Monday Mystery Movie: Despite its flaws, ‘Founders Day’ is worth the watch

Regal theaters beat out its already killer $5 Monday Mystery Movie deal — offering $1 tickets on Jan. 1 to see an unreleased film. With ticket prices lower than ever seen before, it was a no-brainer to stop by the theater on New Year’s Day. 

Although this time of the year often calls for Hallmark style feel-good movies, Regal had something different planned for their audiences — a horror movie. 

“Founders Day”, a new political slasher, follows a once sleepy town as they’re terrorized by a masked serial killer yielding a unique weapon: a gavel. 

With political tensions high in the town, the serial killer opens the door for rumors, threats and accusations in the midst of a mayoral election. 

“Founders Day” followed the steps of its genre almost to a T, so much so, it starts to feel like Wes Craven’s 1996 film “Scream”, excluding the meta. 

But similar to “Scream”, it’s clear the film is not meant to be taken seriously. Funny quips at the worst moments and cringe worthy actions from characters all show that “Founders Day” knows exactly what it was meant to be.

The gorey, brutal murders committed by the masked killer, who sports a silly powdered wig, bring suspense and frights. However, it might be a little too brutal for some viewers. 

Following the second murder of the movie, at least 15 people had left the theater. The R rating of “Founders Day” allows it to not shy away from the harsh realities that come with a serial killer on the loose. 

Unfortunately, the murders are one of the few things that “Founders Day” does well. The aspect that frustrated me the most throughout the movie was the acting. 

The majority of the characters in “Founders Day” could not act well. There seemed to be so much effort put in, that almost everything felt unnatural, forced and over exaggerated. The only actors that actually delivered a believable performance were Devin Druid and Andrew Stewart-Jones. 

While some may argue that the over dramatic acting was purposeful to add to the comedic element of the film, for me it took away from the thrill of the murders.

It’s hard to take a character seriously when their acting in seemingly serious scenes is hard not to laugh at, and that includes the cringe moments. 

Sometimes, it’s better to write strong humor rather than try to skate by on awkward, poorly timed actions. There’s a thin line between funny, and second hand embarrassing — and “Founders Day” crossed the line too often. 

If you’re worried about the political aspect of the film, and that it may lay with your opposing views, fear not. “Founders Day” was surprisingly neutral for a political slasher. 

The film appeals to all parties by not using political parties or any controversial topics drive the plot of the movie. 

In a horror movie, it’s difficult to confuse audiences enough to not guess the killer, but “Founders Day” did a good job at implementing enough twists and turns that kept me guessing. 

Once I thought I had it figured out, a wrench would get thrown and I’d be questioning everything I thought I knew. 

The only question is: Why wait so long to release it? Why did a movie perfect for the Halloween season hold off on its release until January?

While I hope it’s not the case, this might lead to low viewership. 

Although “Founders Day” is not a phenomenal film, it’s absolutely worth a watch. It will make you laugh, and maybe even make you scream. It’s a great new entry into the slasher genre that will make for a fun movie night. 

“Founders Day” comes to theaters on Jan. 19.