Hell of a Summer, directed by Billy Bryk and Finn Wolfhard, offers a familiar blend of slasher horror and comedy with a modern twist. The film centers on Jason Hochberg (Fred Hechinger), a 24-year-old camp counselor who feels out of sync with his younger colleagues at Camp Pineway. However, his sense of disconnection soon takes a backseat when a masked killer starts picking off the counselors, leading to a tense, bloody showdown in the woods.
The film's opening scene, striving to rival films like Scream, sets out to establish a thrilling slasher atmosphere but ultimately fails to achieve the desired impact. That said, the film does a solid job at capturing the quintessential summer camp atmosphere, evoking nostalgia for those who have a soft spot for this genre, even if it doesn’t introduce anything groundbreaking. The conversations between the counselors, often feeling improvised, add an authentic, raw quality to the interactions, and the film excels in creating a believable camaraderie (or lack thereof) among the characters.
Fred Hechinger, best known for The White Lotus and Thelma, delivers a strong performance as the anxious, slightly out-of-place Jason. His portrayal brings depth to a character who could have easily slipped into caricature. Alongside him, Finn Wolfhard plays Chris, delivering a performance that is more eccentric than necessary. While his role is amusing at times, the character's over-the-top traits—such as his ongoing obsession with feminism and the "orgasm gap"—are more distracting than funny. It's easy to see why Wolfhard, at 19 during production, had difficulty selling a script that frequently veers into absurdity, particularly with dialogue that sometimes feels forced and juvenile.
The supporting cast—Abby Quinn as Claire, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai as Mike, and Billy Bryk as Bobby—help to balance out the ensemble, though some characters are a bit too annoying for comfort. The film relies heavily on satirical humor, with some clever one-liners that hit the mark, but not all jokes land. Certain moments feel cringeworthy, particularly as it attempts to balance the tones of Superbad and Sleepaway Camp, but ultimately fails to fully deliver on either.
When it comes to the horror elements, Hell of a Summer takes a unique approach by opting for off-screen kills for much of the film. While this choice builds suspense, it also leaves something to be desired in terms of visceral thrills. Hell of a bummer, am I right? Fortunately, the gore picks up as the film progresses, with a few bloody moments that satisfy slasher fans, but the kills rarely reach the extremes that the genre often delivers. By the time the killer’s identity is revealed, the twist feels underwhelming, and the sense of dread never fully materializes into something truly terrifying.
Despite these drawbacks, Hell of a Summer remains a fun and watchable movie, largely due to its ensemble cast and the occasional sharp humor. While the film doesn’t bring anything new to the table, it has enough energy and charm to warrant a viewing, especially for fans of campy horror-comedies. Bryk and Wolfhard clearly have potential as filmmakers, and while Hell of a Summer may fall short of its potential, it serves as an intriguing starting point for their future projects.
Jessie Hobson