***All-around improvement on the original perverse youth camp slasher***
About six years after the events of the first film, Angela (Pamela Springsteen) is now an adult camp counselor at Camp Rolling Hills after getting therapy and the operation (if you know what I mean). She carefreely weeds out all the bad kids and anyone else who might get in the way.
The production values of “Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers” (1988) are all-around superior to the original 1983 slasher. Sure, both are “Friday the 13th” knock-offs, but they’re distinguished by (1.) actual adolescents inhabiting the camp and (2.) the perverse uniqueness of the killer.
The only real campy element is Angela’s blithe chippy-ness in carrying out her slaughter spree. Other than that, this plays out like a mid-80’s coming-of-age drama with quality insights and surprisingly fleshed-out characters, which were the attributes of the first film as well. For instance, Molly (Renée Estevez) is very distinguished from Ally (Valerie Hartman) and Mare (Susan Marie Snyder). The mullets and short shorts on guys are amusing.
An additional highlight is the kick-axx soundtrack of semi-obscure mid-80’s rock/metal, starting with Anvil’s excellent “Straight Between the Eyes” during the opening credits (only hindered by the juvenile and tasteless lyrics, but what else is new?). “Outta Control” by John Altyn is featured later and Obsession’s “Desperate to Survive” during the end credits.
The film runs 1 hour, 20 minutes, and was shot in Bremen, Georgia, about an hour’s drive west of Atlanta.
GRADE: B/B-
