Review: Return To Sleepaway Camp 2008

My content is originally published on AC.

As a child Sleepaway Camp was a cool flick, with a sick ending. I was never afraid of horror flicks. At 5 years old nothing amused me more than a bowl of popcorn, a warm fluffy blanket and a monster movie. By the age of 12 I believe I managed to watch every vampire flick, zombie flick, witch flick, and killer flick ever made in the 80's. Sleepaway Camp was one of those cool camp killer flicks that forever stood with me. Although I wouldn't call it the best 80's teen scream, it managed to stitch memories of itself into my brain.

When I came across Return To Sleepaway Camp I was really hesitant on watching it. Would they remake the 80's classic and chop it to crap like that Rob Zombie freak is doing to my favorite classics? Or would they actually put together something worth a damn while still keeping the original cheesy charm alive.

Return To Sleepaway Camp is not for everyone. First and foremost I must say that only a true hardcore 80's horror film lover would be able to find the cheesy charm that this movie gives off entertaining. Everyone else born in the 90's, you will take one look at the flick and want to turn it off. It's boring, cheesy, the film itself seems as if it were made in the 80's, with poor cheesy dialog, bad acting, and just ridiculous kill scenes. However if you grew up on this sort of horror, Return To Sleepaway Camp will simply dazzle you with its scrumptious way on rewinding back to the past.

The entire time watching the movie I was in love. I loved the cheesy dialog, bad acting, terrible kill scenes, and I especially loved how this film (made in 2008) felt like it truly was found buried in an old vault from 1980.

The flick starts off like most camp horror movies from the 80's. A bunch of kids are in summer camp at Camp Manabe. Immediately you are introduced to Alan. It took me about 20 minutes into the film to realize that Alan was the kid in the camp who was being tormented by others. At first though he takes on an odd role of being the bully. Feeling sorry for him is difficult because of the way he is. The bully, then the baby? The bully, then the baby?

At any rate, the torment Alan endures elevates as the film goes on, so immediately you get this sense that they want you to believe Alan is the killer when people at camp turn up dead. If you grew up on 80's flicks though, you know that Alan is a mere distraction.

So who is slashing through Camp Manabe picking off the campers one by one?

You'll have to watch the movie to find out.

Besides the lack luster plot I provided, the movie actually held my interested based off of the fact that it had me laughing my guts up every other minute. Even parts that are not supposed to be funny, come off as funny, making it an entertaining mega cheesy 80's remake. So bad, that its actually good.

I have come across numerous review sites tearing this movie to shreds, but me, I found the flick to be entertaining enough to watch again and again. I guess you'd have to come from a different generation to appreciate the way this movie was put together.

A fun tid bit that you will pick up on immediately happens during the beginning of the movie when you meet one of the camps chefs. This chef turns out to be Isaac Hayes, who also plays Chef in South Park. The interesting thing about him in Return To Sleepaway Camp, is that he is wearing the same red shirt, and white apron. Minus the chef hat of course. I thought that it was funny, and something that most fans will pick up on in seconds.

All in all, it is not for everyone. If you are into fast paced action horrors, than this slow dewy movie is one to pass up. If you enjoy fun quirky gore films like Dead Alive, then Return To Sleepaway Camp will please you.