reappears, dressed as Santa, with a new ‘elf’ – his former victim, Vicky.
Together, they’re determined to turn Christmas into another blood-soaked nightmare, and this time, there’s more blood than I’ve ever seen on the big screen.
The movie’s style is intentionally rough-around-the-edges. The grainy footage took me back to old-school horrors like Peter Jackson's Bad Taste, and the retro title screen only confirmed that this was a deliberate choice.
David Howard Thornton once again excels as Art, seamlessly blending physical comedy with horror, making us laugh even while he’s brutally wiping out entire families. Every time Art interacted with something Santa-related, I found myself chuckling, fully aware it would lead to a grisly outcome. What that says about me and the rest of the audience, I’m not entirely sure.
Now, I could nit-pick and say the story could’ve been tighter, or the characters more developed, but let’s be real - nobody’s here for that. We came for the gore, and Terrifier 3 more than delivers.
As an early Christmas gift, we’ve been given exactly what we were promised – something rare in many films these days.
Ho, Ho, Horror.
Mike Clarke
Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough, Out Now
Cast: Lauren Lavera, Elliott Fullam, Margaret Ann Florence, Samantha Scaffidi, Bryce Johnson & David Howard Thornton
Running Time: 2 Hrs 5 Mins
Director: Damien Leone
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