This article contains spoilers.
Finn Wolfhard from “Stranger Things” has left the Upside Down for the director’s chair.
Wolfhard made his directorial debut alongside Billy Bryk with “Hell of a Summer,” a much-needed slasher — a genre that’s taken a backseat in recent years, apart from series like “Scream” and “Fear Street.” Wolfhard and Bryk also co-wrote the movie, which released April 4.
“Hell of a Summer” follows Jason (Fred Hechinger), an enthusiastic camp counselor as he returns to his beloved Camp Pineway. However, Jason and his fellow counselors soon discover that there’s a killer on the loose.
The film’s crowning jewel is its humor, notably its witty dialogue delivered by a talented cast. Bryk in particular gives a laugh-out-loud performance as Bobby, a lovable himbo whose memorable personality makes the film stand out from other slashers.
Part of what made the humor so endearing is that it sounds like genuine Gen-Z dialogue, as opposed to the stilted conversations usually found on HBO and Netflix. When Bryk’s character worries whether his puka shell necklace is cool, the dialogue between Bryk and Wolfhard feels like an authentic conversation between two friends.
Following the trend of past slashers, “Hell of a Summer” has many callbacks to fellow films in the genre. Jason is named after Jason Voorhees of the “Friday the 13th” franchise. Even the camp setting itself seems to be another reference to these movies.
Within the film, there were cyclical references to memorable dialogue earlier on. In one tense moment, Bobby uses Mike’s (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai) characteristic one-liner against him to avoid certain death.
Scenes like these allow viewers to connect the dots themselves. The whodunit aspect of the film made it more engaging and entertaining to watch.
While a fun watch, the film relies heavily on its genre instead of its plot or characters. The killers’ motives — simply wanting to be famous — are underdeveloped and have no real connection to the camp setting.
Other than its humor, “Hell of a Summer” does little to separate itself from a traditional slasher, meaning the identities of the killers are easily deducible.
The slow-paced first half of the movie is filled with overused jump cuts and odd, iMovie-esque transitions. Sometimes, the transitions were effective — such as a scene that cuts between Jason chopping wood and Demi’s (Pardis Saremi) blood splattering on her bunk bed. This moment perfectly introduces the slasher aspect of this film, while also calling into question whether Jason could be the killer.
However, they’re mainly a distraction. The amount of jump cuts in the first half of the movie alone makes the editing feel choppy and unfinished.
Additionally, the characters are one-dimensional and don’t offer much in terms of growth. Their motivations for working at Camp Pineway are unclear, especially when compared to Jason’s overflowing enthusiasm.
Claire (Abby Quinn) is especially underdeveloped with few personality traits other than being in love with Jason. This limitation makes her heroics in the movie’s final moments feel completely out of left field.
Overall, “Hell of a Summer” isn’t a life-changing movie, but it’s a fun movie to watch with a crowd.
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