Another year, another Terror Tram takeover — but I’ll admit this year’s theme is an upgrade (low bar). Blumhouse’s Terror Tram redesigns Universal’s iconic backlot, including The Bates Motel, the downed aircraft, and other filmic landmarks. Blumhouse has already licensed titles like “The Black Phone” and “The Purge” for prior houses, so expect plenty of reused costumes, yet a few details help mask the typical Terror Tram experience.
The tram starts as usual, with a driver and host shuttling you to the backlot while a video package plays Blumhouse trailer clips. Then, you reach an entrance where M3GAN is waiting for you. A black, neon-outlined arch represents a doorway into the Blumhouse, which is a clever touch. You’ll exit the tram as usual, approach M3GAN, and just as you’re ready to pass the threshold into Jason Blum’s universe, all the production company’s “iconic” villains come sprinting out of a side curtain, standing behind M3GAN, revving their chainsaws. It’s a neat lineup, even though “iconic” is limited to the titles utilized for the maze.
From here, you’ll walk the uphill paths of typical Terror Tram maps. “M3GAN” kicks things off with a few platforms you’ll pass by, all depicting scare actors dressed as the AI bestie murdering Funki employees. Then, it’s a two-for-one section featuring “Freaky” and “Happy Death Day,” taking over Norman Bates’ domain. Fake corpses dressed as Tree Gelbman litter the ground, while Millie Kessler (possessed by the Blissfield Butcher) busts out of motel room doors, chasing other Trees. It’s a mishmash, a bit confusing, and over quick — Blumhouse blocks off areas where other Terror Tram takeovers erect insane murder traps for added violence.
Next is “The Black Phone,” which couldn’t be more of an afterthought (continuing The Grabber’s bland Horror Nights legacy). You’ll walk down a nondescript funnel where The Grabber, holding a black balloon, watches you. One more tries to scare you, but it’s poor placement. You turn the corner, and another Grabber watches you walk by — no atmosphere besides an outdoor stroll.
You’ll finish, as usual, walking through Universal’s iconic “War of the Worlds” set, the wrecked Boeing 747SR now overrun by Purge Night maniacs. We’ve encountered these psychos before when “The Purge” took over the Terror Tram — but the production value is still too enormous to ignore. Purgers dressed as Statues of Liberty, deranged teddy bears, and the iconic “Kiss Me” deviants all snarl in your face as you behold all the mechanical destruction. Scare actors are having a blast in Purgeland, which helps the climax overcome lesser points beforehand — a standard Terror Tram experience.