A quarter-century after its initial release, the cult summer-camp comedy "Wet Hot American Summer" is returning to theaters for a special 25th-anniversary run. This theatrical revival is a testament to the film's enduring popularity, a trajectory few predicted for a movie that was once met with harsh criticism.
Upon its debut, "Wet Hot American Summer," starring a young ensemble including Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, and Bradley Cooper, was largely dismissed by critics. Lou Lumenick, writing for The Post, awarded it two stars, suggesting the world didn't need another homage to summer-camp comedies. Roger Ebert gave the film a single star, likening his review to the novelty song "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh" to express his strong dislike, though he noted David Hyde Pierce's performance as an astrophysicist as a rare positive.
Despite the critical drubbing, "Wet Hot American Summer" cultivated a devoted following and achieved cult status. Its Rotten Tomatoes score of 39% mirrors that of recent, widely panned films, yet it endures.
This phenomenon of critical dismissal and audience affection is particularly common within the comedy genre. Many films celebrated for their humor upon release were later labeled as unsophisticated, crude, or "sophomoric" by reviewers. The success of "Wet Hot American Summer" echoes a pattern seen with other comedies that defied critical expectations.
"Step Brothers," starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, was called "the feel-bad comedy of the year" by Ebert. Mike Myers' "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me," a global box office success, holds a modest 54% on Rotten Tomatoes. Similarly, Adam Sandler's early films, such as "Happy Gilmore" and "The Waterboy," frequently find themselves at odds with critical opinion, despite widespread audience appeal. Even "The First Wives Club," featuring a well-regarded cast including Bette Midler, Diane Keaton, and Goldie Hawn, garnered a low 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, yet maintains a significant fanbase.
Humor's subjective nature contributes to this divide. While tragedy and sadness can evoke universal responses, what one person finds hilarious, another may not. This subjectivity makes comedy a particularly challenging genre for critics to assess definitively. Furthermore, a film's appeal can shift with age, with comedies often finding their most ardent fans among younger audiences who discover them organically.
"Wet Hot American Summer," for instance, likely found its footing not with established critics but through younger viewers discovering it at video rental stores and sharing it with friends. This organic, fan-driven enthusiasm, rather than critical acclaim or award recognition, often proves to be the deciding factor in a comedy's lasting success, ultimately making the public, not critics, the ultimate arbiter of what becomes a hit.