Outside of AMC Movie Theater The Xavierite
As we progress through the age of digital media, there has been freedom to create anything that one can possibly think of. Yet this has led to certain forms of storytelling, like movies, to test the waters of how much an audience can truly handle.
In recent months, moviegoers and social media scrollers took an interest in a movie considered to be widely controversial: “Terrifier 3”. Directed by Damien Leone, the movie debuted in theaters on Oct. 11, 2024 in the United States.
Yet how the film went viral begs several questions, the most simple being “Why?”
Nicholas Sternes, a current senior who has worked in a movie theater for over a year, had this to say about the film.
“My initial interest in “Terrifier 3” stemmed from having to give vomit bags to customers due to over-the-top gore in the film.”
“The film quickly became a hot topic of discussion among the theater because of this,” he added.
As a horror buff, I decided to watch the film shortly after its release. Similar to many other viewers, my interest grew with the attention the movie was getting. I had not seen either of the franchise’s other films, but I figured it couldn’t be as bad as people were saying.
I also enjoy other franchises known for gore, like “Saw” and “Final Destination.” From the trailers, “Terrifier 3” appeared to be a horror movie about Christmas going wrong. Yet nothing could have prepared me for the holiday I was about to witness on screen.
The film’s opening scene starts with a little girl who is restless because she hears something in her house and assumes that it is Santa Claus delivering presents. She wakes her mother up, who finds nothing, and assures the girl that they need to get rest for Santa Claus to do his job. I will not spoil much, but the scene ends with the girl hiding as her family is butchered.
It was one heck of an opening scene, but it pales in comparison to the rest of the deaths. There is a scene involving rats later on in the film that particularly got me. The way this death was executed left the entire theater speechless, and was one many were particularly commenting on online.
After the credits rolled, I walked outside wondering what had just happened and what the point of it all was. How could a theater, a place that families go to, show that much gore and have it be considered appropriate?
I spent that night scrolling through social media trying to find answers and see if I was alone in my disgust. I found several dissatisfied viewers experiencing the same thing.
Leonard Bertram, a film reviewer for Stage and Cinema, wrote, “There are bad movies, and then there’s Terrifier 3, a festering pile of cinematic waste so atrocious that it’s not only the worst of the year but one of the worst I’ve ever had the displeasure of sitting through.”
Yet while distaste can be shared over and over, the film industry is oftentimes a money-driven business.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film grossed about $19 million during its opening weekend.
Even with negative feedback and horror stories, “Terrifier 3” quickly gained traction on social media platforms, especially TikTok, which guided its rise in popularity. Whether users were sharing their thoughts on the vomit bags or details of how gruesome the film was, people were listening, and people were watching.
According to IMDb, or the Internet Movie Database, the first “Terrifier” movie had a small budget of $35,000. “Terrifier 2” was able to secure a budget of $250,000, and ended up bringing in about $15 million, so naturally a third film would gain even more financial support.
The franchise did exceptionally well commercially and critically, despite the films being low-budget and unrated.
Theaters tend to avoid unrated films due to complications with the content involved and guidelines as to who the audience should be. Yet for Leone’s film, most theaters put an R-rating in place to prevent minors from viewing the gore.
While these precautions were taken and most viewers had an idea of what they were walking into, this has not stopped the hatred towards the film. In fact, I can’t recall a single positive statement I have read or heard about the movie.
It’s unbelievable that there is little censorship to accompany the traumatic events the characters partake in. Little was left to the imagination as the scenes go beyond a person being stabbed; they are chopped to pieces way beyond the moment they take their last breaths.
Yet it is the same people who criticize “Terrifier 3” that have helped it gain traction. What can be made out of this film’s success is that if a form of art or media has people talking, then the artist has succeeded.
If you have been led to wonder where the line should be drawn in the theater at any point, or because of this film like myself, then there can be one conclusion drawn. We do not draw the line, but we do choose what is allowed to exist and thrive.