It's Halloween night in Miles County, one year after the offal-strewn rampage of Art the Clown, and that baleful resurrected entity once more embarks on an All Hallows Eve spree of lethal butchery. In the middle of this are two high school-aged siblings whose father recently died, and the two are somehow connected to Art the Clown, who has the pair firmly in his silent sights for torment and mutilation. By the time Halloween is over, the brother and sister face the fight of their lives, with many innocents meeting horrible fates at the hands of Art along the way.
TERRIFIER 2 is a strong contender for the distinction of being the best slasher movie sequel, as it ups the ante from the initial installment in terms of gory set pieces, but also by planting the seeds of intriguing lore about Art and what he is. It's best experienced for yourself, so I will not delve into spoilers about those details. And this time Art is accompanied on his rampage by a creepy little girl, that only he and the siblings can perceive.
Apparently the un-restful spirit of a child murdered by Art during a previous orgy of terror, she serves as Art's playmate and accomplice, by engaging in childish games with him and employing shapeshifting and perfect vocal mimicry as a means to lure and mess with Art's targets.
The film is nearly 2.5 hours long, which may make it the longest slasher sequel to date, but it moves at a very brisk pace and only feels like it's 90 minutes. And that running time is not wasted on cheap fake-outs or the usual teen bullshit we expect from slashers cinema. No, the filmmakers know exactly what the audience is there for, namely outrageous gore and violence that ups the ante at every turn, and they aimed to give the people what they want and then some. This flick s crazy violent and gruesome, with not even children being exempt from Art's savagery, so all bets are off.
TERRIFIER 2 is a practically perfect sequel in every way, so I look forward to the next installment, which is currently in theaters as of this writing. Absolutely recommended, as long as you have seen its predecessor. And make sure to stay through the end credits, as there's an extended stinger that sets up a continuation. There's a lot left to be explained about Art and the spooky little girl, plus to say nothing of certain other plot elements set up in this one that I refuse to spoil, and though some explanations would be appreciated, I am one of those weirdos who enjoys ambiguity in my monsters. Maybe give me a little something, but allowing Art to remain somewhat of an unknowable entity of murderous, dismembering, flesh-eating chaos might be a good idea if the series is to continue indefinitely.
Poster for the theatrical release.
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