THE JESTER/THE JESTER 2 (2023/2025)

THE JESTER is streaming on Tubi! THE JESTER 2 will be in select theaters this week from Dread and Fathom Entertainment!
Directed by Colin Krawchuk.
Written by Colin Krawchuk, Michael Sheffield.
Check out the trailer here!!
Check out the trailer here!!

In THE JESTER, a clown masked killer stalks and kills a group of people using some form of magic as his modus operandi. That’s pretty much sums up THE JESTER, which, much like the TERRIFIER series that this series so much wants to be like, really was lacking in the story department. While THE JESTER was much less graphically violent, the factor that truly separated the TERRIFIER series from the rest of the slasher films released today, there was some kind of charm in the way the Jester presented himself as a showman, utilizing common magic tricks as ways to off people. But unfortunately, THE JESTER turned out to be a toothless TERRIFIER rip-off.

But what I love to see from one movie project to the next from a creator, and in this case, that creator is Colin Krawchuk and Michael Sheffield, is growth. Over the years, I’ve seen young filmmakers blossom and grow from low fi indie offerings to big budgeters. Filmmakers like the Radio Silence guys, Adam Wingard, and Mike Flanagan came from meager roots and now are major names in the industry. So seeing the improvements Krawchuk and Sheffield have added to THE JESTER 2 really shows promise.

In THE JESTER 2, we once again have the mute man in a Jester mask going around and killing random people on Halloween night. The difference is that the story has been expanded by adding a real main character, Max (played by plucky newcomer Kaitlyn Trentham), who adds a lot of emotional depth to the role and is actually quite a talented actress in her won right. But not only that, there are stakes set and a goal for the Jester to accomplish. After making a deal with the devil to perform the most amazing magic trick, the Jester is now cursed to roam the Earth on Halloween night and must perform tricks on four people before a magic candle burns out. Now, I was never clear what the Jester got out of performing the trick other than the seemingly bloodthirsty satisfaction of killing, which the Jester gleefully expresses after each death. Also, there really is no details as to what happens to the Jester if he doesn’t accomplish this goal. But still, I appreciate all of this added meat to the story.

Trentham is definitely a true find as Max. She’s young, beautiful, and a really great actress. There is not a lot of emotional bending required, but what drama Max does go through is conveyed well by the young actress. The rest of the cast is just fodder for the Jester to tear through, but having this one solid actress in the lead makes all the difference.

Michael Sheffield played the Jester in the first film and does so again in this sequel. He is tall and imposing, especially next to the diminutive Max. Much like Art the Clown, Sheffield highlights the performance aspect of the Jester, aping to the viewer and performing his own twisted comedy tricks over and again. While things never get as goppy as Art’s murder sprees do, there was a lot of thought put into each murder, pairing it with a well-known magical trick. I especially liked the never-ending links of knotted handkerchiefs bit the Jester pulls off in THE JESTER 2. It really is the highlight of the film seeing the Jester’s cartoonish antics on display. One thing I do have to criticize is that the Jester mask in the first film is actually much more effective than the new mask the Jester sports in the sequel. The second mask is a mask under a mask—looking like the Jester’s actual face was ripped off and there’s the mask underneath, framed with meaty flesh and real hair around the edges. I liked the simpler, white mask from the first one, as this one feels bulky and the Jester’s top hat barely fits his head with the new mask.

Now, I’m not knocking the TERRIFIER series. It really is a phenomenon worth celebrating. But if I’m being honest, the lack of story always soured the series for me. I know gore-hounds love it, but I’m not really into gore for gore’s sake and that’s what the TERRIFIER series is to me a lot of the time. THE JESTER does something worth applauding though. Sure, the first one was like a lot of the TERRIFIER clones out there, but by adding story, character, stakes, and a little depth, THE JESTER 2 feels like a much more accomplished film than the TERRIFIER sequels. I doubt it will reach the phenom level that Damian Leone’s creation has, but the filmmakers behind THE JESTER 2 have made a solid horror gem that entertained me from spooky start to the big bloody finish.