Founders Day

A small town is embroiled in a heated mayoral race. Tension is high with the upcoming Founders Day festival. Allison Chambers barely escapes from a killer wearing a Founders mask after just witnessing the murder of her girlfriend.

After the great successes of Halloween and Friday the 13th, Hollywood made horror movies out of every special day imaginable. This indie horror seems to be following that path whether in tribute or as a mindless work project. I recognize a few faces, but I don't really know these actors. This is marginal work, but I did enjoy guessing the mystery killer. The reveal is interesting but also problematic. While it is a little surprising, I don't think that person makes sense. That person would have to explain the unexplainable and there is no reason for the scheme. It is deflating to close out a borderline movie on a sour note.

This movie was interesting. The story was there, the murders were solid, but it was kinda random. No explanation of how some characters found out info, the music was very loud, the acting was okay...the mosh pit of protesters was weird. Was she in there all night? And then the cops found her? I enjoyed the sweets loving cop!! She was something else, and I would have given This movie more stars if it picked a a steady genre I guess? Horror, comedy horror, I enjoyed it for the laughs and the murders vs the story, acting, scene changing. Some shots were beautiful, others were yet again, random. Good movie if you like a good random 80s,90s,00, type movie.

The writing was so bad I was wondering if we'd have to walk out only five minutes in. It seems like something written by a high school student who waited until the night before it was due to start. Eventually it got bad enough to stay just so we could see the train wreck unfold.

Cliche storylines and horrendous acting throughout. Several scenes brought us to laughter, but not intentionally.

I do have to give credit, I didn't know who the killers were until the end(it's a cheap Scream rip-off from the start so not a spoiler). But it turns out that's only because it made no sense to the plot whatsoever.

Plot

A small town is shaken by a series of ominous killings in the days leading up to a heated mayoral election.

Cast

Naomi Grace leads competently, Devin "13 Reasons Why" Druid unintentionally comes across as creepy as he was in that and William Russ outshines everyone.

Verdict

Though I'm a horror fanatic slasher isn't exactly my favorite sub-genre, and the reason? They're all too similar, I grew up with 70's-80's slashers and they gradually died out because of that reason.

Founders Day tries to reel in some of that nostalgic magic, but in doing so falls into the same trap! It's so generic, so uninspired, we've seen this before a thousand times (Probably not an exaggeration). It doesn't color outside the lines for a moment, it doesn't dare wander off the path and delivers something that will only be appreciated by people who have never really experienced many slashers and therefore won't predict the whole thing straight out of the gate.

And don't even get me started on that ending, I absolutely didn't "Get" that in the slightest. I need an explanation, what were they thinking?

Rants

I don't like Erik Bloomquist, it's not a personal thing, it's not a talent thing, I don't in fact know what it is. He's just one of those people who when they come on to the screen I wince ever so slightly, feel a level of discomfort and if I had any children would cover their eyes. Therefore a movie written, directed and starring him never really stood a change.

The Good

William Russ is great

The Bad

Bland kills Offensively unoriginal Dreadful finale.

This movie deserves less than 5 but the ideas behind the scenario deserves more than 5, so it may be a "not bad" low budget horror movie. And do not dive into the 1-3 ratings, this movie still is watchable.

You will see absurd levels of inspiration from Scream movies. Maybe that's not bad at all, but the execution of the scenes are bad. Even in 80s horror flicks these scenes were executed much better.

I don't know if the scenario was good and the directing and editing of the movie is bad. But the result seems like it. Maybe these ideas with better execution could be a really good movie, because some of th ideas behind the scenario is reflecting the politicians and people around the world very well.