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Joker Art has mesmerized the horror world with the release of “Terrorist” in 2016. David Howard Thornton’s signature horror performance as the Art Joker coupled with inventive, gruesome killing has horror fans hungry for more. Damien Leone is back again as writer, director, producer, editor and makeup artist. Leone has improved almost every aspect of filmmaking in Terrorist 2. His meticulous control of the film and Howard Thornton’s return as the art of the clown resulted in a horror film of nearly two and a half hours. Terrorist 2 opens in select theaters on October 6, 2022.
Thriller 2 doesn’t chase stars; it shoots the galaxy. Leone and company really packed this film to its absolute limit. The killing is simply daunting, the body count is high, and the character of the clown art is more fleshed out. That being said, this movie isn’t exactly a home run. As a horror fan, there’s a lot to love here, but this ambitious film has some flaws.
Leone and the special effects team he leads are the real heroes of Horror 2. The killings here are simply jaw-dropping. Every body part imaginable can and will be dismantled by clown art. Every time, it looks very realistic. You can literally feel every dismemberment, every machete and every stab wound that Art’s victims suffer. The talent shown by the makeup and special effects team here is incredible and deserves all the praise in the world. There are so many examples of cringe-worthy, disgusting uses of blood and gore that it doesn’t look all that convincing if it’s in the hands of a smaller makeup and effects team. They really made the movie.
David Howard Thornton is here to truly transform the art of the clown from a horror villain to a horror icon. He never spoke in both films, but his physical presence, eye movements and silent presence are truly impressive. Art is the perfect balance between silent killers (Michael Myers, Jason Voorhis) and charismatic killers (Freddy Kruger, Chucky). When he murdered his victims, he was downright horrific. However, Leone’s writing and Thornton’s physical performance create some hysterical, darkly comedic moments throughout the film.
Compared to the first, Terrorist 2 has improved in every aspect of filmmaking. Given that the film’s budget was well above the original’s mere $100,000, the cinematography looks slightly better. The acting here is also much better. The cast is much smaller than the original, and most of the cast feels more experienced. While there are some poor performances here, it’s a major improvement over the poor performance in the original. In addition to the improvement of the actors’ acting skills, the plot of “Terror 2” has also been greatly improved. The first Terrorist felt like an extended short, essentially an 84-minute art stalking and killing collection. “Thriller 2” actually has narrative threads and character arcs.
Speaking of improving her acting skills, Lauren LaVella (Sienna) is pretty good in that regard. With LaVera’s compassionate and charismatic performance, you truly care about her character. Sienna is your archetypal horror protagonist and the “final girl” who finally confronts Art. Although her character is an acknowledged archetype, Leone wrote her with enough quirks to keep her from feeling too derivative. The Wonder Woman-esque costume she wears in Act Three, Face Art, is sure to be an iconic horror look.
All that said, that’s not to say Thriller 2 isn’t flawed. For starters, the movie is too long. The film is nearly two and a half hours long. The whole episode starts to feel too bloated, especially in the second half. The second half and third act in particular could benefit from the rewrite.
As a horror fan, I love Gore. I like the unique kills, good practical effects and general brutality. Having said that, you could argue that “Terrorists 2” pushes it too far here. I’m all for brutal killing and the filmmakers putting their characters on the gallows, but I do think some of the torture and killing is a little too much. The best horror movies use the perfect balance; on-screen brutality and implicit psychological horror must be balanced. If you’re not good at dealing with gore, I highly recommend skipping this movie. “Terrorists 2” is downright crazy at times.
Terrorist 2 is a wobbly movie that ended up hitting three straight titles; it’s a little too ambitious for its own sake. However, the bloody journey that Damien Leon takes us is well worth it for any veteran horror fan. The downright gore, Howard Thornton’s performance as clown art, and the make-up/actual effects themselves overshadow the story’s problems and excessive brutality. 7 out of 10.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Torch.
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