I enjoyed "Population 436", I have to admit! Sure it was very predictable and a little too tame for my usual liking – they could have used a bucket or two of fake blood – but director Michelle Maxwell Maclaren maintains a nicely uncanny atmosphere and everyone involved in this production showed a lot spirit. "Population 436" feels like an honorable throwback to the 'creepy little town with a dark secret' sub genre of the older days. It's very similar to films like "Dead and Buried","The Wicker Man", "Messiah of Evil" and in a way even to the almighty Hershell Gordon Lewis' classic "2000 Maniacs", with its plot about the remote little village of Rockwell Falls that holds the same number of inhabitants since more than a complete century. Government worker Steve Kady (Jeremy Sisto) is sent to investigate the registering habits of this little town, only to realize the locals are a bunch of deeply religious lunatics who believe they have to keep their number on 436, otherwise God will severely punish them. Steve is warmly welcomed as a new township member, but that of course means that someone else has to be sacrificed. Writer Michael Kingston tries a little too hard to keep the events going on in Rockwell Falls a secret, even though it's all fairly obvious since the opening sequences already. This approach nevertheless results in a couple of creepy and ominous moments, like the fantastic highlight during the town's autumn festival, but there never are any real surprises or shocks to experience. As stated previously, the film also could have used a little more bloodshed, as that is the least you expect from crazy inbred rednecks living in isolated areas. Still, I very much admire the effort and, since I'm a sucker for unhappy endings it gets another extra point. The filming locations are splendidly chosen and so are the eerie musical tunes and camera viewpoints. The acting performances are far above average with Jeremy Sisto as a convincing hero and the beautiful Charlotte Sullivan as an amiable local girl. Heck, even Fred Durst did a fine job and I'm really relieved that none of his songs were on the soundtrack. Recommended!

This is obviously a movie made with a very low budget and low other resources. The movie however manges well with its limited resources and its good for what it is, although obviously its hardly a genre classic or anything else too remarkable.

The movie begins well but for the viewers it becomes obvious too early on into the movie what the story is all about and where the movie is heading to. It doesn't ever make the movie good as a mystery-movie but its atmosphere and other things compensate for this.

As other reviewers have pointed out already, the movie has a great creepy kind of "The Twilight Zone" atmosphere, despite that the movie itself not being scary at all. I am however convinced of it that if this was an actual "The Twilight Zone"-episode, it would be considered one of the best ever. The atmosphere and the professional feeling of the movie make the movie work out, even though it all is nothing too remarkable or original.

The movie has a good visual style and due to the fast directing (which was I think probably due to the limited shooting time) the movie flows well. It's cinematography is good and it provides the movie with a couple of pretty pictures. The movie also tries to be creative at times and also provide it with a couple of scare moments but this mostly does not work out.

The movie its concept is interesting and I guess that it even had more potential in it, than used in the actual movie now. All of the elements now used feel rather formulaic and predictable. The movie perhaps also feels a bit like a poor man's "The Village".

Jeremy Sisto is a good 'big' leading man for a this kind of movie, though I expected more from him honestly. The supporting cast does a good job although this movie of course hardly features any of the best performances.

Worth a watch, if you're into the genre.

6/10

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While traveling to Rockwell Falls in an assignment of the US Census Bureau, the surveyor from Chicago Steve Kady (Jeremy Sisto) has two flat tires nearby the small town. The local Deputy Bobby Caine (Fred Durst) brings him to the town and the Mayor Grateman (Frank Adamson) lodges him in a farm, where the gorgeous Courtney Lovett (Charlotte Sullivan) lives with her mother. Steve finds that Rockwell Falls, considered by the locals as the most perfect place on Earth, has the same population since 1860 and sooner he discloses the meaning and the dark secret of their creed of solidarity and steadfastness.

"Population 436" is a good horror B-movie, with an intriguing dark story that in some moments recall the original "The Stepford Wives" and a great mystery. I personally liked the surprising and unpredictable conclusion, and hated the alternative commercial ending in the Extras of the DVD. If the viewer sees this low-budget movie with a lower expectation, he or she may have a worthwhile surprise. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "População 436" ("Population 436")