TerrifiercreatorDamien Leonehas had to fend off a fair amount of criticism for the gory and harrowing crimes of his creation, Art the Clown. However, the director is clear in his goals for the most imaginative and unpredictable horror franchise of the century, and for his part is happy to defend the movies when it comes to one complaint in particular.
Terrifier 2became a box office hit and impressed critics when it premiered last October. The film follows Art the Clown, resurrected following the events of the first film, who returns to Miles County just in time for Halloween. There, he targets a teen girl and her younger brother.
Despite the film’s success and growing fan base, director Damien Leone has had to contend with criticism that his film’s graphic scenes of women being tortured and murdered are exploitative. Overall, Art the Clown’s victims are predominantly male, but scenes that feature female victims lean on the more extreme side; if you’ve seenTerrifier 2,Allie’s mutilation, torture, and murderare impossible to forget.
During a recent conversation with MovieWeb, Leone addressed critiques that violence against women was a predominant theme in his films:
“I completely ignore it on a personal level because I’m the furthest thing from a misogynist, but violence against women is a powerful component of the slasher genre as is the final girl. This is the classic trope and it’s more profound than people give it credit for. Historically, men are more savage and more brutal than women. It’s the nature of man to battle one another, to conquer lands, to hunt, etc. A male psychopath attacking a vulnerable woman is more effective and more disturbing on many levels, in turn making the villain much more reprehensible. This makes the audience 10x more empathetic for your final girl, and it’s exhilarating to root for them.”
Related:Terrifier 3 Release Date Revealed for Art the Clown’s Christmas Horror Sequel
Terrifier 2’s Formidable Final Girl
While the final girl trope was coined in 1992 by Carol J. Clover in her bookMen, Women, and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film, the notion has existed far longer. Although Jamie Lee Curtis' portrayal of Laurie Strode in Halloween is often referenced as the first final girl, its origins predate the 1978 film; many believe that Olivia Hussey’s character in 1974’sBlack Christmaswas the first horror film final girl.
Terrifier 2’s final girl, Sienna, played with all the fierce strength the role demands by Lauren LaVera, proves to be a formidable adversary for Art the Clown: she is strong, protective, and unwilling to back down from a fight. LaVera’s performance has been lauded by critics, and fortunately for fans of the film, LaVera returns forTerrifier 3. Creating a tough and easy-to-root-for final girl, Leone says, was his goal forTerrifier 2:
“Now I would understand the argument a little more if your male villain slaughtered women throughout the entire film only to have a male come in to save the day at the end. My goal with ‘Terrifier 2,’ especially, was to craft a very formidable final girl, who was very relatable and an obvious underdog against this seemingly immortal maniac. Audiences love an underdog, especially when they use their wits and courage to overcome extreme obstacles.”
Leone’sTerrifier 3is set for release on July 05, 2025. This time around, Art the Clown will torment and terrorize during the Christmas season. It is written and directed by Leone and stars LaVera, Elliott Fullam, David Howard Thornton, and Samantha Scaffidi.
