Horror comedies have become increasingly popular over the last few years and although the new release Hell of a Summer may not go down as a classic within the specific genre, it's a worthwhile watch for anyone who enjoys members of the young cast or can use a little gore mixed in with their humor.
Hell of a Summer is directed by Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk who play Chris and Bobby respectively in the movie, and it's a solid debut for the young filmmakers. You can see their appreciation and homage to classic films like Friday the 13th but also new releases such as Cabin in the Woods.
Although most of the cast gets significant screen time throughout the film, our main focus is Jason (Fred Hechinger) who is an adult refusing to grow up. Hechinger has experience in the horror genre from his time in the Fear Street trilogy, but has showed significant growth as an actor with his roles in Thelma and Gladiator II last year as well.
Hechinger plays the role of a kid stuck in an adult's body well and you can tell that he's struggling to move past the joy he found being at summer camp. This is one of the few themes the movie attempts to convey, as the rest of the film focuses on jokes, modest kills, and everyone assuming Jason is the mystery killer.
The film has a plethora of young and mostly unknown actors and it uses most of them well. Abby Quinn (Claire), D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (Mike), Pardis Saremi (Demi), Matthew Finlan (Ezra), and Krista Nazaire (Shannon) are the other major players besides Wolfhard, Bryk, and Hechinger in the film, and the directing duo showcases each of their talents in different ways throughout the film.
Although each of them fits into a specific trope we always see in horror movies, the film does a good job of making us invest in their characters, even if we aren't sure which one of them is the killer in the beginning. Ezra is the theater-obsessed drama king while Bobby is the kid who constantly lies about things to try and appear cool and popular.
These tropes could have derailed the movie quickly, but all of the actors and actresses showcase their skill sets and help provide numerous laughs throughout the film. The one gripe with the main cast is that although we're made to think Claire and Jason have a mutual attraction to each other, the chemistry seems off and forced even at the end of the movie.
As the bodies began to rack up, I questioned if the movie was intended to be PG-13 due to the lack of violence. We see dead bodies pop up, but most of the time we don't see any actual killing happening which limits the impact of how scary or memorable the film can actually be. Overall, though, both directors show they know how to balance tension and humor in a way that'll keep you wondering what's going to happen by the end of the film.
The film also plays it smart by not trying to do something outlandish or crazy. Although it may have been smart to go a different direction with the reveal of the killer, it could have caused confusion or even overtaken the fun of watching the cast clearly enjoy themselves on the screen. Hell of a Summer utilizes a formula that works with a good cast, and although it may not stick with people for a long time, it's still an enjoyable time for everyone involved.
Hell of a Summer is now playing in theaters.