RESURRECTION COUNTY (2008)

Directed by Matt Zettell
Written by James Cotton (story), Matt Yeager (screenplay)
Starring Dayton Knoll, Adam Huss, Kathryn Michelle, Kem Dawson, Robert Miano, Matt Beeson, Rus Blackwell
Find out more about this film here!

This isn’t the first time a bunch of townies vacation into the sticks to run afoul of the local hillfolk and most likely it won’t be the last. Though hillbillies and city folk have been feuding for years in cinema, there seems to be a rise in this type of film as of late. Maybe it has something to do with the political environment of today’s world as conservative and liberal values are going head to head in the news every night of the week. Not one to venture into politics that much, I try not to cast that barbed fishhook in fear of inciting a nonsensical political debate, but horror has always had its toe dangled into casting the monsters as those with conservative values, punishing the liberal minded folks who venture into their land.

RESURRECTION COUNTY isn’t anything that strays too much from previous redneck vs. preppie horror films, but it does follow the numbers in a capable and entertaining manner. For the most part, this is due to some good acting from the cast, in both country hick and city prick departments. Slow to unfold, director Matt Settell lets us get to know and like our vacationing young adults who like to ride ATV’s and work in coffee shops when not camping in the hills. We find out that half of our quartet is married, while the other half is expecting a child. Making the kids likable lends itself a lot to the investment here, and when the two guys mistakenly venture into the wrong property and end up accidentally killing one of the hillbillies, I actually was rooting for the kids to get out alive.

This being a horror film, of course, they all don’t, though RESURRECTION COUNTY surprised me by the order by which of the kids are offed first, bucking traditional slasher film rules from the get go. This makes for a more unconventional survival horror film and one I couldn’t predict. The villains in this film are downright despicable. Some are leering macho men, others silent skinheads, and the patriarch of the clan (Robert Miano) offers up a nice amount of simmering menace.

RESURRECTION COUNTY is not reinventing the moonshine still, but it does serve up a digestible shot of whiskey. Though the main townie looks a little bit too much like Corey Feldman, Dayton Knoll delivers a solid performance as the lead, with the rest of the cast following suit with strong plays. Though city folk still have a lot to learn when interacting with hill folk, RESURRECTION COUNTY proves that at least the experience can be entertaining.

Check out the trailer here!!