A Politically Motivated Slasher with a Hint of Satire
In 2023, Erik Bloomquist directed the film Founders Day, alongside his brother Carson Bloomquist, who co-wrote it. The small-town slasher film mixes traditional horror slasher elements with accentuated political satire, set in the context of a local election campaign. The uniquely premise, a creepy masked murderer, and social commentary Founders Day make it a truly modern horror film.
Plot and Premise
Founders Day is set in the enchanting New England town of Fairwood, which is currently experiencing a raging mayoral election. To add salt to the already charged political climate, a masked man, who’s wearing a judge’s robe and a powdered wig like a petrifying founding father, starts killing off everyone involved in the campaigns. People get more and more paranoid as the death toll climbs forcing everyone to uncover the real intentions behind the killings. Is there more to the murders than just politics, or does the town hide sinister secrets?
Every death is theatrical, highly unorthodox, and immensely gruesome. The killer is kept shrouded in mystery while being allowed room to incorporate elements of theatrics and symbolism going deeper into the town’s prideful history. At the same time, while the political fervor is at its highest, secrets are bound to be revealed, and conflicts between personal relationships result in everyone facing dire consequences.
Main Cast and Characters
The film features an assortment of seasoned political figures, law enforcement officials and young protagonists…
Naomi Grace as Allison Chambers – She is a fierce woman who is determined to straddle the two worlds of the feuding town and the brutal political reality.
Devin Druid as Adam Faulkner – A Fairwood resident with connections to both the mayoral race and the victims, making him a significant figure in the quest for the truth behind the murders.
William Russ as Mr. Jackson – A well-known town elder with considerable clout, but knows much about the politics of Fairwood and is believed to be a corrupt politician.
Amy Hargreaves as Mayor Blair Gladwell – The current mayor whose dark campaign heeds to re-election but suddenly faces a tide of issues as she begins losing her inner circle to an unknown sinister force looking to kill her.
Catherine Curtin as Commissioner Judith Peterson – A cynical law enforcer who received a position of power in the midst of political turmoil.
Emilia McCarthy as Lilly Gladwell – The murderous game’s innocent target, fail to comprehend the deadly circumstances of her widowed mother’s political aspirations leads her to abstraction.
Each character serves as a piece of the larger puzzle, with their own hidden clues, affiliations, reasons and histories that relate with each other as the story progresses.
Shooting and Post Production
Filming occurred in New Milford, Connecticut, as it offered the ideal setting for Fairwood’s small-town charm. The picture managed to capture the historic New Milford Town Hall and Town Green, which certainly contributed to the film’s atmosphere set in a colonial New England. The town’s violence-provoking colonial-era architecture and charming surroundings creates a sense of eeriness throughout the film.
Founders Day was featured in the Popcorn Frights Film Festival where it received quite a bit of attention online on August 18, 2023, and was especially liked among horror enthusiasts due to its combination of slasher and satirical elements. Then, on January 19, 2024, Dark Sky Films released it on limited theatrical distribution in the US.
Motifs and Themes
Founders Day is a slasher film at heart, but it draws out deeper meaning, primarily through the Founding Father-themed killer, who embodies a blend of political corruption, blind patriotism, and power struggle. Some important themes of the film are:
The Political Satire of Horror Films – The film depicts the political polarization of this era and how the quest for power leads to heightened hysteria, violence, and absolute distrust of one another.
The Cult of Patriotism – The killer’s Founding Father avatar encapsulates the most sinister side of nationalism, transforming American pride into a tool of fear.
Secrets in Small-Town America – In typical fashion for classic horror movies, Founders Day integrates the notion of a web of lies commendable small towns conceal underneath their surface which begs to be unveiled.
Accumulatively, these meanings make the movie more multifaceted than it might seem at first glance. It is more than a slasher film with limbs being severed; it also makes a statement about the conditions under which the people in this world are forced to live.
Critical Reception and Reviews
Both audiences and critics have a split opinion regarding Founders Day. Some are amazed to see slasher films infused with political satire while others feel that their bones rattle on the surface but the flesh cannot be scratched.
Positive Reception:
Creative Killer Design – The masked Founding Father villain has been widely praised for its notable presence and metaphorical value.
Gory, Well-Executed Kills – Fans of the horror genre rave about the show for its depiction of cleverly constructed brutal death scenes that are a hallmark of slasher films.
A Fresh Concept – The interplay of slasher films with sarcastic politics has been described as clever and innovative.
Negative Reception:
Weak Political Satire: While some critics characterize the film’s satire as less than satisfactory, others feel that it lacks adequate political commentary.
Weak Storytelling: Some reviews suggest that the plot of the movie feels undeveloped due to its failure to exploit its unique premise.
Weak Pacing: This imbalance affects the parts of the film that rely on suspense because certain scenes drag on for too long.
What Critics Are Saying:
Simon Abrams (RogerEbert.com) termed these images as “post-Scream killing spree that never reaches the level of slasher thrill or sharp parody.”
Film Focus Online added, “While Founders Day provides a gory memorable villain, its story is jumbled, and the characters shallow.”
Several critics argue that the charm of slasher films has been lost due to the lack of horror-based humor and social context, but the movie has found a niche audience willing to embrace such complexities.
Final Thoughts
Slasher films tend to receive the same treatment as any other genre plagued by movies failing to live up to expectations. The genre is filled with cliches, which is what makes Founders Day so distinct. Overall, the film is enjoyable. The killer styled after a Founding Father, the ease with which characters are killed, and the satirical political elements provide fervent horror genre fans with something to ponder.
Viewers who enjoy films like Scream or The Purge, along with The Hunt, would appreciate Founders Day as it approaches the slasher genre uniquely while embracing its chaotic political discourse. If it serves as a revolutionary horror film or a botched attempt is subjective which isn’t the case here: it is a film that makes people talk.