Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma review by Bobby Blakey
Fresh off the well-reviewed and praised I Saw The TV Glow writer and director Jane Schoenbrun is back with a fresh look in the slasher gerne with Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. The stars Hannah Einbinder, Gillian Anderson, Amanda Fix, Arthur Conti, Eva Victor, Zach Cherry, Sarah Sherman, Patrick Fischler, Dylan Baker, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Quintessa Swindell, Kevin McDonald, and Jack Haven, but does it truly take the subgenre in a new direction, or will it be a film not worth revisiting?
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma follows years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director for resurrection. But when she visits the original's star, a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium.
I knew nothing about this film going in so was ready for some slasher fun, but what I got was something altogether different, original and deeper than I had expected. There is a central slasher element to the film complete with plenty over the top blood spewing, but the film’s actual story and direction is way more advanced than all that. The opening credits alone set the tone to where we are headed, and it brings an old school vibe and some fun to the lore it is setting up.
The film leans into the meta nature of film within a film, but in a whole new way. It smashes you in the face in a way that turns it on its head to create an original tale that is more than just your average body count. Surprisingly a lot of the film is just Einbinder and Anderson together talking and it is compelling at every turn. As it moves forward you start to wonder what is really going on and where it is heading. It dives into human nature of sexuality, abuse, obsession and so much more all wrapped in this slasher world.
There are plenty of nods to other slasher flicks that made it more entertaining, especially in relation to the Camp Miasma films series that it is focused on. I don’t want to go too much in its overall direction as that is part of the journey, but I found myself initially not all that invested and then pulled in quickly right up until the very end. It’s nothing like you expect I the best way possible, but also not one that will work for everyone.
The kills and slasher elements that are here are fantastic. They lean into the gore with literally guizer blood explosions and more creative kills. It is almost comical by design to not only over sell the insane violence but also capture the essence of those 80s and 90s films. The killer’s design is simple, kind of silly, but original and even more effective as history and ideals are revealed. It’s a brilliant direction to its final act that delves deeper into what is truly going on. The ending of the film is a big swing that I loved but may lose some or at least leave things up to interpretation to a film that throws its spear into the blood-soaked genre with a message and lands in a lane all its own.
Decide for yourself and check out Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma in limited release now and expanding further next week from Mubi.