Director: Finn Wolfhard & Billy Bryk
Writer: Finn Wolfhard & Billy Bryk
Cast: Fred Hechinger, Finn Wolfhard, Billy Bryk, Abby Quinn, Pardis Saremi, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai,Rosebud Baker,Adam Pally, Krista Nazaire, Matthew Finlan, Julia Lalonde, Daniel Gravelle, Julia Doyle, Susan Coyne
What It’s About: A masked killer terrorizes the counsellors of a summer camp in this sardonic slasher-comedy, the feature directorial debut from actors Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk. (From TIFF)
What Critics Are Saying: “Hell of a Summer” finds an ensemble of camp counselors trying to survive a slasher who is killing them one-by-one the weekend before camp officially begins. Deadline Hollywood’s review from Valerie Complex says the film offers a “delightful mix that strikes the right balance of ’80s horror nostalgia and fresh, modern creativity. While it occasionally stumbles in its visual execution, the clever narrative and sharp societal insights ensure it’s a movie worth watching.”
However, Bloody Disgusting thought the film’s comedy outshined the horror. In their review, Meagan Navarro writes, “The slasher component falls to the wayside as the filmmakers spend time capturing the irreverent and often dumb aspects of youth. It’s an endless barrage of gags, quips, and punchlines that establish the dynamics between each stock, one-note character.” The review adds, “But Wolfhard and Bryk’s focus on the humor over the slasher means it’s less effective at the satire. The good news is that their focus on youth culture commentary lands, and it’s clear the cast and crew had a blast making the film.”
When Can You See It: “Hell of a Summer” doesn’t yet have an official release date.
