Ax 'Em (originally titled The Weekend It Lives) is a 1992 American slasher film directed by and starring Michael Mfume, son of United States RepresentativeKweisi Mfume.[2] The film follows a group of friends on a weekend retreat at a remote cabin in the woods who become the targets of a crazed killer.
In 1990, Mister Mason arrived home from work, armed himself with a shotgun, and proceeded to kill his wife and two of his children. Mister Mason turned the gun on himself, leaving his mentally ill son, Harry Mason, alive. When the police arrived to the scene of the crime, Harry Mason and the bodies of his dead siblings were missing.
In 2003, college student Michael decides to take his girlfriend Kea and their friends to his Granddad's house in the woods for the weekend. Joining Michael and Kea on the trip are Kevin, Michelle and Tonya, along with couples Shawn and Erika, Tony and Kendra, and Rock and Nikki. Meanwhile with Michael’s Granddad, a grown up Harry Mason breaks into the house and kills the Granddad with an axe as he readies himself with one of his guns.
The next day, the group arrives to the house, with Michael and the others not questioning where his Granddad is. At night, Michael takes everyone to the backyard, starts a fire, and recounts the story of the Masons for everyone. Michael explains he was a childhood friend and neighbor to the Mason children growing up. Michael and his Granddad were among the search party looking for the missing Harry Mason 13 years prior. During the search, Michael found the bodies of Harry's siblings propped up in his own backyard. But when he ran to get his granddad, the bodies were gone. The story spooks some of the group out, and they all turn in for the night.
The next morning, a trio of teenagers late for a class field trip try to catch up with their bus when their car runs out of gas. Sarah stays behind with the car while Brian and Breakfast venture off in the woods to find help. They come across Harry Mason’s old house, and after Breakfast catches the feeling of something being wrong, he runs away. Brian continues to search the house for a phone, only for Harry Mason to come up behind him and smash a rotary phone into his head. My nightfall, Sarah is found and stalked by Harry for a little bit before she runs away like Breakfast did before her.
Back at the Granddad’s House, Rock has sneaked off into the woods with Tonya to have sex when Rock is cut by Harry offscreen. Rock and Tonya flee back inside the Granddad’s house to warn everybody. Once they’re inside, Harry disables the group’s cars, throws Brian’s body through the front door, and barges inside to hack and slash Shawn with his machete. The group run off in separate directions as Tonya is chopped in the head by Harry with his machete.
Rock stumbles his way into Harry Mason’s house, hiding under a sheet draped over a chair. Nikki arrives to the Mason house next, and hides in a closet upstairs. Kevin arrives to the Mason house next, having reconvened with Erika offscreen when they are attacked by Harry Mason. Harry hacks the machete into Erika’s head, and proceeds to shoot Kevin to death with one of Granddad’s guns. Nikki screams as she discovers the bodies of Harry’s siblings in the closet. Harry cuts Nikki, but she is saved by Rock. They manage to knock Harry down and they run away together.
Meanwhile, Michael ventures back into his Granddad’s house with Kea to get a gun. In the house, Michael finds his Granddad's body stashed in the closet with the guns. Michael and Kea are cornered by Harry in the basement, but Michael shoots him 6 times before they escape through a window.
Tony and Kendra stumble across a random car battery on the ground, and later come across the car of Michael’s Granddad, but it is locked and they can't get inside. Nikki and Rock reconvene with Tony and Kendra at the car, and soon they are joined by Michael and Kea. Michael unlocks the car and tries to get it started, but it won't. Tony and Michael open the hood to realize the battery is missing. Tony runs away to get the battery him and Kendra came across earlier as Harry shows up, chasing the others away from the car as him and Michael exchange gunfire.
Michael, Kea, Nikki, Rock and Kendra sneak into the Mason basement to hide, and they reconvene with Michelle, who had been hiding down there as well. Harry barges in and the group holds their ground. Michael realizes it’s his childhood friend Harry all grown up, but it doesn’t stop Kea from snatching the gun from Michael and shooting Harry multiple times. Harry gets up and grabs his machete, but not before Michael picks up a pitchfork and stabs him in the chest with it.
Tony runs into the basement, telling them the battery is in the car and they got to go. Everyone runs out, while Michael reloads the gun and shoots Harry multiple times. The seven friends escape in the car. Unbeknownst to them as they drive away, Harry walks out in the middle of the road behind them, and proceeds to walk away, back into the woods.
Michael Mfume wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the film with no experience, contacts or money for production.[1] Eventually Mfume managed to accrue $400,000 from a group of investors while also accepting help from friends and family such as Mfume's mother providing craft services and his father also donating some money.[1] The film was shot in 15 days over a four-month period in Baltimore, Maryland at Morgan State University, Ashburton, Walbrook Junction and Druid Hill Park.[1] The cast consisted of amateur actors who were mostly friends of Mfume's from Morgan State.[1] Mfume also had interviews and screenings for the film setup with The Walt Disney Company. Columbia Pictures. and Warner Bros. which John Singleton helped set up after meeting with Mfume.[1] When Mfume spoke of his apsirations for the film, he was quoted:
When you think of horror films in the '90s, you going to think of Michael Mfume.[1]
Reception
Critical reception for Ax 'Em has been overwhelmingly negative, and Beyond Hollywood opined that the film was "one of the most visually atrocious films I’ve come across in a long, long time."[3]Something Awful gave it a rating of - 48, commenting "How do you review a movie so unfit for public viewing that you can't even figure out any of the characters' names?"[4]I-Mockery criticized the film heavily in one of their movie spotlights, remarking "At the end of the credits, the word, "peace" is shown. Never have I seen a stronger case for war."[5]The Baltimore Sun was slightly more positive in its review, commenting that the film initially showed some promise but that "Once the killings begin, the movie ceases to generate much interest."[6]
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