‘You’re not welcome here.’
Madison County is a 2011 American slasher horror film about college students that go to a mountain town to investigate a local serial killer.
Written and directed by Eric England (Josie; Contracted; Roadside), the movie stars Colley Bailey, Matt Mercer, Ace Marrero, Joanna Sotomura, Natalie Scheetz and Nick Principe. Produced by Daniel F. Dunn, Eric England and Ace Marrero.
Plot:
A group of college kids travel to a small, mountain town called Madison County to interview the author of a tell-all book on the accounts of several grisly murders that happened there.
But when the youngsters get to Madison County, the author is nowhere to be found and the townspeople act like they haven’t seen him in years. They also say that the killer never existed and the murders never happened.
When the kids start digging around to get their own answers, they find out that the stories may be more real than the townspeople are letting on…
Reviews:
” …this reviewer would recommend that horror fans seek out this title. Slasher film fans will especially like this outing, with gorehounds likely to be slightly disappointed. There are many scenes of brutality; yet, the focus is on the tension and the conflict between James and company versus Damien. There are a few tropes here and England is best at creating and holding mystery.” 28 Days Later Analysis
“In a sub-gene that is the most un-creative of all sub-genres in horror that’s only real outlet in most cases for doing anything remotely innovative is employing elaborate murder sequences this fails with its pay off. If any gorehounds are looking here for what they crave then look elsewhere. The DVD cover says “Unrated” but there is hardly anything here to cut down to a rated version anyway.” Cinematic Shocks
“The first half is a routine and boring set-up, while the second half is a routine, yes, but still fairly effective slasher film runaround. Not all questions are answered at the end – and perhaps more could have been done with the county residents’ apparent complicity with Damien’s murder spree.” DVD Talk
“I can nitpick all I want here about the movie, but the end result is I did have fun watching it. I found some choices made with the writing unexpected and delightful. Madison County does not explore new territory for the slasher genre. But the territory it covers, it covers in an entertaining way.” Icons of Fright
“Madison County isn’t a particularly great movie, the main characters (read: victims) are kind of lame and it’s a little tamer than I like (there’s one glaring missed opportunity here!), but if taken on its own unassuming terms, it’s a reasonably entertaining slasher flick.” MovieGuy 24/7
” …although the filmmaker has peppered the proceedings with irresistibly compelling bursts of style (eg a blurry figure haunts the background of a few shots), Madison County‘s pervasively by-the-numbers vibe ultimately renders its positive attributes moot – although, by that same token, it’s impossible to deny the effectiveness of the movie’s scant kill sequences.” Reel Film Reviews
” …sadly this one tries to take a higher road than its sleazier counterparts and seems to be trying being more than just a slasher movie but it just misses all the marks. The movie does have something going for it though. The filmmakers made it look like a bigger budget picture than it is through the use of some nice photography.” Rock! Shock! Pop!
” …I was ultimately able to look past the amateur editing, below-average acting, lack of originality, and poor cinematography to find some enjoyment in this film. The killer’s mask is unique, there are some legitimate moments of tension, and a few twists along the way that allowed me to get past what doesn’t work in this film. If you check it out with low expectations and an open mind, you may actually enjoy it.” Wicked Horror
Cast and characters:
Colley Bailey … James
Matt Mercer … Will
Ace Marrero … Kyle
Joanna Sotomura … Brooke
Natalie Scheetz … Jenna
Nick Principe … Damien Ewell
Dayton Knoll … David Randall
Katie Stegeman … Girl
Adrienne Harrell … Erma
Marshall Yates … Man with Knife
James Cotten … Drifter
David Earl England … Man on Porch
Roger Smith … Diner Patron at Window
Megan Elizabeth Bell … Waterfall Girl #1
Kristy Dawn Moore … Waterfall Girl #2
Filming locations:
Russellville, Arkansas
Technical details:
1 hour 21 minutes
Budget:
$70,000 (estimated)
Notes:
Not to be confused with the 1995 romantic drama The Bridges of Madison County starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep.
Trailer:
