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| Images courtesy Mainframe Pictures |
From the moment Founder’s Day begins you’re hit with this feeling that you’re about to watch something original, something fresh in the slasher genre. It’s an exciting feeling especially as a fan of a good slasher flick that this isn’t just another Ghostface or Michael Myers movie but something completely new. By the end of it, Founder’s Day is just political theater that screams potential.
The movie follows a small town on the brink of a very heated election for mayor and with the entire town divided things are already pretty tense but things get chaotic when a serial killer appears and starts murdering residents across the town. The concept for Founder’s Day is quite interesting and it’s a shame it doesn’t really do more with its political statements. The movie actually doesn’t have anything to say and yet only uses politics as a tool for its very shallow plot. It’s a shame the movie doesn’t try to do more because as far as political horror goes it could be right up there when the original The Purge trilogy or 2020’s The Hunt. Instead, it’s just a brain-dead slasher flick that has nothing to say but tries to come off smarter than it actually is.
Regardless the movie still has some quality to it. For starters, the kills are brutal and ridiculously fun. The killer’s costume also looks pretty damn cool and although this killer may not enter any hall of fame like Ghostface or Leatherface, the costume itself was pretty solid and I was thrilled anytime it was on screen. The pacing here is also pretty good. The plot isn’t the smartest or most interesting but the events leading up to the film’s big twist keeps you entertained at least and for a slasher movie it does its job in keeping the body count high, often, and gory throughout. It’s a fun time despite not living up to its potential.
Erik and Carson Bloomquist worked on the script where Erik solo directs and although the film has way more jokes than it probably should—some land decently and most of them tank. You can tell Founder’s Day takes very heavy inspiration from the Scream franchise and although the slasher mystery might not be as tight here the twist itself is still pretty well-done and the ending is better than you might expect it to be.
Despite some horrible dialogue and questionable delivery the movie is still quite a bit of fun and that comes from The Bloomquist Brothers' writing and crafting together a decent political slasher that offers a solid mystery. It’s not perfect and it likely won’t make any major waves in the slasher genre but it’s worth watching if you’re looking for a fun time and a couple solid slashings. It’s political theater…without the brains! Just guts!
-Corey Wood