The camp film parody Wet Hot American Summer can basically be summed up in one scene. The host of the climactic talent show is one of the camp counselors, dressed up as a Castkills comedian. He begins delivering his super-lame act, but for some reason, the audience absolutely loves it, and laughs wildly at all of his insanely corny jokes. This is the essence of the film: it's a mockery of mockeries, poking fun at films that were already light-hearted.
I was not one of those people who generally went to summer camp (I hate both people and summer camps, which is probably why I now have a film blog), and I've avoided the summer camp film, so the parodies in the film mostly fall flat for me. Even so, I (very) grudgingly give it three stars with the recognition that I am mostly no fun and that this movie really, really tries to be fun.
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i found this movie almost not funny at all.
ReplyDeletei pretty much expected to not find it funny, so to that end, i was almost surprised. it definitely feels like the sort of movie one smokes a bowl and huddles around someone's computer in a dorm room to watch; in that environment, it's funny (but what isn't?).
ReplyDeleteput it this way - had i been in a worse mood yesterday i would've trashed this movie.
I thought this movie was pretty bad. My friend who got me to watch it thought it was something like that best cult classic ever and he really hyped it. Then I watched it and just thought it was a low budget ten film with bad writing.
ReplyDeleteCertainly some yucks, but nothing special. I really don't understand the obsession with this movie.
yeah, i don't know, it really seems like comedy for people who've never seen a comedy before, or for people who like to know the punchline before it happens. there are whole characters who were pretty much useless (christopher meloni's crazed vietnam vet, molly shannon's divorcee).
ReplyDeletea good parody transcends its source material; no one watches the airport movies anymore, but airplane! is regarded as a comedy classic. this movie doesn't do that at all.