Founders Day is a 2023 American mystery horror slasher film about a series of murders in the midst of a heated mayoral election in a quaint New England town.
Directed by Erik Bloomquist (She Came from the Woods; Night at the Eagle Inn; Ten Minutes to Midnight; Long Lost) from a screenplay co-written with Carson Bloomquist.
The movie stars Naomi Grace, Devin Druid, William Russ, Amy Hargreaves, Catherine Curtin, Emilia McCarthy, Olivia Nikkanen, Jayce Bartok, Andrew Stewart-Jones, Tyler James White, Erik Bloomquist, Adam Weppler, Kate Edmonds, Dylan Slade and Arun Storrs.
Plot:
A small town is shaken by a series of ominous killings in the days leading up to a heated mayoral election. As accusations fly and the threat of a masked killer darkens every street corner, the residents must race to uncover the truth before fear consumes the town…
Reviews:
“The Bloomquists do a great job of marrying horror and social commentary. Naturally, some scenes place politics at the front and center, but Founders Day never shoves anything down the audience’s throats. It is there for those looking for a deeper meaning, but easy to put aside for anyone who is just watching for the horror.” AIPT
” …there are some minor technical issues, like a lack of adequate set lighting in some of the darker scenes and audio that can be either too quiet or too loud […] Minor misgivings aside, I wholeheartedly recommend that you check Founders Day out when you get the chance. It is suspenseful, unpredictable, and opts to write its own playbook rather than follow the template set by the early slasher efforts.” 3.5 out of 5, Dread Central
“Founder’s Day is a bloody and delightful surprise. It camouflages itself as a slasher film in a way that the “why does horror have to be political” crowd can watch it for face value, while everyone else can walk away with the film’s message. As a slasher, it’s inventive and different enough to stand out from the crowd.” Horror Obsessive
“If the final act didn’t try so hard to throw every random twist at the viewer to see what would stick, I would almost admire it for the sheer audacity. The whodunnit element falls flat, mainly because those behind the mask leave something to be desired. As it stands, Founders Day is far from the worst slasher ever.” 2.5 out of 5, Josh at the Movies
“It’s a fun cocktail of thrill, drama, and some contemporary relevance. While missing some marks, the film accomplishes what it’s going after, other than editing down some of the unnecessary to help focus the narrative and a few of the lesser believable performances, I can’t think of a lot that I would change.” 3 out of 5, Overly Honest Movie Reviews
“Founders Day is a lot of fun and manages to make a point or two without getting overly preachy or serious apart from the obligatory part where the killer explains their motives. I’ve enjoyed the Bloomquist’s films that I’ve seen and this is no exception, it can stand next to Ten Minutes to Midnight as one of their best.” 4 out of 5, Voices from the Balcony
Release:
Founders Day made its world premiere at Popcorn Frights Film Festival on August 18, 2023, and its international premiere at FrightFest in London on August 28, 2023.
In the US, Dark Sky will release Founders Day theatrically in select locations on January 19, 2024.
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