Not unhappy with this one!
M. Ryan Fairbanks | Cleveland, Ohio | 04/19/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"These Sleepaway Camp sequels are a riot, literally cult classics in the making! Director Michael Simpson created Sleepaway Camp 2 and 3 back to back, and with them, wisely decided to take the series in a bit of a different direction. Rather than attempting to make a sequel that plays it straight like the first installment did, he instead created two movies that are more like slasher spoofs, and he executed it perfectly.
This first sequel, Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers is the better film by far. Starring Pamela Springsteen (The Boss's sister) as Angela, this one picks up seven years after the first chapter where a rehabilitated Angela is now a counselor at a summer camp. As a counselor, Angela simply wants the campers to behave, be respectful to one another, and have a great time at camp. Unfortunately for those that don't fit that bill, (including but not limited to drug users, and fornicators), they're about to meet their deaths in some of the most creative, not to mention entertaining ways ever witnessed in a slasher movie.
Unhappy Campers lampoons just about all of the slasher conventions we've become familiar with over the years. The funny thing is, even though it's really a parody, it's still a lot better than ninety percent of the slasher flicks that were actually supposed to taken seriously! While a glance at the cover art and title may lead one to belive that this is simply another clone of the worst variety, it is actually a stroke of brilliance, and definetly a diamond in the rough for lovers of the 80's horror.
If you like lots of gore, camp, cheese, and mullets of epic proportions, this one is mandatory viewing!"
Terrific! Funny! Entertaining! Pam Springsteen Rocks!
R. Pepper | Los Angeles | 10/03/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Director Michael A. Simpson and writer Fritz Gordon really created a delicious horror/comedy treat for those of us who enjoy taking a break from serious horror. By the late eighties, the slasher craze was well worn out. The horror genre in general would eventually turn more towards psychological thrillers in the early nineties like Deceived, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and The Silence of the Lambs. The late eighties also saw many horror franchises like Halloween and Friday the 13th dying out and taking a much needed break. The original Sleepaway Camp is by no means a classic although it did try to be more of a serious horror film. It featured a shocker of an ending which is probably what made it stand out the most. With Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers five years later, the writer and director took a smart approach to continuing the cheesy original by turning it into something more comedic and entertaining. Pam Springsteen as Angela makes the film work and delivers each one of her lines with perfection and gusto. You see camp counselor Angela just wants everyone to be "good kids" and have a great time at camp. Unfortunately for the campers, their idea of fun includes sex, drugs and mouthing off. When Angela discovers this, she sees it as her duty to "weed out the bad" in various ways whether it be roasting someone on a grill, drowning them in a leech infested outhouse toilet or serving them a healthy cup of battery acid. If the others begin wondering what happened to someone, Angela simply says they got sent home when she actually keeps them all stored in her secret hideaway cabin. When Angela isn't knocking someone off though, you may catch her strumming "Kumbaya" on her guitar. Sleepaway Camp II is actually my favorite because it is such a fun, entertaining ride. The writer/director and Pam Springsteen would follow this up with Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland which was filmed directly after and was equally as good. However this one is slightly better. Both were filmed in Bremen, Georgia. Buy this and watch it again and again!"
So much better than I thought it would be!
matuszews409 | Pittsburgh, PA USA | 09/22/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Until recently, I never took the time to watch Sleepaway Camp 2 (or any of the Sleepaway Camp movies for that matter). I am so glad that I finally did! Sleepaway Camp 2 honestly had everything that people want in a slasher film (or at least everything that I want in a slasher film). Awesome death scenes, great one-liners, and acting that I have to say was a step above other horror sequels. This movie was so entertaining and so fun to watch! Pamela Springsteen was absolutely amazing and it made me sad to find out that she's not in movies anymore. Watch this movie... you'll be quoting it for weeks! (Don't buy this copy though, the Survival Kit boxed set comes with all 3 movies, all of which are great, and is only about $12 more.)"