Sunday, February 24, 2013

Madison County (2011)

Literally all I've heard is bad things about this movie.  I really didn't even know what it was about, but bad opinions abound.  Today, I've been on a blogging roll, and I had under 1.5 hours before I have to leave for the grocery store, so I decided to give this flick and try and get it booted from my instant queue.

Real original plot -- a group of college students travels into a backwoods town to investigate some murders.  It's a pretty hodgepodge group, including a hot Asian and a nerdy guy who are secretly dating, the douchecanoe that planned this trip, the Asian's brother who hates everyone, and the requisite hot blonde.  When they go to a diner, people stare.  A guy says he reckons they shouldn't take a picture of his truck.  A seemingly sweet old lady gives them directions that are clearly bullshit.

They don't want to "waste the trip" so they all split up and go randomly wandering around.  They are tempted by everything ranging from a room full of junk to s swimmin' hole full of naked ladies.  And then, of course, there's a murderer in a pig mask. Not only should they have let that trend die around the time of Motel Hell but I think the Saw franchise beat it to death as well.

As the assault of the pig-man continues, they all desperately want to get help, but it's so difficult when the town is dead-set on protecting their resident serial killer.  This is pretty much ripped from the Texas Chainsaw playbook, right down to the old lady behind the counter at the general store, to the slow-witted killer that no one can seem to stop.

Madison County just really didn't have any redeeming qualities.  It was basically wander around and get killed.  No suspense, no real backstory, one-dimensional characters that bored me to death.  And while I appreciate a faceless killer as much as the next horror fan, let's at least give the guy SOME sort of personality or reason for killing.  I'd give this one a pass.

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