Terrifier 2 (2022) Horror Movie Poster

Terrifier 2 (2022)

Released: October 6, 2022
Runtime: 138 min
Not Rated
United States
English

Art the Clown is back from the dead, and on Halloween night he has his eye on a teenage girl and her little brother. Terrifier 2 is the sequel that turned a tiny indie slasher into a word-of-mouth phenomenon, after stories spread of audiences fainting and vomiting in cinemas. Written, directed and edited by Damien Leone, it was made for about 250,000 dollars, partly crowdfunded, and earned about 15.8 million worldwide. David Howard Thornton returns as the silent, grinning Art, and Lauren LaVera plays Sienna, a new heroine destined to fight him. It launched Art into horror stardom and led to Terrifier 3 in 2024. Fans still ask who the Little Pale Girl is, how Sienna comes back to life, and what the post-credits birth scene means.

7.2/10

Horror Jungle Rating

IMDb
IMDb

6.0/10

IMDb Rating

Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes

88%

Rotten Tomatoes

QUICK HORROR SNAPSHOT

Creepiness & Uncanny
9/10
Monster / Killer Threat
10/10
Atmosphere & Dread
7/10
Re-watch Value
6/10
Gore & Violence
10/10
Jump Scares
6/10
Psychological Terror
5/10
Overall Scare Factor
8/10
Tension & Suspense
7/10

Official Trailer

Where to watch

Updated November 12, 2026

Tubi
TubiCA · UK · US
Free
Fandango at Home
Fandango at HomeUS
Rent/Buy
Peacock
PeacockUS
Available
Paramount+
Paramount+CA
Available
JioHotstar
JioHotstarIN
Free
Apple TV
Apple TVAU · CA · UK · US
Rent/Buy
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime VideoAU · IN · US
Available
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime VideoCA
Rent/Buy

SHOULD YOU WATCH IT?

Worth Watching?A must for gore fans, but far too extreme for most viewers.
Maybe
Watch Alone?Its brutality can be hard to sit through alone.
Maybe
Watch in the Dark?The carnival and fun house scenes are made for darkness.
Yes
Good for Date Night?The gore is overwhelming.
No
Watch With Parents?Extreme gore, nudity and drug use.
No
Beginner Friendly?One of the most graphic horror films ever released widely.
No
Family Friendly?Unrated, extremely graphic violence.
No
Slow Burn?Long, but full of violent set pieces.
No
Headphones Recommended?The score and squishy sound effects are intense.
Maybe
18+
Age RecommendationContains strong horror content, violence, and disturbing themes.
18+

Spoiler Free Review

A year after his killing spree, Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) is brought back to life. On Halloween, he starts stalking Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera), a teenager making a Valkyrie costume designed by her late father, and her younger brother Jonathan, who is fascinated by Art.

Art never speaks. He mimes, laughs silently and plays to an imaginary audience, which makes him both funny and deeply unsettling. Thornton's physical performance is brilliant, and Lauren LaVera is a strong, likeable new heroine.

The gore, all done with practical effects, is extreme. One scene in a girl's bedroom is among the most brutal ever shown in a widely released horror film. Damien Leone also adds strange, dreamlike touches, like a nightmare cereal commercial and a ghostly Little Pale Girl.

At nearly two and a half hours, it is far too long, and its violence will be unbearable for many. But for fans of extreme horror, Terrifier 2 is a wild, gruesome ride with a new horror icon at its centre.

What Works

David Howard Thornton's silent, creepy performance as Art.
Lauren LaVera is a strong, likeable heroine.
Impressive practical gore effects on a tiny budget.
Strange, dreamlike touches that add mystery.

What Doesn't Work

At 138 minutes, it is far too long.
The violence is extreme and exhausting.
The supernatural mythology is confusing.

FINAL VERDICT:

Terrifier 2 is a gruesome, ambitious slasher that made Art the Clown a horror icon. Only watch it if you have a strong stomach.

spoiler-warning

Be Careful, Spoilers Ahead

Plot Summary (Spoilers)

After his death at the end of the first film, Art the Clown is resurrected in a morgue and kills the coroner. He is followed by a mysterious, ghostly Little Pale Girl dressed as a clown, whom only some people can see.

On Halloween, teenager Sienna Shaw works on a Valkyrie costume designed by her late father, who left behind a sketchbook full of drawings of Art. Her younger brother Jonathan is obsessed with the Miles County killings. Sienna learns she is destined to fight Art, and her father's sword may be the key.

Art stalks Sienna's friends and family. In one of the most notorious scenes, he brutally attacks her friend Allie in her bedroom. He later kills Sienna's mother. Art kidnaps Jonathan and drags him to an abandoned carnival with a haunted fun house called Terrifier, and Sienna follows.

In a long, violent battle, Art kills Sienna. But her father's sword and her costume give her the power to come back. Sienna returns and beheads Art, rescuing Jonathan.

In a post-credits scene, Victoria Heyes, the survivor of the first film, now in a mental hospital, gives birth to Art's severed head, which is alive.

Ending Explained

Who is the Little Pale Girl? A ghostly girl dressed as a clown who follows Art and helps him. She appears to be a demonic presence connected to Art's power. The film does not fully explain her.

How does Sienna come back to life? Her father's sword and the Valkyrie costume he designed give her supernatural power, allowing her to rise again and defeat Art.

Is Art dead? No. Sienna beheads him, but in the post-credits scene, Victoria Heyes gives birth to his living head.

What does the birth scene mean? Victoria has been possessed by the evil that drives Art. Her strange "birth" sets up Art's return in Terrifier 3.

Why did people faint? The extreme practical gore, especially the bedroom scene, caused some viewers to faint or vomit, according to widely shared reports.

Hidden Meaning & Symbolism

  • Good versus evil: Sienna is a warrior chosen to fight a demonic force.

  • Grief: Sienna and Jonathan are still mourning their father, whose art guides them.

  • Spectacle: Art performs his murders like a show, mocking horror fans' love of gore.

  • Halloween: The holiday turns the whole town into a stage for Art.

Scariest Moments

1

The Morgue: Art comes back to life and kills the coroner.

2

The Costume Shop: Art toys with a shop worker while trying on costumes.

3

The Bedroom: Art's prolonged attack on Allie, the film's most infamous scene.

4

The Fun House: Sienna searches for Jonathan in the Terrifier attraction.

5

The Birth: Victoria gives birth to Art's head.

Parents Guide / Trigger Warnings

Child Death / Peril

Severe

A child is kidnapped and endangered.

Graphic Gore

Severe

Extreme mutilation, dismemberment and gallons of blood.

Jump Scares

Moderate

Several jump scares.

Flashing Lights

Moderate

Carnival lights and strobe effects.

Substance Abuse

Moderate

Teens drink, take drugs and smoke.

Nudity

Moderate

Brief nudity, including a shower scene.

Sexual Content

Mild

Sexual innuendo and teens kissing.

Animal Death

None

No animal deaths.

Suicide / Self Harm

None

No suicide or self-harm.

Trigger Warning Notes:

Contains extreme, prolonged gore and mutilation, the killing of a parent, child endangerment, drug use and nudity.

Trivia

  • It was made for about 250,000 dollars, and an Indiegogo campaign raised about 250,000 against a 50,000 goal.

  • It earned about 15.8 million dollars worldwide.

  • Reports of viewers fainting and vomiting helped make it a word-of-mouth hit.

  • Damien Leone wrote, directed and edited the film, and created many of its practical effects.

  • Filming began in 2019, was stopped by COVID-19, and finished in July 2021.

  • Wrestler Chris Jericho has a cameo.

FAQS (Frequently Asked Questions)

Is Terrifier 2 the goriest movie ever?

It is one of the goriest horror films ever released widely, with reports of people fainting in cinemas.

Who is the Little Pale Girl in Terrifier 2?

A ghostly girl dressed as a clown who helps Art, linked to the evil behind him. She is not fully explained.

How does Terrifier 2 end?

Sienna dies, comes back to life, and beheads Art. In a post-credits scene, Victoria gives birth to Art's head.

Do you need to see Terrifier before Terrifier 2?

It helps, especially for Victoria's ending, but the main story with Sienna works on its own.

Is Terrifier 2 rated?

It was released unrated in the US. Common Sense Media suggests 17+.

How many Terrifier movies are there?

Three: Terrifier (2016), Terrifier 2 (2022) and Terrifier 3 (2024).

Who plays Art the Clown?

David Howard Thornton.

Is Terrifier 2 too long?

Many viewers think so; it runs about 138 minutes.

Where can I watch Terrifier 2?

It streams on Amazon Prime Video and Peacock in the US, Paramount+ in Canada, Amazon Prime Video in Australia and India, and free on Tubi in the US, UK and Canada.

Movie Information

Original Title

Terrifier 2

Release Date

October 6, 2022

Runtime

138 min

Country

United States

Language

English

Status

Released

Director

Damien Leone

Writer

Damien Leone

Main Cast

Lauren LaVera, David Howard Thornton, Elliott Fullam, Sarah Voigt, Kailey Hyman, Casey Hartnett, Samantha Scaffidi, Amelie McLain, Chris Jericho

Production Company

Dark Age Cinema, Fuzz on the Lens Productions

Distributor

Cinedigm

IMDb Page

View on IMDb