I am not exaggerating when I say this movie is widely overlooked and even underrated for what it is. Don't get me wrong, it's not groundbreaking nor a masterpiece of cinema, but for what it is: a simple, light-hearted fun summer kids movie; it succeeds at it with a surprising young cast, fun subplots and a variety of characterisations on some of the most over-the-top premises that lends for great 90s nostalgia moments.
The amount of ratings and reviews it has is very low and I am not sure why, perhaps it didn't have a wide distribution and maybe not many people know about it. I certainly didn't, but I surely had a lot of fun with it and was surprised at the production value it has... For a kids' summer movie.
I loved it. I love its inadverted 90s-time-capsule effect it had on me. Presenting sequences and themes very unique to the time that perhaps now might be deemed "inappropriate" or "insensible" (and with a bit of reason) but which pulls it of and furthers the plot to some fun extremes. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely a product of its time: a 90s-fueled angsty kids rebellion plot where they must deal with the expectations the parents set to them and they do so in the more superficial, "Disney Channel Original Movie"-style way which perhaps robs it from having deeper moments and slowing down to make the emotion takes center stage. Instead, the movie focuses more in glancing over it and focusing on not been taken too seriously: presenting an insane premise that would never work in real life, with incompetent and oblivious parents to prevent them from spoiling the fun and a supposed "adult" to watch over them. But what isn't there to like? This is a 90s staple! They don't make these movies anymore!
And I think that's the main appeal of this movie for me. It's embrace of the era and the absurdity of its premise and the more commercial approach to the parent-expectaction-themed summer camps. It's trully unhinged, it's not afraid of superficially delving into morally-improper grounds to present a coming of age story that while looked through a more commercial angle (compared to modern coming of age movies) it has something to say and isn't simply a "movie where kids just have fun" and has nothing underneath but funny gags and creative sequences (which the movie also has). There are some sequences that, although spoiled in the trailer, are very witty and comedicly well-timed. And yeah, the narrative has plotholes, some characters have inconsistencies and some of the adults (and even kids) have a very two or one dimensional behaviour through out the picture. But that's acceptable given the size of the cast and the genre of the movie.
However, I do think the movie is special and it does have refreshing elements, sequences and good character moments. I appreciate also the refreshing takes on conventional tropes of these teen/kids movies, like the way they presented the "cliques" where there isn't just "one biggest bully" but several and that there's more to these than meet the eye, I think it allows for a more realistic depiction of a classroom dynamic. Often times 80s or even 90s movies have very exaggerated, confronted cliques that don't work together, for example, "the geeks are despised and casted aside"; this movie adds an entry to those who present a "bigger threat" (like parents expectations) to unite them all. Additionally, I want to also point out one of my favorite aspects of the movie, and that is the "main friend group": it's formed by kids with different personalities and motivations, and surprisingly as that may seem, I think it's not as easy to pull off. Also, i've seen some reviews that complain about "presenting a geek that didn't look geek" or "someone fat when they didn't look fat"; and I think it's more subtle and even "worse in a good way" that way rather than having a stereotypical geeky-looking geek and very fat kid play the fat kid. Because the pressure is even bigger when you are critised by something you are not (or are just a little bit) and it's blown out of proportion, specially when it comes to body image. But their characters still have traits that support their assigned role (like, there isn't a super handsome kid playing a supposed "ugly kid" type of nonsense) so it works for the story. Granted, it would have been more "groundbreaking" perhaps to have a "bigger" kid to play the "fat kid" so as to be more inclusive and give more important roles to all sorts of body-type kids; but like I said earlier, this movie isn't trying to be groundbreaking or make a statement of any kind in any way.
Lastly, I'd like to recommend the movie "Accepted"(2006) as a possible, if not literally, figuratively spiritual "sequel/reboot sequel" to this one; the premise, tone and witty characterisations are similar and, if you don't take it too seriously, you can enjoy it as much (or even more) as this one.
IN CONCLUSION, this suprisingly entertaining preteen summer camp light-coming-of-age story was decently written and amazingly fun; with endearing characters, a tone that fits that summer movie vibe of good fun, feel-good light-heartedness and, today, presents a 90s time-capsule that captures the essence, unhinged madness kids movies got away with back then and nostalgia for many themes, memories and even products you might have had when you were younger if you grew up around the time. If not, it'd provide a window into the types of 90s summer camps kids would go.
The amount of ratings and reviews it has is very low and I am not sure why, perhaps it didn't have a wide distribution and maybe not many people know about it. I certainly didn't, but I surely had a lot of fun with it and was surprised at the production value it has... For a kids' summer movie.
I loved it. I love its inadverted 90s-time-capsule effect it had on me. Presenting sequences and themes very unique to the time that perhaps now might be deemed "inappropriate" or "insensible" (and with a bit of reason) but which pulls it of and furthers the plot to some fun extremes. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely a product of its time: a 90s-fueled angsty kids rebellion plot where they must deal with the expectations the parents set to them and they do so in the more superficial, "Disney Channel Original Movie"-style way which perhaps robs it from having deeper moments and slowing down to make the emotion takes center stage. Instead, the movie focuses more in glancing over it and focusing on not been taken too seriously: presenting an insane premise that would never work in real life, with incompetent and oblivious parents to prevent them from spoiling the fun and a supposed "adult" to watch over them. But what isn't there to like? This is a 90s staple! They don't make these movies anymore!
And I think that's the main appeal of this movie for me. It's embrace of the era and the absurdity of its premise and the more commercial approach to the parent-expectaction-themed summer camps. It's trully unhinged, it's not afraid of superficially delving into morally-improper grounds to present a coming of age story that while looked through a more commercial angle (compared to modern coming of age movies) it has something to say and isn't simply a "movie where kids just have fun" and has nothing underneath but funny gags and creative sequences (which the movie also has). There are some sequences that, although spoiled in the trailer, are very witty and comedicly well-timed. And yeah, the narrative has plotholes, some characters have inconsistencies and some of the adults (and even kids) have a very two or one dimensional behaviour through out the picture. But that's acceptable given the size of the cast and the genre of the movie.
However, I do think the movie is special and it does have refreshing elements, sequences and good character moments. I appreciate also the refreshing takes on conventional tropes of these teen/kids movies, like the way they presented the "cliques" where there isn't just "one biggest bully" but several and that there's more to these than meet the eye, I think it allows for a more realistic depiction of a classroom dynamic. Often times 80s or even 90s movies have very exaggerated, confronted cliques that don't work together, for example, "the geeks are despised and casted aside"; this movie adds an entry to those who present a "bigger threat" (like parents expectations) to unite them all. Additionally, I want to also point out one of my favorite aspects of the movie, and that is the "main friend group": it's formed by kids with different personalities and motivations, and surprisingly as that may seem, I think it's not as easy to pull off. Also, i've seen some reviews that complain about "presenting a geek that didn't look geek" or "someone fat when they didn't look fat"; and I think it's more subtle and even "worse in a good way" that way rather than having a stereotypical geeky-looking geek and very fat kid play the fat kid. Because the pressure is even bigger when you are critised by something you are not (or are just a little bit) and it's blown out of proportion, specially when it comes to body image. But their characters still have traits that support their assigned role (like, there isn't a super handsome kid playing a supposed "ugly kid" type of nonsense) so it works for the story. Granted, it would have been more "groundbreaking" perhaps to have a "bigger" kid to play the "fat kid" so as to be more inclusive and give more important roles to all sorts of body-type kids; but like I said earlier, this movie isn't trying to be groundbreaking or make a statement of any kind in any way.
Lastly, I'd like to recommend the movie "Accepted"(2006) as a possible, if not literally, figuratively spiritual "sequel/reboot sequel" to this one; the premise, tone and witty characterisations are similar and, if you don't take it too seriously, you can enjoy it as much (or even more) as this one.
IN CONCLUSION, this suprisingly entertaining preteen summer camp light-coming-of-age story was decently written and amazingly fun; with endearing characters, a tone that fits that summer movie vibe of good fun, feel-good light-heartedness and, today, presents a 90s time-capsule that captures the essence, unhinged madness kids movies got away with back then and nostalgia for many themes, memories and even products you might have had when you were younger if you grew up around the time. If not, it'd provide a window into the types of 90s summer camps kids would go.