HELL OF A SUMMER (2025)

 

Written & Directed By: Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk

Cinematography: Kristoffer Bonnell

Editor: Christine Armstrong 

Cast: Fred Hechinger, Finn Wolfhard, Billy Bryk, Abby Quinn, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Krista Nazaire, Pardis Saremi, Matthew Finlan, Adam Pally, Rosebud Baker

The counselors of a summer camp are terrorized by a masked killer.

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While the film is certainly funny. As a horror film it should work, but doesn’t. As it is a horror comedy, but at times it feels like it is trying to be a parody or spoof with a little more sketch comedy thrown in. As the film Wants to be sensical somewhat. as commonly the film feels like the work of a sketch, comedy troop that just decided to pay homage to horror films of their youth, and trying to modernize them.

As the film comes off pessimistic to a degree adding character based humor to familiar situations. Making to feel like a post modern slasher film. Which is unfortunate as most of the characters are there a memorable. You only wish it was In a stronger script and story. 

The film has various strange tones and moods that come at random times. 

there are very few on screen kills which lowers the film’s value. As it’s not even made for creativity. It only hurts the film, especially when most of the cast is killed. The only time there is violence is more in the death scenes they choose to show which is more the villains. 

At a certain point there seems to be just a massacre of various characters getting killed one by one to make up for the lack of kills in the first half. 

Despite the many jokes about him, that land. The lead character could have been fleshed out a bit more. To help the audience understand him or at least understand what drives him. Rather then cia tangly have him just be enthusiastic. Where It’ understandable the filmmakers want to add him as a suspect though we know it’s not him. Leaving us hung up and dry in his character feels unnecessary rather than silly. For instance is he on the spectrum or suffering from arrested development 

The film seems to want to also parody or bring back memories of the disappearing camp films. 

Made for a more modern generation. though without the obvious exploitative cliché is that usually these films have as it tries to be more politically correct.

In the end the film is fun in a silly way, that feels more like a fun look rather than an actual full feature. It feels more like an interesting student film or a film that was made more for a sketch comedy group to stretch their wings. Rather than the two filmmakers behind the film. Who are also co-starring in the film. One Finn Wolfhard the biggest name in the film. Along with Billy Bryk they play the two characters who if not for the lead seem like they would be. As they seem to get the most attention 

Grade: C