“Madison County” Movie Review

Runtime: 81 minutes

Rating: R

Release Date: 2011

Director: Eric England

James, Will, Brooke, Jenna, and Kyle head out to the rural Madison County on a road trip. James started exchanging letters with a local man named David who wrote a book about a serial killer, Damien, who nearly ruined the community. After stopping for gas, they run into a truck driver who acts like the stereotypical redneck. After warning them not to go to Madison County, he gives them the name of a road as a short cut.

James decides to skip the short cut because he worries about what the man could really want, that or they watched “The Hills Have Eyes” before taking off. Their first stop is at the local diner run by Erma. Erma not only tells them that David doesn't exist, but she rolls her eyes at the Damien story. According to her and others in the community, the serial killer never existed. Someone just made up the story to get attention.

The group decides to split up with half investigating the community and half heading into the woods for a little fun. When a man comes out of the woods dressed in a pig mask, they realize that Erma was lying. Madison County really does have a serial killer, and that killer is coming after them.

“Madison County” is one of those films that I pass by all the time in the video rental store and always skip over. It's the same type of movie that I can't resist when I notice it on Netflix. If this is any indication of the type of director that Eric England is, I have to say that he has a fan in me. The movie far better than its current rating on IMDB, and I have to say that I was sad to see such poor reviews.

The film plays like a straight slasher film with a nod to the classic films of the 1980s. A group of college kids who should know better head to a place where no one wants them, and they decide to stick around and poke their noses in other people's business. The only downside is that the film doesn't have a lot of great death scenes, but you can use your imagination. It also has a, pardon the pun, killer ending that isn't necessarily a twist but still manages to wrap up the film.