Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma, a new horror spoof from cult director Jane Schoenbrun, has received a five-star review, with critics praising its blend of humor and genre-bending style. The film stars Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder.
The movie's premise centers on the fictional 1980s slasher franchise "Camp Miasma," which features a masked killer known as Little Death, the vengeful spirit of a bullied teenager. The narrative follows Kris, a filmmaker recognized for her unconventional approach, who is tasked with rebooting the franchise and making its origins palatable to a contemporary audience. She travels to the abandoned summer camp where the original film was shot to meet Billy Presley, the franchise's iconic heroine, played by Anderson.
Critics have highlighted Anderson's performance as a "slasher-movie Norma Desmond" and Einbinder's portrayal of a Gen Z horror enthusiast. The film is noted for its visually appealing cinematography and humor, with its tone shifting between slasher parody, psychosexual drama, body horror, and romance.
"The taste test is in the outrageous title: you either want to see a movie called Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma, or you don't," one review stated. Despite moments of messiness and pretentiousness, the film is described as funny and "marvellously camp – in both senses of the word."
The review also briefly mentions other films recently released in cinemas. "Stop! That! Train!" a disaster-movie spoof featuring RuPaul, received four out of five stars. "Coyote VS. ACME," a live-action/animated hybrid, also garnered four stars, noted for its resemblance to classic Looney Tunes cartoons. "Spa Weekend," a comedy starring Leslie Mann, Isla Fisher, Anna Faris, and Michelle Buteau, received a one-star rating. "& Sons," a drama featuring Bill Nighy, earned two stars, as did the action thriller "Mutiny" starring Jason Statham.
Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma is described as "brilliant! bonkers!" and is noted for ramping up the "X factor in this horror spoof."