There was a point during my watch of Camp Cold Brook where I lost track of the time.
You see, I'm usually pretty aware of where I'm at in a film's running time, and how much movie I've got left. The worse the movie, the more aware I am. But I paused Camp Cold Brook so I could grab a drink and realized I had a half hour left. The movie was almost over, and I wasn't ready for things to end.
THAT is the sign of a good movie!
Sure, there's nothing new or different about Camp Cold Brook. We've seen flicks about reality TV shows going into a haunted setting, only to become victims of the location before. But producer Joe Dante, director Andy Palmer and screenwriter Alex Carl went and did it better than most with a good story (for the type), likeable characters, and some moments of genuine suspense. If you don't have the money for lots of gore and special effects, and you're not looking to go the splatter/exploitation route, this is how you get it done.
The cast is good too. You can always rely on genre vet Danielle Harris, and I thought fellow leads Chad Michael Murray, Michael Eric Reid and Candice De Visser did solid work. I liked their group dynamic, and thought they played off each other well.
There is a late third-act twist I saw coming a mile away, but it played out well, and contributes to the movie's final jolt. I'll forgive that one misstep. I enjoyed Camp Cold Brook a lot, and have to give it a Good. I'll definitely see it again.
You see, I'm usually pretty aware of where I'm at in a film's running time, and how much movie I've got left. The worse the movie, the more aware I am. But I paused Camp Cold Brook so I could grab a drink and realized I had a half hour left. The movie was almost over, and I wasn't ready for things to end.
THAT is the sign of a good movie!
Sure, there's nothing new or different about Camp Cold Brook. We've seen flicks about reality TV shows going into a haunted setting, only to become victims of the location before. But producer Joe Dante, director Andy Palmer and screenwriter Alex Carl went and did it better than most with a good story (for the type), likeable characters, and some moments of genuine suspense. If you don't have the money for lots of gore and special effects, and you're not looking to go the splatter/exploitation route, this is how you get it done.
The cast is good too. You can always rely on genre vet Danielle Harris, and I thought fellow leads Chad Michael Murray, Michael Eric Reid and Candice De Visser did solid work. I liked their group dynamic, and thought they played off each other well.
There is a late third-act twist I saw coming a mile away, but it played out well, and contributes to the movie's final jolt. I'll forgive that one misstep. I enjoyed Camp Cold Brook a lot, and have to give it a Good. I'll definitely see it again.
Thank you so much for the great review. Sequel may happen...
ReplyDelete