Disc Reviews

Camp Dread Review

14th Jun 2014

Julian Barrett (Eric Roberts) is a director who found fame in the 80s with his hit slasher series “Summer Camp”, but after his initial success he faded into obscurity. Determined to regain his former status Barrett decides to take advantage of Hollywood’s love of reboots and plans to re-launch “Summer Camp”. In order to fund the new project he decides to exploit the former “Summer Camp” set by hosting a reality show for troubled youths. Selling it as a reform camp-cum-reality competition the winner must “survive” to the end as well participating in counselling and rehabilitation exercises with cult “Summer Camp” Scream Queen Rachel Steele (Felissa Rose). But it soon becomes apparent that someone isn’t playing by the rules and the contestants realise they are going to have to survive the competition for real….

The characters in this film are semi-interesting. They are reasonably developed enough but none of them are particularly likable and it’s hard to care whether they live or die. And mostly they die. Although the film appears to be set up to focus on the trouble youths that form the Summer Camp participants, the main character development and focus is around Barrett and Steele. The stunt casting of Eric Roberts and Felissa Rose may be partly responsible for this: Rose is a genuine Scream Queen thanks to her appearance in cult classic Sleepaway Camp, a connection that will not be lost on B movie horror fans; and Roberts is a B movie stalwart and fan-favourite at this point in his career. Roberts has fun with this role and he’s good, but somehow he never quite portrays the see ruthlessness that must be essential to the character of Barrett, given his actions. While Danielle Harris gets top billing she has little more than a cameo and her character is so unnecessary it hardly seems featuring her at all.

This film is pretty low-budget and this shows in the skimmed-over death scenes. You get the gist but you don’t see very much and generally the gore is low-key and infrequent. However, if you want to see a man taken out by a decapitated head you won’t be disappointed.

But instead of relying on cheap gore the film has to work a little bit harder in other areas and this may be why this film offers such a grim little twist at the end. Sure, there are a few minor plot holes, but generally the twist is solid and there is potential for this film to be really quite good, albeit with a bigger budget and a better script.

This film doesn’t take itself seriously so neither should the audience, it pokes fun at itself, at slasher flicks, at reality tv and at Hollywood’s love of reboots, this film really does have its tongue firmly placed in its cheek. The cast seem to be having fun and generally it’s very enjoyable. Camp Dread is not going to win any awards and despite being a horror film, it isn’t actually frightening at all, but it succeeds in what it sets out to do: entertain.

If you come back from the pub one night and find this playing on the Horror or SyFy channel (as it will inevitably be played on a loop, on one of those channels, at some point) give it a go, it might not challenge you but it will keep you amused for an hour or so….