SPOILER ALERT: This column contains minor spoilers for the film, “Hell of a Summer.”
What goes together better than summer camp, murder and a comedic cast? Neon’s new film “Hell of a Summer,” directed by Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk, answers that question in what turns out to be a surprisingly hilarious revival of the slasher genre. With a 2023 debut in the Toronto International Film Festival, the movie saw its official theatrical release April 4, 2025, and is a great way to kick off your summer.
The movie centers around a group of counselors at the fictional summer camp, Camp Pineway. What should be a fun weekend to bond and train before the campers arrive turns into a nightmare for the young counselors when a murderous serial killer arrives. When they realize that the masked killer is most likely one of their own, the group must stop the murderer and try to make it through the night alive.
Though each character in this small cast gets their moment to shine in the film, the main character of the movie is without a doubt Jason Hochberg (Fred Hechinger). The 24-year-old camp counselor not only feels out of touch when it comes to interacting with his teenage coworkers, but stuck in the past and also out of touch with his own life.
From the first minute he appears on screen, it is immediately clear to the viewer that Jason does not fit in. Nobody can understand why he’s chosen to come back to Camp Pineway and the ridicule he faces from his fellow counselors was so overbearing that, as it continued to go on, I wanted to jump into the film and defend him myself. He’s a sweet guy who you can tell genuinely cares about the camp, but when the murder spree begins it’s no surprise that everyone turns on him believing that he’s the real killer.
It’s almost satirical how they handle the situation. While most “heroes” in slasher films are these tough, surprisingly prepared individuals ready to save the day (think Sidney Prescott in “Scream”) the crew at Camp Pineway is none of the above. What they are is a group of self-involved teenagers who don’t even seem ready to run an outdoor camp, much less take down a killer. When they blame Jason for the murders of their friends, they tie him to one of the cabin bunk beds and threaten to torture him until he gives them their phones — which went missing at the start of the film. Though they seem to be serious about their threat, the lack of follow through on their part causes the exchange between Jason and the angry counselors to be one of the funniest moments in an already funny film.
Wolfhard and Bryk, who wrote “Hell of a Summer” while also directing and starring in it, found the happy medium between creating a classic slasher film and parodying the genre. The serial killer, who wears a long black coat and vintage devil mask, does incite some fear in the viewer. And there’s something about the unflinching brutality and gore in each of the killings that really speaks to the importance of detail in each and every shot. Is it bloody? Yes. But for those that miss slasher movies like “Sleepaway Camp” or “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (1997), it does share that same feeling of a classic summer horror film.
That being said, when it comes to comedy “Hell of a Summer” beats out classic slasher films on every level. First of all, the cast is hilarious. Though all the characters are slightly, if not incredibly, materialistic, the blunt delivery of their lines and the general lack of severity they apply to the situation provide a surprising amount of levityto otherwise murderous circumstances.
Though it isn’t always the case in this film, the murders can also be a little funny. What specifically comes to mind for me is the murder of Ari (Daniel Gravelle), whose death occurs early in the film. If you think of a stereotypical pretentious screenwriter, chances are you’re thinking of Ari. When he’s first introduced to us in the film, he’s showing off his screenplay about the hardships of life all based on the fact that he has a peanut allergy. While he comes off as whiny and annoying at first, his fears turn out to be very valid when he faces his own gruesome death via peanut butter.
Of course, “Hell of a Summer” isn’t without its faults. There are a few moments where they seemed to lose the plot a bit. They repeatedly referenced Jason freaking out at the end of camp the year before and swearing that he’d never come back but they never seem to go into detail about the event which I think leaves the audience confused more than anything else.
Despite the occasional plot hole, “Hell of a Summer” delivers a funny performance ideal for fans of the horror genre. If you’re looking for a new slasher to watch, this movie is a great way to welcome in the warmer months.
