Horror parodies and spoofs come in all varieties, from SHAUN OF THE DEAD and YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN to SLAUGHTERHOUSE RULEZ and YOU MIGHT BE THE KILLER. When a film like CAMP DEATH III IN 2D! comes along with a poster announcing “This Film is Stupid!” you know just what end of the spectrum it falls on. And it gives you just what you would expect.
Closed after multiple killing sprees by Johann Van Damme (Terry Mullett), Camp Crystal Meph is re-opened as a rehab facility for the mentally ill. At the same time as Alice (Cynthia Chalmers), the sole survivor of the previous massacres vanishes from the mental institution she was placed in. And so does her puppet.
That should give you an idea of what the film is about. But there’s plenty more including Todd’s skeptical Uncle Mel (Darren Andrichuk 3 HOURS TILL DEAD) who owns the camp. Rachel (Angela Galanopoulos) Todd’s love interest with a mysterious past. And a squirrel puppet that’s the love child of the gopher from CADDYSHACK and Scrat from ICE AGE. And, of course, the campers themselves.
It’s obvious from the start this is a very non PC film as Mel tells Todd “This petting zoo for retards better pay off!” It continues in that vein throwing everything imaginable, and some stuff you wouldn’t, couldn’t and probably shouldn’t imagine at the wall to see what sticks. There are even musical interludes. As you can imagine this gets as many laughs as groans but when it works, damn it’s funny.
Fans of slasher films, especially the ones set at camp, will get the most laughs out of CAMP DEATH III IN 2D!. It has references to so many genre films I started to lose track. It also skewers other films including STAR WARS along the way. There’s something for everyone here, as long as you don’t get offended to easily.
The gore is a mix of effective old school practical effects and weak CGI “enhancements” that we could have done without. The kills are equally mixed, with weapons including toasters, lightsabers and candy bars. Like everything else in this film some of it works, some of it falls flat. But it is enthusiastic and inventive writer/director Matt Frame keeps the weirdness coming.
I usually like my comedy more focused and less frantic but this one had me laughing. Go into it with an open mind and open beer and CAMP DEATH III IN 2D! will be a good time.
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