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Next up on my review plate is a film written and directed by Matt Frame called Camp Death III in 2D! (2018). It’s been described to me as, “‘a profoundly stupid comedy / horror parody of ‘Friday the 13th Part III in 3D‘ that is proudly presented in two dimensions.” and a ,“$35,000 Canadian opus.”
I can tell you that the description is accurate and the movie poster points it out again with the tagline, “THIS MOVIE IS STUPID”. That being said, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Let’s get into it.
SPOILER ALERT: This review will talk openly about some plot points of the film. I’ll try not to ruin any major surprises but if you want to be totally spoiler free skip this until you’ve watched the film.
Camp Death 3 in 2D! Synopsis
Camp Crystal Meph has reopened but the curse of killer Johann Van Damme continues. Camp ‘Death’ has been given a new life as rehab center for mentally ill adults yet an unseen evil begins to murder campers and staff alike. Has Johann risen from the grave or is this the work of a copycat?
Plot & Thoughts
There’s really not much to the plot here. Camp Crystal Meph (that’s hilarious by the way) has reopened…again. The legend of Johann Van Damme (think Jason Voorhees with scurvy) is on the loose. Head Counsellor Todd Boogjumper (complete with nut hugger shorts straight out of the 80’s NBA) has a dream to convert the camp into a, “nature based rehabilitation center for the criminally insane and institutionally unbalanced.” What could possibly go wrong?
Let’s get one thing out of the way right up front. The humor in this movie is not for everyone. It’s definitely not PC and if you’re not in the right frame of mind or have the wrong sense of humor you’re going to get offended. The Uncle Mel character specifically may just rub you the wrong way. He refers to the camp as a “retard petting zoo” and gets more vulgar from there. If you’re easily offended find another movie (and grow a thicker skin while you’re at it… you’re what’s wrong with the world).
I found myself scratching my head numerous moments during this flick and while I almost tapped out several times I made it to the end really to find out how it ended. This is the epitome of horror / comedy parody with nods to Caddyshack, Return of the Jedi (no, not kidding), Friday the 13th and Sleepaway Camp. The best way I can describe this would be to throw Naked Gun, American Pie and Friday the 13th into a blender and hit GO. Sprinkle on a copious amount of Caddyshack and a smidge of Halloween and you’ve got yourself a movie.
I can’t quite put into words my feelings so I’ll finish up my “review” with a bulleted list of some of my notes from watching it:
- Camp Crystal Meph – hilarious.
- Sign that says “No Murder Please”
- “Retard petting zoo” – wow. But hilarious.
- Girl gets killed with a toaster… brilliant.
- The musical number (yep) called a ‘I’m a little fucked up in the head.”
- There’s a guy fighting a squirrel throughout the film – clearly a Caddyshack reference
- Just when I thought it couldn’t get any more bizarre we get a homage to the Return of the Jedi speeder bike chase and we’re only 48 minutes in to the 1:20 run time.
One more note that sums this up pretty well:
This is without a doubt the most bizarre and at the same time entertaining ‘horror’ film I may have ever watched.
Recommendation
Camp Death III in 2D! is stupid. No doubt about it. If you’re looking for a good or scary horror movie in the traditional sense you’re not going to get it here. That said, if you’re looking for something silly that with some decent gore effects and a flick that makes you think and take in the environment then this is for you. It’s got several nods to other franchises that are really well done and it’s clear that the cast and crew had a blast making the film. That passion really shines through here and I totally appreciate it. This is a film from a director that had a vision. They went all in on making it and if you put yourself in the right frame of mind you may just see the glimpses of brilliance behind the silliness.
You can find more information about Camp Death III in 2D! at the following links:
- Facebook – www.facebook.com/campdeath
- IMDB – www.imdb.com/title/tt3370702
Special thanks to Matt Frame for giving me access to his film.
Have you seen Camp Death III in 2D!? Let us know what you thought in the comments below!
