Whereas clowns and jesters have lengthy been an notorious type of iconography within the horror style, because of all the pieces from Pennywise in Stephen King’s IT to the real-world terror of John Wayne Gacy. Extra not too long ago, Artwork the Clown from the Terrifier franchise has dominated this childhood trauma area of interest onscreen.
That was till Colin Krawchuk got here together with The Jester, the malevolent entity on the forefront of the 2023 self-named slasher film and now, its sequel, The Jester 2. Once more written and directed by Krawchuk, the movie facilities on Max, a lonely teenager who, on Halloween evening, turns into entangled with the titular being on his newest killing spree.
Very like the Terrifier motion pictures, Krawchuk’s quick movie is the idea for the Jester movies, and the filmmaker will get extra bold with every effort. Nevertheless, the place Damien Leone additionally took the time to replicate on missteps with Artwork’s early enterprise going into his record-breaking sequel, I can not assist however really feel like Krawchuk realized the improper classes from Terrifier 2‘s success.
The Jester 2’s Plot Is A Sloggy Mess Of Repetition & Exposition Dumps
Whereas I promise this entire evaluate will not be an limitless comparability between the 2 franchises, it is necessary to level out how equally each The Jester and Terrifier collection begin out, specifically with their central beings. Each Jester and Artwork the Clown’s motives are an absolute thriller, as is what they’re precisely, because of their supernatural powers.
However whereas different horror franchises have largely prevented answering these questions, each Leone and Krawchuk have utilized their sequels to really expound on them. It is a disgrace The Jester 2‘s makes an attempt to construct out the mythology of its titular character are such a bore in comparison with the Terrifier sequels.
Even after we study the precise motive why The Jester goes on his killing sprees, it nearly looks like an try and humanize him…
The primary half of the movie takes so lengthy to introduce us to Max and her angsty teenage woes that not solely is the film’s opening kill sequence disjointed from the plot, but it surely additionally leaves us ready too lengthy for extra. There’s actually nothing new to her arc — she’s yet one more teen picked on for being completely different and given no assist at residence.
As soon as we do truly get to Max and The Jester’s evening in town, the tempo does begin to choose up, however the plot does not essentially enhance. Nearly all of the subsequent 45 minutes is an ongoing circle of Max being compelled to partake in his killings and operating away from him, just for him to catch up and carry on killing.
Even after we study the precise motive why The Jester goes on his killing sprees, it nearly looks like an try and humanize him, which proves wholly pointless and weird. He nonetheless cracks jokes about having enjoyable killing sure folks, however the place Artwork’s layers are unlocked by way of a weird parallel with Lauren LeVara’s Sienna, Jester is nearly made to be a sympathetic villain.
That is made all the more serious after we get to The Jester 2‘s ending, during which Max and the titular spirit’s recreation of wits involves an finish. Not solely does it go on for too lengthy and has to overexplain its twist, but it surely’s additionally so tame for a franchise that delights in over-the-top dying scenes.
Krawchuk’s Course & Sensible Results Supply A Good Sufficient Diversion
Whereas it could nonetheless undergo from an underwhelming narrative, The Jester 2 does benefit from having a horror-loving director in Krawchuk. Engaged on a decrease funds than the primary movie, the filmmaker discovered a number of distinctive methods to drag off his supernatural methods, even when nonetheless taking a reasonably direct strategy.
With The Jester 2, Krawchuk shakes issues up a bit with a extra grindhouse aesthetic to the proceedings, each in its gritty palette and nighttime setting feeling extra akin to the likes of the unique Halloween or Home of 1000 Corpses. He additionally showcases some intriguingly suave touches for a number of sequences, laying the groundwork to develop past the slasher style.
The Jester 2 can also be stored considerably afloat by the film’s dedication to sensible results. At the same time as the primary film proved predictable and poorly plotted, Krawchuk had a fantastic grasp on the mix of real shocks and tongue-in-cheek humor with a few of his kills, one thing that continues with the second movie.
One of the surprising results Krawchuk and his workforce pull off a number of instances is guaranteeing characters’ facial options disappear utterly, basically resulting in their suffocation. The transformations are so fast and the sensible results so horrifying to have a look at that mentioned deaths show extra visceral than among the bloodier ones within the film.
All of which makes The Jester 2 one thing of a disappointment. I can not deny Krawchuk has completely improved on a few of his missteps from the primary movie, however in his obvious effort to drag from the success of Terrifier 2, he realized the improper classes relating to mythology pacing and crafting a compelling last woman, making this slasher sequel one other studying expertise quite than a celebration.
The Jester 2 can be out there on VOD on October 17.
- Launch Date
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September 15, 2025
- Runtime
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87 minutes
- Director
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Colin Krawchuk
- Producers
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Patrick Ewald, Cole Payne
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Michael Sheffield
The Jester
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- Colin Krawchuk’s course is fashionable and has a pleasant grindhouse really feel.
- The sensible results are surprising.
- The plot goes far too closely into mythology constructing that proves uninteresting.
- The story additionally runs in circles with Max and The Jester’s dynamic.
- The forged largely supply lackluster performances.