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Here at FandomWire, we review the new horror thriller Founder’s Day, and the article is spoiler-free.
It’s hard not to be bored withFounders Day, a new horror thriller from Erik Bloomquist because it follows the horror cliche playbook step by step. You have the villain in a creepy mask; check. Creepy rooms in dark, isolated settings, check—even a modern horror trope of folding in murderous urges within political settings and campaigns.
Before you yell in my direction, “Yeah, it’s a horror movie, guy,” I get it.Founders Daywill probably thriller a younger generation of the genre. However, Bloomquist’s film thrills become endlessly tiresome for anyone over twenty-one years on this earth. Especially when considering the far superior slasher filmThanksgiving, available still in theaters and video-on-demand.
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Founders DaySynopsis and Review
Erik and Carson Bloomquist wrote the script and are trying to tell a horror story about political division in America today, particularly in small towns. The political stand comes in Fairwood, a quaint American town, where the current mayor, Blair Gladwell (Amy Hargreaves), takes on the challenger, Harold Faulkner (Jayce Bartok), an angry candidate with impulse control issues.
Complicating matters before the big election is a series of “ominous murders” (this is where Colonel Nathan R. Jessep would say, “Is there another kind?”) that begin in Fairwood. The killer wears a hideous-looking mask and murders the victim with a gavel. Of course, the gruesome death must be political since it’s Faulkner’s daughter. His son, Adam (Devin Druid), is keen on solving the murder.
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Founders Dayis an uneven experience full of cliches
The Bloomquist Brothers’ filmFounders Dayis an uneven experience full of the genre’s greatest cliche hits. The film clearly owes a debt to Wes Craven, the teen slasher film storytelling king. Hormones are raging, blood is being spilled, and these kids remarkably get over murders quickly with little post-traumatic stress.
And, of course, a law must be passed so that security closed-caption television doesn’t catch any clues. As the film progresses, some of the murders are clever but never rise to the point of jump scares. I cannot imagine fans of the genre, those who like to immerse themselves in these sadistic thrills, experiencing suspense or exhilaration while watching them.
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IsFounders DayWorth Watching?
To piggyback off that point, why isFounder’s Daynot worth watching? The tone of the murders can be wildly uneven when it comes to gratuitous violence. To make matters worse, the political aspect of the film is just window dressing and lacks dark subtext.
When it comes down to it, the plot is rather obvious if you’ve watched enough thrillers, particularly ones with narcissistic characters. You need to know where this horrifying film is headed.Founder’s Daywill undoubtedly quench the thirst of terror enthusiasts alike.
However, they should expect more from filmmakers than repackaging the same old, same old dressed up with modern themes.Founders Dayis a modern horror cliché that had me asking myself, “Why should I care?” after almost every plot point, attempted jump scare, and death. That’s never a good sign when it comes to the horror genre.
You can watch Founder’s Day only in theaters.
Grade: 4/10
M.N. Miller
Film & Television Critic
Articles Published :336
M.N. Miller is a film and television critic and a proud member of the Las Vegas Film Critic Society, Critics Choice Association, and a 🍅 Rotten Tomatoes/Tomato meter approved. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Mansfield University and a Master’s from Chamberlain University. However, he still puts on his pants one leg at a time, and that’s when he usually stumbles over. When not writing about film or television, he patiently waits for the next Pearl Jam album and chooses to pass the time by scratching his wife’s back on Sunday afternoons while she watches endless reruns of California Dreams. M.N. Miller was proclaimed the smartest reviewer alive by actor Jason Isaacs but chose to ignore his obvious sarcasm. You can also find his work on Hidden Remote, InSession Film, Ready Steady Cut, Geek Vibes Nation, and Nerd Alert.
