MADISON COUNTY (2011)

Directed/Written by Eric England
Starring Ace Marrero, Katie Stegeman, Joanna Sotomura, Natalie Scheetz, Nick Principe, Matt Mercer

Isn’t it clear that city college kids have no business wandering off into the country is a bad idea? Obviously the kids in this film didn’t get the memo. MADISON COUNTY is one of many “stay out of backwoods Amerricuh!” films and follows the same formula of drawing good looking post teens into a desolate locale and having that locale rising up and biting them in the taint. Though not a bad film, it is very similar to tons like it that I have reviewed in this very column. But city folk vs the country livin’ has been the topic of debate for years and maybe the recent economic woes where the segregation of sophisticated living and the unwashed masses is the topic discussed just about everywhere is the reason for this cinematic inundation. Either way, I couldn’t help but feel as if I had been there and done that throughout most of this movie. That said, I think MADISON COUNTY is a good example of this genre with decent performances by the soon to be dead good lookings and a villain that is definitely scary.

In true Scooby Doo fashion, the college kids who’s reasons for this trip is to seek out the writer of a book which focuses on a legendary serial killer named Damian. Though most college kids do research through wiki these days, I guess there might be a few who want to actually do some legwork when it comes to getting a story. Unfortunately, that motivation and know-how doesn’t really convey as these kids don’t really piece together that they are in peril until it’s almost biting them in the ass. The kids are likable and all play the part well. The lasses are uber-cute and the dudes are hunkly.

Though one might not think so with the way the serial killer looks and just the fact that his name is Damian, the killer is actually quite good. It’s interesting the choices the filmmakers made with the character naming him after an iconic devil child from the early eighties and making him wear a pig’s head, reminiscent of MOTEL HELL, and more recently Prof. Pygg from the BATMAN comics and the relentless film THE BUTCHER. Still, Damian stands out as truly terrifying here. This is mostly because the filmmakers smartly show the characters sneaking up on his prey. This anticipation of whether or not the victim will turn around and see the killer coming is nicely done numerous times in MADISON COUNTY and it never loses its effectiveness.

This GREEN ACRES with blood and a pig head isn’t blazing new trails, but it does walk confidently down those paths. Damian is truly scary, though the pig head look has been used before and the brutality of the kills will definitely satiate those looking for a decent slasher fix. MADISON COUNTY has definitely done its homework. The twist ending is interesting and the enigmatic, yet frightening portrayal and good performances from the cast all around saves this from being another tired “killer in the woods” retread.