Summary
- Character exploration takes a backseat to the bloody kills and political comedy in Founders Day — perfect for slasher film fans craving a quick fix.
- The unique masked killer, wielding a secret knife hidden in a gavel, provides thrilling and well-executed horror moments.
- While the film suffers from some overacting and empty characters, it remains a hellishly fun thrill ride that entertains with its reckless ambition.
Don’t expect deep dives into character exploration in Founders Day. Leave the plunging to the masked killer stabbing people with a secret knife hidden in the gavel they’re using a weapon. It’s all part of frenetic events plaguing the small town of Fairwood in the latest masked slasher film, which foregoes heftier character motivations and keeps its bloody feet firmly planted in the horror comedy subgenre.
That’s not a bad thing if you’re a slasher film fan looking for a quick fix. Directed by Erik Bloomquist, who wrote and produced the film with his brother Carson under their Mainframe Pictures banner, the outing satisfies a particular craving. And while it’s not the best film to emerge from this genre in recent years, it checks off a lot of boxes as it prompts a slew of OMGs while blood splatters and victims run for their lives.
Basically, it’s Scream during a tricentennial founders day celebration on the eve of a divisive mayoral election. Touching on themes of political divides, familial alliances, tight friendships, and queer acceptance, the film stars Devin Druid (13 Reasons Why), Naomi Grace (NCIS), Amy Hargreaves (13 Reasons Why), William Russ (Boy Meets World), Catherine Curtin (Stranger Things), Emilia McCarthy (Skymed), Olivia Nikkanen (Supergirl), and many others. Between the killer’s grotesque theater mask and dangerous gavel, and the ferocity in which Bloomquist delivers his kills, Founders Day is a hellishly fun thrill ride.
New Mask, New Weapon
Founder’s Day
- Release Date
- January 19, 2024
- Director
- Erik Bloomquist
- Cast
- Naomi Grace , Devin Druid , Amy Hargreaves , Catherine Curtin , Emilia McCarthy
- Runtime
- 1hr 46min
- Writers
- Erik Bloomquist , Carson Bloomquist
- The kills and killer are well done.
- The political comedy element of this slasher film is very fun.
- The film is filled with fairly empty characters.
- Some of the acting becomes overacting.
From the get-go, director Erik Bloomquist shows viewers they are in capable hands. Bloomquist, whose previous works include the memorable horror romp She Came From the Woods, takes viewers right into the crux of the action. Just before a coveted Founders Day weekend celebration, teenaged Melissa (Olivia Nikkanen) is brutally murdered by a masked, robed killer who’s gavel-giddy. Sort-of girlfriend Allison (Naomi Grace) watches on in horror before rushing back into town and in the thick of a political protest.
About those… Bloomquist hopes to also look at how frightening today’s political climate can be. Even in a small town like Fairwood, where so much seems to be at stake with the mayoral election. incumbent mayor Blair Gladwell naturally wants to keep her seat. Opponent Harold Faulkner (Jayce Bartok) is banking on offering “change.” He was a bit of a slimeball before his daughter Melissa became the first victim of a series of gruesome killings. The aftermath of his daughter’s attack and mysterious disappearance has only put him more on edge. Bartok tends to play things way over the top. So much so, you may find yourself screaming at him more than the killer.
That said, overreactions happen big time throughout Founders Day. It’s one of the things that weigh the film down. Sure, there’s a great deal at stake for the residents of this town — life itself, in fact — but sometimes, a little less goes a long way. Tossed into the mix is 13 Reasons Why breakout actor Devin Druid, playing Adam Faulkner, Melissa’s brother and Harold’s estranged son. The actor morphs into yet another brooding teen role just fine, and his interaction with Grace’s Allison hit the mark.
What About the Blood?
If you’ve come here for blood and death, you’ll get more than your fair share of it in Founders Day. Like the recent It’s a Wonderful Knife, this film milks the small town mayhem. The fall setting lends itself to enough dark-night surprises, and Bloomquist relishes in taking several attack scenes to their heightened potential. With every Scream, after all, we all wanted everyone to Scream louder. That’s the flavor of the slasher film we’re consuming here. The clever spin on the killer — political wig, gavel, judge’s robe — makes the warpath vengeance that follows both humorous and intense. In this case, the killer is targeting the children who have some connection to the mayoral candidates. Why? It’s not really the thing audiences will care that much about ultimately. It simply serves as the way for these killings to happen.
Bloomquist makes good use of his costars. Hunky bad boy Rob (Tyler James White) and Britt (Kate Edmonds) are the stereotypical angsty and edgy teens, suggesting they may not be trusted. Andrew Stewart-Jones, as Allison’s father, Thomas, offers some much-needed level-headedness to the tale. Scene-stealer and all-around character actor extraordinaire Catherine Curtin is a hoot to watch as Commissioner Peterson, the gruff law enforcement official who’s had enough of everybody’s wackadoo.
An ‘Us vs. Them’ theme permeates throughout the film, and Bloomquist keeps turning up the dial on that as things move along. Perhaps too much. We get it. It’s 2024. Everybody is overreacting to something. Especially when it comes to political and social issues. It’s a bit of a stretch to believe that here, in this seemingly secluded small-town enclave, things could have devolved this badly, but hey, America in the 2020s. Go figure. Aside from these overt creative pushes, Founders Day will entertain even the most jaded slasher film fan. At its best, this film rides wonderfully off its reckless ambition. Enjoy the bloodbath.
Founders Day will be released January 19. You can check out the trailer below:
