As a seasoned cinephile with a penchant for the offbeat and the bizarre, I find myself utterly captivated by the audacious audacity of Damien Leone’s Terrifier trilogy. Having grown up in the shadow of the Vatican, I can attest to the intricacies and nuances of Christian mythology, and I must say that Terrifier 3 takes this foundation and elevates it to a whole new level of bonkers brilliance.
As a gaming enthusiast diving into the world of horror films, let me tell you that Terrifier 3 is a chilling masterpiece that pushes boundaries. It’s the bloodiest, most shocking horror film of 2024, and trust me, you don’t want to miss it. Despite its dark and disturbing nature, it carries echoes of Biblical themes, making it one of the most intriguing Christian films of the year. In essence, “Let your Clown come, and thy will be done as it is in Hell.
Under the creative direction of Art (and Damien Leone), movie theaters have been tainted with blood, showcasing gruesome scenes such as women being divided in half, men having their bodies severed through the groin to the head, and teenagers transformed into piles of shattered bone and quivering flesh that would make the Cenobites recoil.
To put it simply, Art the Clown can be described as a demonic entity (as stated by Leone), a relentless force of malevolence who moves in silence, chuckling sinisterly, and is always on the hunt for his next victim.
The Terrifier films undeniably illustrate this point, yet they delve into a more spiritual dimension that surpasses the common slasher antagonist versus final girl dynamic: an ominous, deeply rooted Christian interpretation of righteousness versus wickedness.
Terrifier 3 is an unorthodox Christian movie
There are four categories of faith-based films and shows: saccharine biopics and dramas that almost always resolve their stories with the grace of God; movies adapting scripture, either faithfully (The Prince of Egypt, The Chosen) or with divisive creative license (Noah, Exodus: Gods and Kings); propaganda films that weaponize Christianity like an angsty street preacher (Left Behind, God’s Not Dead); projects that smartly interrogate the role and strain of spirituality (The Last Temptation of Christ, Silence).
The genre is at its most incisive in the latter category. Take The Exorcist, one of the best horror movies of all time, which doubles as an effective, crowd-pleasing experience and treatise on faith in the face of evil.
In the film “The Book of Eli,” Denzel Washington’s character embarks on a violent, revenge-fueled journey through a post-apocalyptic world. Remarkably, he discovers and protects what appears to be the final copy of the Bible on Earth, offering hope and redemption in a desolate landscape.
Among all films depicting the story, The Passion of the Christ stands out as the most impactful and exceptional, with Mel Gibson’s unique blend of graphic yet moving account of Jesus’ sacrificial ordeal. This film, as Roger Ebert put it, stirred “the force of belief,” whether positively or negatively. It was an unusual take on the Passion story, but it held the title of America’s highest-grossing R-rated movie until Deadpool and Wolverine entered the scene.
In essence, you can’t easily categorize Terrifier 3 as it defies typical genre boundaries, much like how religion often transcends compartments in life. This film is a groundbreaking rule-breaker, offering an unrated, gory spectacle reminiscent of Gibson’s epic and one of the most theologically intriguing films since then. Moreover, it’s the first movie in two decades to portray the torment of a savior – although in this case, the character isn’t named Jesus, but Sienna.
The Terrifier franchise isn’t just about violence
In a nutshell, the Terrifier movies revolve around a sinister, supernaturally inclined clown named Art who delights in brutally murdering individuals in shockingly violent ways.
Not only does the violence in these films run deep, it’s just a small part of their overall appeal. What truly stands out is the exceptional, humorous, and chilling portrayal by David Howard Thornton, which redefines the genre. (For those who find delight in the most gruesome scenes, let me clarify that these movies start with a child being brutally killed; to quote an MJ meme, “f**k them kids,” but I assure you, it’s the performance that truly shines.)
As a gamer, I can’t help but notice the intriguing and extensive use of Biblical symbolism in Terrifier 2 that even the most oblivious or willfully blind would find hard to miss. The notion that art could conquer suicide was my first clue that this character might be “the Beast,” another name for the Antichrist as depicted in the Book of Revelation: “One of its heads appeared to have a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed,” as stated in Revelation 13:3.
In the narrative, Sienna, who embodies divine grace, adorns herself with wings and golden armor, mirroring the advice from Ephesians 6:10, “Put on the complete armor of God so that you may be able to resist the trickery of the devil.” In a scene at the Clown Cafe, she skillfully uses her father’s sword to deflect Art’s flamethrower; symbolically, she employs “the sword of faith” as a “shield of faith” to “put out all the flames ignited by evil.
Instead of relying solely on my account, let me emphasize that the director himself has clarified that the Clown Cafe scene isn’t just a dream. According to him, it represents a divine test for Sienna, which originates from her subconscious thoughts. If Sienna doesn’t show courage and decide to stand up against Art at the end, then she may not be the chosen one.
When she grabs a handful from the cereal box and finds a glowing sword instead, “it’s at this point that the sword is considered ‘officially consecrated.’ It materializes before her eyes, and quite literally, it’s ablaze.
Later on in the game, I mercilessly flog Art like the Scourging at the Pillar, then plunge her into a metaphysical water tank – a personal inferno she manages to break free from. As it’s written in Revelation 1:18, she’s the one who endures; she was thought to be gone, but behold, she’s alive eternally, and she holds the keys to the Grim Reaper.
Terrifier 3 is overtly religious
Terrifier 3 emphasizes the series’ religious through-line, as gruesomely knotty as that may be.
The events unfold during Christmas, as Art’s boisterous and disruptive behavior clashes sharply with the holiday spirit; if there was a manger, you can bet he’d destroy it. His excessive devotion to a Santa figure resembling Coca-Cola’s icon, the powerful secular symbol, subtly indicates his refusal to abide by the season’s ethical expectations (despite likely landing on the naughty list). Vicky delivering Art’s head in the initial scene is a humorous, blasphemous twist on Mary’s virgin birth.
In this scene, we find a demon shaping Sienna’s sword, supported by what appears to be a wise and watchful figure resembling Mother Mary. This seemingly paradoxical act can be seen as a necessary evil, serving a greater good. The sword is destined to remain in a shadowy chain until the time of judgment, reminiscent of the concept described in 2 Peter 2:4.
In the climactic scene, there’s an overwhelming display of Christian symbolism. Sienna’s uncle is put on a cross, she endures a wreath of thorns, her palms are wounded and bleeding, and her relative is pulled into a gateway leading to eternal torment, described as the “fire prepared for the Devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).
In a forceful and emotional outburst, directed at Sienna, Vicky exclaims, “You’re not a savior! There is neither hope nor a divine presence!” This appears to be the first instance where they openly mention such a figure.
The movie additionally sheds light on Art’s connection with Sienna: he isn’t her biological father, yet the same divine power that sanctified Sienna’s sword with protective holiness (making it unable to harm her but potentially lethal for Art) was also present in Art’s father. This is why Art and Sienna’s sketches are found together in his sketchbook, alongside drawings of her warrior attire. Art was reincarnated primarily for continuous slaughter, and Sienna serves as a counterbalance; a guardian to combat an adversary.
According to the Bible in John 3:8, anyone who commits wrongdoing is following the Devil’s lead because he has been sinning since his beginning. However, it’s important to note that this doesn’t mean all art or creative works are inherently sinful. Instead, Sienna, as a symbol or concept, was introduced to counteract and undo the negative impact of the Devil’s actions.
In the closing seconds, Art flees and boards a bus, where we see a passenger reading a book with a familiar title: The 9th Circle, a wink to fans of Leone’s work (it’s the title of his first short film and Art the Clown’s debut) and an Easter egg that asserts the film’s connection to Christianity by referencing Dante’s Inferno, one of the most significant theological texts outside of the Bible.
Art the Clown is an agent of Satan (or the Devil himself)
In the 9th Circle, we find a crucial piece of information. It suggests that Art could have two different beginnings. One possibility is that he’s acting on behalf of a demon, carrying out the Devil’s orders. The other intriguing option is that Art might actually be Satan himself, embodying pure evil in its most unadulterated form.
According to Leone’s explanation, Art was portrayed as a man in the initial Terrifier movie, but he was more than just a monstrous figure. Despite his reprehensible actions, he remained human. The Little Pale Girl, who appeared as one of his earliest victims and seemed benign at first, was actually an ominous presence, representing evil itself.
In the third installment of “Terrifier”, there are no straightforward explanations about Art the Clown’s connection to Hell or “the Beast.” Previously, he was shown throwing Sienna through a portal, implying his immortality. His characteristics also echo those of demons, as depicted in the Bible, such as the man possessed by a demon mentioned in Matthew 12:22 and Luke 11:14.
Dante Alighieri said, “Don’t worry, nothing can hinder our journey.” However, destiny as depicted in art can be terrifying, for it holds immense power over its current gloom; its course is not dictated by natural laws, but by suffering, pushing us to the extremes of life and mocking the possibility of rising above.
In Leone’s initial short story (which also serves as the beginning of All Hallows’ Eve), Art is depicted as Satan’s messenger. He injects a woman, abducts her, and then seemingly delivers her to a cult, where she experiences a horrific ordeal involving the Devil. Whether this event fits into the Terrifier series timeline (and I must admit, I’m not aware of its placement) is questionable, but it’s clear that Art is a deceitful character, wandering around the world and moving from place to place.
In a creative reinterpretation, let’s consider that the events portrayed in Art’s story from “Terrifier” might be subtly mirroring the 20th verse of Revelation. If so, this tale could imply Satan, symbolized by Art, has been set free after a thousand-year imprisonment and is now deceiving the world, just as prophesied. Similar to how God is one yet also three in the Trinity, Satan, through Art, serves as both an individual entity and a representative of a greater power. Only Sienna, in this narrative, might possess the means to seal off the Abyss once more.
What Damien Leone says about Terrifier 3’s religious imagery
The intriguing aspect of Terrifier 3 lies in its ambiguity regarding religious themes. Unlike some works that either distort scripture or preach to viewers through a film disguised as a sermon, this movie doesn’t conform to these patterns. While Christianity is a crucial basis for its wild mythology, it ventures into territories beyond faith, becoming increasingly bizarre in the process.
In a conversation with TopMob, Leone shared that following Terrifier 2, he chose to fully commit to the intense struggle between good and evil. He noted that there’s a significant amount of biblical symbolism and visual references in these films, particularly in the third part, as expressed during their discussion.
What’s intriguing and may go unnoticed at first glance is that the college attended by Jonathan is named St. Percival’s. Interestingly, St. Percival doesn’t exist in reality; he was one of King Arthur’s knights who embarked on a quest to retrieve the Holy Grail.
Everything within this school represents knights, with the holy grail situated right on a knight’s chest. Since I’m fond of this mythology and we often incorporate it into Sienna’s sword, which is her Excalibur, these elements are deeply connected to that theme.
As a passionate gamer, I’d put it this way: “During an interview with the Los Angeles Times, following the disturbing incident of protesters outside a Kansas City theater objecting to the ‘satanic Santa’ in my movie, Terrifier 3, I boldly declared that it could and arguably should be viewed as a Christian film. In defense of this perspective, I pointed out that the Bible is incredibly violent.
As a gamer, I chuckle when our group is under attack, especially when it comes from folks who’ve never watched the movie themselves. All they seem to go by is the visuals or knowing it’s action-packed, and they’ll quickly tell me, “You need to find Jesus.
“If you only saw the movie… you’d see some really pro-God stuff in this movie.”
In Leone’s perspective, Sienna serves as a striking and debatable representation of the Christ figure in the film Terrifier: “She isn’t exactly a resurrected Jesus Christ,” he clarified, “but that aspect is woven into her character. She endures torment, and in a sense, she becomes the sacrificial offering.
Wearing a crown adorned with thorns could spark debate among viewers, as it might be perceived as contravening the Second Commandment. This commandment forbids creating representations of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath the earth.
In simpler terms, if we interpret literally, any representation of Jesus, God, or Satan is seen as wrongdoing due to idolatry. Sienna, though she may share similarities with Christian imagery, was not designed for worship. Her story might remind us of biblical tales, but it exists independently and serves its own mythology, functioning as a unique narrative in itself.
Sienna’s role is to save us from wickedness, and Leone knows that she will confront Art the Clown for the final showdown (Though Terrifier 4 might wrap up the series, it’s not yet confirmed). Just as Jesus encountered Satan before his resurrection, one must face darkness to rise above it, and the scene is now ready for a climactic struggle in Hell. “Our heavenly Father, who guides us through trials.
Check out our breakdown of the climax of Terrifier 3, learn where you can stream it online, discover why that particular scene is its scariest, and get a guide on watching the Art the Clown films sequentially.
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2024-10-17 18:50