Director David Zuckerman Takes The Most Meta Approach To The Slasher Genre Since ‘Scream’
Seemingly a love-child of ‘Friday The 13th‘ and parodies like ‘Scary Movie‘, ‘President’s Day‘ flips the genre upside down. Making the most out of a seemingly low-budget, the movie feels bigger because of how well it knows the genre. You know these slasher tropes and the characters feel like caricatures but it seems to be aware of how ridiculous it is. That’s not to say the film isn’t a serious attempt; director & actor David Zuckerman is poking fun at the genre with a very stern face. ‘Presidents Day‘ is focused and executes the executions in a tremendous manner.
Even the holiday the film is based on seems ridiculous when you think about it.
Also, the film may feature the most awkward dance scene in a horror film since Crispin Glover in ‘Friday The 13th Part 4: The Final Chapter‘.
There isn’t all praise. Like some of these lower budget films, the acting can come off corny at times but then again, could it be on purpose? Also, I was expecting a bit more from the villains. They weren’t scary enough or funny enough. They seemed stuck in between and struggled to find a place in the film.
I also would have loved to see cinematography pushed a bit more. Sometimes with certain camera set-ups or editing choices, it comes off a bit amateur. On the other hand, the violence was the perfect amount of insane.
Have to praise some of the one-liners. I laughed out loud quite a few times. The line “So, I think might actually be a socialist” is such a millennial-line about politics that it works on many levels for the film. The obnoxious bro character Brett played by Jud Zumwalt has some of the best lines. Many will hate him but he ended up being my favorite. Also the odd relationship Brett had with his man servant reminded me so much of Peppermint Patty and Marcie from The Peanuts.
I have to congratulate a fellow graduate from Full Sail University for creating ‘Presidents Day‘. It’s so light-heartened yet still remains deeply embedded in the genre of horror. This type of film did exactly what it was meant to do. It entertains and makes me look forward to what David Zuckerman has to offer in the future.
‘Presidents Day‘ is said to be coming soon so follow the film on social media for updates! (Official Facebook Page)
Does the trailer get you hyped for the film?
