Population 436
Population 436 is a 2006 mystery-horror film directed by Michelle MacLaren and starring Jeremy Sisto, Fred Durst, Peter Outerbridge and Charlotte Sullivan.[1]
| Population 436 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Michelle MacLaren |
| Produced by | Gavin Polone |
| Written by | Michael Kingston |
| Starring | Jeremy Sisto Fred Durst Charlotte Sullivan Peter Outerbridge |
| Music by | Glenn Buhr |
| Cinematography | Thomas Burstyn |
| Edited by | Gabriel Wrye |
| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Home Entertainment |
Release date |
|
Running time | 92 minutes |
| Country | Canada United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
Steve Kady (Jeremy Sisto),[2] a US Census Bureau enumerator is sent to the remote and seemingly idyllic village of Rockwell Falls, North Dakota, to interview residents concerning the population. On the way to Rockwell Falls he is distracted by a woman falling off a horse and his vehicle hits a pothole and bursts two tires. He is eventually picked up by Bobby Caine (Fred Durst), the Sheriff's Deputy, who drives him into Rockwell Falls and helps him find a place to stay.
During his stay, Kady notices a number of increasingly strange things about the town, people acting awkward and strange. He also begins to have eerie dreams. Then there was talk of 'the fever' from town folk and several residents treat him as though he was not just a visitor, but has moved to Rockwell Falls permanently. His research reveals that the town's population has remained at exactly 436 for over 100 years. People who try to leave Rockwell Falls seem to meet with bizarre and deadly accidents or just vanish, which the residents believe to be the work of God.
Kady becomes romantically involved with Courtney Lovett (Charlotte Sullivan), a local woman and the daughter of his host, much to the chagrin of Caine, who is also in love with her. He also befriends Amanda, a young girl whose father was killed trying to escape from the town and who is being held at the clinic of Dr Greaver, the town doctor, on the pretext of treating her for schizophrenia. Courtney and Amanda both express a desire to leave the town, but are afraid of the consequences of trying.
After stumbling upon some books on Biblical numerology, Kady realizes that the townspeople attach a mystical importance to the number 436 and are willing to go to extreme lengths to keep the population at that number. Anyone who expresses a desire to leave is treated for the 'fever' by Dr. Greaver with electroshock therapy , etc. It gradually becomes apparent to Kady that the residents of Rockwell Falls have no intention of allowing him to leave.
After witnessing the execution of a seemingly willing woman at a town feast, Kady becomes hysterical, and is taken to the clinic to be treated for the 'fever'. He escapes from his host and finds a sympathetic resident who came to the town 8 years ago and was once in the same predicament. He helps Kady plan his escape. After setting fire to the town garage as a diversion, Kady rescues Amanda from the clinic, but is forced to leave Courtney behind after discovering she has been lobotomized by Dr. Greaver. As Kady and Amanda flee the town in a stolen tow-truck, a storm is brewing with dark clouds and lightning strike. Kady then realizes the cross from his dream is in the hanging from the rear view mirror. And the doll from his dream is on the dashboard with the next lightning strike. The pair then hit a semi head on, dying as they try to leave the town.
The film ends with one of Kady's co-workers (Christian Potenza), who has come in search of him, being picked up by the Sheriff after his car hits the same pothole that Kady's did, blowing his tires, echoing the beginning of the film.
References
- "Population / 436 (2006)". MORIA. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
- Zupan, Michael. "Population 436". DVD Talk. Retrieved 22 September 2020.