Loomis Lake. A serial killer in a blue jump suit and white gloves, ax in hand (or shiny butcher knife when the moment presents itself), loves to attack cheerleaders, sexually assaulting them mostly after death. A new group of girls arrive to Loomis Lake two years after a psychopath was sent to prison, supposedly locked up tight maximum security, but he escapes and could be on the hunt for more cheerleaders to hack and slice. Julin is the stuck-up biatch who has plenty of insults for those she considers inferior, like Nikki (Roxy Vandiver), on parole and given a chance to escape further sentence if she cooperates with the whole "spirit squad" ordeal.
Here's the thing: at Loomis Lake, a supposed superstar cheerleader (in this movie's case, Amy Morris as Lindsay, who uses her *status* as a weapon to penalize the girls whenever they break one of her "rules") teaches teenage girls to be part of the "spirit squad", a cherished tradition, it seems. One by one, the girls are picked off by a maniac who moves through the woods where their cabin is located, using an ax, knife, his own hands (like when he lifts one little teenage suburban bitch off her feet with one stranglehold), whatever weapon he so chooses. Katy Rowe, as Amber (who has an overweight boyfriend, which is actually surprising considering she acts like Rachel (Julin), in regards to her appearance as a spoiled suburban princess. Megan Moser is the obnoxious girl who really "gets into the spirit" of being a cheerleader, knowing the fundamentals of what it takes as if cheerleading was a religion.
Vandiver is obvious from the get-go the "final girl" who will take the necessary steps to protect herself against the crazed killer on the rampage. Nikki is considered a tattooed outcast, a "freak", a "skank" by Rachel and Amber since she comes from "the trailer park" and has a past. Nikki, however, isn't necessarily the misfit they make her out to be, and, is in fact, the reasonable, more decent member of this group of girls. The film barely strays from the slasher formula, but I must admit is rather funny at times.
I like the way Vandiver is allowed to evolve and has, to me anyway, a sympathetic character with appeal. She could easily remain the stereotype the film initially presents, but the fact that she is not some fake Valley girl who objectifies people allows her Nikki to become a character we can accept and appreciate. And, the girl is hot—the tattoos and "white trash" image projected at first glimpse cannot mask her sexy figure, often brought to our attention by the camera which often ogles her body, legs to face. The fact that Vandiver is the heroine is thankfully another difference in how slashers often work. Vandiver is even shown taking her shirt off, exposing her breasts as the nearby groundskeeper looks on from the outside window of the cabin. Of course, because the other girls are so mean or vapid or self-absorbed, Vandiver is the only real pick of the litter we can root for.
Where "Spirit Camp" suffers is the lack of gore shown on screen; the director often shows the ax blade lifted up in front of a massive moon in the sky, swinging out of screen and into a victim. The film pretty much follows the slasher formula besides the few exceptions I mentioned. I will say that the end has a surprising violation as the killer has subdued poor Vandiver, using his knife to cut away her panties after it slides down her quivering body, raping her until the heroine can find a weapon to free herself from his clutches. The ending has the usual "is the killer really dead?" kind of climax you expect from these kinds of movies.
Funny supporting part for Brandon Smith as a sheriff who has his share of problems with Nikki (and sniffs panties he finds on the ground near where a dead cheerleader can be found, but he is too inept to find if he had properly investigated). Smith's sheriff has this absurd scene where he informs the woman in charge of the spirit camp about the escaped killer yet doesn't properly evacuate the girls whose lives were in danger. Emma MacInnes has an amusing scene as Amber's cute sister who has some of the film's best lines and threatens to tattle-tale if not paid (Amber's naughtiness is often held against her). Kerry Beyer (who wrote and directed the movie) is a gas station attendant Nikki becomes enamored with; he gives her a lift to the camp when the girls ditch her).
The girls are definite eye candy (only Vandiver shows her breasts, while the others are shown in bras and skimpy cheerleading outfits), even though their personalities are lacking.
Here's the thing: at Loomis Lake, a supposed superstar cheerleader (in this movie's case, Amy Morris as Lindsay, who uses her *status* as a weapon to penalize the girls whenever they break one of her "rules") teaches teenage girls to be part of the "spirit squad", a cherished tradition, it seems. One by one, the girls are picked off by a maniac who moves through the woods where their cabin is located, using an ax, knife, his own hands (like when he lifts one little teenage suburban bitch off her feet with one stranglehold), whatever weapon he so chooses. Katy Rowe, as Amber (who has an overweight boyfriend, which is actually surprising considering she acts like Rachel (Julin), in regards to her appearance as a spoiled suburban princess. Megan Moser is the obnoxious girl who really "gets into the spirit" of being a cheerleader, knowing the fundamentals of what it takes as if cheerleading was a religion.
Vandiver is obvious from the get-go the "final girl" who will take the necessary steps to protect herself against the crazed killer on the rampage. Nikki is considered a tattooed outcast, a "freak", a "skank" by Rachel and Amber since she comes from "the trailer park" and has a past. Nikki, however, isn't necessarily the misfit they make her out to be, and, is in fact, the reasonable, more decent member of this group of girls. The film barely strays from the slasher formula, but I must admit is rather funny at times.
I like the way Vandiver is allowed to evolve and has, to me anyway, a sympathetic character with appeal. She could easily remain the stereotype the film initially presents, but the fact that she is not some fake Valley girl who objectifies people allows her Nikki to become a character we can accept and appreciate. And, the girl is hot—the tattoos and "white trash" image projected at first glimpse cannot mask her sexy figure, often brought to our attention by the camera which often ogles her body, legs to face. The fact that Vandiver is the heroine is thankfully another difference in how slashers often work. Vandiver is even shown taking her shirt off, exposing her breasts as the nearby groundskeeper looks on from the outside window of the cabin. Of course, because the other girls are so mean or vapid or self-absorbed, Vandiver is the only real pick of the litter we can root for.
Where "Spirit Camp" suffers is the lack of gore shown on screen; the director often shows the ax blade lifted up in front of a massive moon in the sky, swinging out of screen and into a victim. The film pretty much follows the slasher formula besides the few exceptions I mentioned. I will say that the end has a surprising violation as the killer has subdued poor Vandiver, using his knife to cut away her panties after it slides down her quivering body, raping her until the heroine can find a weapon to free herself from his clutches. The ending has the usual "is the killer really dead?" kind of climax you expect from these kinds of movies.
Funny supporting part for Brandon Smith as a sheriff who has his share of problems with Nikki (and sniffs panties he finds on the ground near where a dead cheerleader can be found, but he is too inept to find if he had properly investigated). Smith's sheriff has this absurd scene where he informs the woman in charge of the spirit camp about the escaped killer yet doesn't properly evacuate the girls whose lives were in danger. Emma MacInnes has an amusing scene as Amber's cute sister who has some of the film's best lines and threatens to tattle-tale if not paid (Amber's naughtiness is often held against her). Kerry Beyer (who wrote and directed the movie) is a gas station attendant Nikki becomes enamored with; he gives her a lift to the camp when the girls ditch her).
The girls are definite eye candy (only Vandiver shows her breasts, while the others are shown in bras and skimpy cheerleading outfits), even though their personalities are lacking.