u/HorrorGuyBri

Camp is the feature debut by Avalon Fast, and it warrants some comparisons to The Craft in that it's a witchy coming-of-age movie. The movie is set at a religious summer camp and stars Zola Grimmer as Emily. Early in the movie, she loses her best friend to a drug overdose, and the profound trauma puts Emily on suicide watch, and eventually, she winds up at the camp.

There, she befriends a number of other young women, and together, they sneak away at night to drink booze and practice witchcraft. It's with this group that Emily begins to heal and also discover her voice. I do have to give credit to Fast's script because, besides Emily, the women get their time in the spotlight, and they don't blend into the background. Despite the heavy subject matter, there's also some humor here, thanks for the religious camp setting.

The film's other strength lies in its framing and cinematography. There's a surreal quality to this movie, especially the shots of nighttime. Familiar images, like the moon and stars, don't look quite real. Additionally, there's a disassoactive quality to this feature that mirrors Emily's grief. For those seeking a straight-up horror movie, they may be disappointed. This movie is very much a slow-burn with few scares. It functions best as a coming-of-age movie with hypnotic imagery.

The movie opens in theaters on Friday. Here's a link to the full review: https://www.thehorrorlounge.com/post/camp-is-a-witchy-and-hypnotic-coming-of-age-film