Camp

by Mike McGranaghan

Camp is technically a horror movie, although it certainly isn’t a conventional one. There really isn’t any blood or violence, nor are there any attempts to scare the audience. In fact, only in the final 30 minutes are you able to see anything directly resembling a familiar horror element. Writer/director Avalon Fast is going for a different, more psychological form of horror. The story revolves around a young woman in deep emotional pain who discovers the way out of that pain may involve otherworldly forces. She’s the one who gets scared in this stylish, impressively atmospheric film.

Emily (Zola Grimmer) has faced more than her share of tragedy in life. She’s tormented by the time a child fatally ran out in front of her car, and her best friend dies of a drug overdose during the movie’s first few minutes. At her father’s urging, Emily signs up to be a counselor at a summer camp for troubled youth. It appears to be a “God camp,” due to the openly preachy leader. The female counselors, led by Clara (Alice Wordsworth), clearly see it differently. They smoke, drink, and take drugs. As Emily slowly becomes intertwined with them, it grows clear that there’s something, shall we say, a little witchy about these ladies.

Camp has an ingenious idea at its core. Emily is seeking a way to heal her grief. She starts off thinking that partying with the girls may provide an answer, especially since they are so welcoming to her. But she’s also grappling with the recognition that the bizarre behavior demonstrated by her colleagues as the full moon gets closer has a few distressing consequences, even as it seems to suggest a possible cure for her inner torment. There’s an additional implication that Emily has a sexual awakening during her time with the girls. On multiple levels, the story deals with her efforts to find herself again after becoming lost.

The film achieves an ethereal feel that grows the longer it goes on. Camp belongs in a category with Jane Schoenbrun’s We’re All Going to the World’s Fair and I Saw the TV Glow. It has that same quality of establishing an alluring vibe, then building a mystery for the audience to figure out within that vibe, all while touching on intensely personal themes. The style and subject matter swirl together, getting under your skin in ways you can’t initially process. Then, once the pieces begin clicking, you realize how hard it’s hitting you.

Zola Grimmer gives a terrific debut performance as Emily, allowing us to take in the character’s sadness without ever turning her mopey. Her truthfulness grounds the plot as supernatural factors are introduced. (Keep your eyes on the skies in this movie.) Wordsworth, Moore, and the supporting players bring colorful touches to the other counselors, always implying there’s more to them than meets the eye. The real-life camp where the production took place makes a perfect, immersive location for them to work in.

Camp is intentionally a slow-burn film, so the nearly two-hour length occasionally seems a bit excessive. Avalon Fast has nevertheless made a picture that casts a spell, no pun intended. Genre trappings are used to explore serious ideas, and the hypnotic tone keeps you entertained while you ponder those ideas.

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