Once again here we go with a movie that had such possibilities but ended up
being a total pile of garbage. LOVE Danielle Harris but even she could not save
this movie. I gave it a 5 just because of her. They could have taken this ghost
story to such awesome levels but left it totally flat. Not sure what is happening with Hollywood these days.......someone just seems to wake up one morning and say "hey, lets make a horror movie today but let's not think it through let's just go for it and see what happens"..........
48 Reviews
Nothing to see here
John_Doe_Leatherman12 June 2020
I wasted 90 minutes of my life I'll never get back after watching this.
For the first 68 mins I was waiting for the movie to get going...then nothing really happened. Stupid illogical characters, no horror or scares. It's basically PG
For the first 68 mins I was waiting for the movie to get going...then nothing really happened. Stupid illogical characters, no horror or scares. It's basically PG
I fell asleep
nogodnomasters15 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Jack Wilson (Chad Michael Murray) hosts a paranormal investigating show that is getting canceled because the paranormal does not exist. They need a blockbuster show to avoid getting canceled. Emma (Candice De Visser ) the new girl suggests Camp Cold Brook, a place that hasn't been investigated as yet. 28 children were murdered there in a ritual that required 30 deaths to restore the life of one child.
This is predictable for those who watch theses films. The flaws with this one were weak unentertaining characters and a sloppily constructed backstory.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
This is predictable for those who watch theses films. The flaws with this one were weak unentertaining characters and a sloppily constructed backstory.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
Camp Cold Crap
tmccull525 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The are things to be said for this movie, but not nearly enough to make up for it's shortcomings. The setting and atmosphere are decent, but it's all downhill from there.
We have four principal characters; Jack, the edgy, driven producer of a ghost hunting reality TV show, Angela, the show's research assistant, Kevin, the cameraman and all around handy guy, and Emma, the team's newest member, and resident "believer". Jack receives news from the network that carries his show that they likely aren't going to renew the program for another season. Jack promises to deliver an episode to end all episodes, one that will convince the network not to cancel the show. The network executive grants Jack a stay of execution, pending this proposed epidode.
While researching possible investigation sites, Angela suggests the fabled Winchester House, but then decides against the location, as there is already a movie planned, and that the house has been investigated numerous times already. Emma finds a remote camp in Oklahoma, Camp Cold Brook.
Camp Cold Brook was the site of a mass murder committed by a witch. This witch's daughter was accidentally killed in an automotive accident involving a church group, and their bus. In order to bring her daughter back, the witch somehow comes upon the notion that delivering the lives of 30 other children will bring her daughter back to her. So, through poison and witchcraft, she kills 28 children, but comes up two lives short. As a result of this, the souls of the 28 children that she killed, and the soul of the witch herself, are bound to the campsite.
Jack and Angela approve of Emma's suggested site, but Kevin, the group's resident skeptic, is less than enthused about the entire proposal. He has tickets to the Los Angeles Rams football game that weekend, and wants to go to the game instead. Jack not so subtly tells Kevin that he can go to the game, and to fill out forms to collect unemployment insurance while he's at it. Cowed by Jack's insinuation, Kevin reluctantly agrees to go to Oklahoma with the rest of the team.
Once they arrive in Oklahoma, and in the town closest to Camp Cold Brook, our intrepid band receives the usual admonitions and warnings from the locals not to go to the camp. Bad things have happened, and still happen there.
Well, wait. If, according to the locals, bad things still happen there, how do bad things happen when everyone in town knows to stay away from Cold Brook? If no one goes there, who does these bad things happen to, and who witnesses and reports these bad things afterward? Well, let's never mind that.
Jack meets with the local sheriff, who advises him not to take the group to the campsite. Jack slips the sheriff an envelope with $500 in it, and the sheriff agrees to take Jack and the team to the campsite. Here, we deliver deep into implausibility again. Jack and his team drive into town in a late model Ford Expedition; a large SUV with four wheel drive that is capable of ferrying the team and all of their equipment. Instead of driving the Expedition to the campsite, Jack and the rest of the team have the sheriff and a deputy drive them, and their limited gear, to the campsite in a pair of off-road, four wheel drive RUVs. The idea is that the team will be dropped off in an abandoned, supposedly haunted location, where nearly 30 people were killed, with no cell service, no means of radio communication with the town, and no way out, except to walk through unfamiliar territory back to town. The group has no idea if there is power, running water, or any other resources at the campsite. In fact, they know for certain that the campsite has been abandoned for at least 20 years, so it's unlikely that there will be any available utilities. Despite all of these potentially dire circumstances, the team thinks that being dropped off at the campsite for an entire week, cut off from any and all possible help, is an acceptable idea. And, oh, the sheriff reminds Jack repeatedly not to wander off and get lost, as he has no means of communication with the group, and he doesn't have the resources to search for them if things do veer awry. The team is just fine with these little details, too.
These people are clearly too stupid to live.
After being dropped off, the group explored the campsite, and selects a base of operations in one of the buildings. Later that night, they sit around a bonfire and swap stories of adventures past. Kevin appears to have a change of heart, and thanks Jack for asking him to come along. To be abandoned. Cut off from any help or communication. In a supposedly haunted area. Where nearly 30 people were killed. Yep. Unh hunh.
Angela and Kevin decide to retire for the evening, each going to their separate cots while Jack and Emma remain behind. Jack explains that he hired Emma, the newest member of the team, because she is a believer, like he used to be. There is a warm and fuzzy moment, and then Jack and Emma also retire to their respective cots.
Jack wakes up in the middle of the night and explores the campsite. He is drawn to one of the buildings apart from the team's base camp, where he finds a strange rune-like symbol drawn on one of the walls. Jack ascribes the symbol to be of possible Native American origin, and then goes back to bed.
The next day, the team splits up to explore further, set up equipment, and what not. We discover, along the way that Kevin really likes to smoke dope, drink whiskey, and to sleep. A lot. He's just the kind of guy you'd want to be abandoned with, in a place where virtually everyone that you've met told you not to go to, right?
We are treated to the usual haunted locale hijinks, and Angela decides that she's had enough. She wants out. Actually, she wants all of them to leave, but Jack and Emma want to remain and investigate, and while this debate is ongoing, Kevin is off somewhere smoking dope and taking long naps.
Jack decides that he is going to walk Angela back to town... even though the sheriff had warned him not to wander off and become lost... even though he's not really sure where town is from the campsite on foot... even though he's not sure how long it will take to walk Angela back to town... even though this means that this means leaving Emma and Kevin behind, in an increasingly sinister place.
Yep. Sure. That's what any rational person with half a brain would do.
Then, we get the big reveal. Jack and Emma were at Camp Cold Brook when the witch killed the 28 campers. Jack suppressed the memory, but Emma could not. The witch haunted her daily. She sought Jack out specifically to bring him back to the camp so that they could find a way to break the curse, or at least so that she can be free of the witch on her own, if Kevin and Angela die in her place to satisfy the witch's need for the requisite 30 souls. She then clubs Jack over the head.
Jack wakes up in the hospital, and his wife is there. Now, I need to digress here. Earlier in the movie, we see that Jack has two daughters, Haley and Monet. Haley tells Jack that she is having dreams about a ghostly woman, and that this woman really likes Jack.
Okay, back to the hospital. Jack's wife reassures him that he's safe and okay. Emma comes by and visits to tell Jack that she thinks that Angela and Kevin having died in their places seems to have satisfied the witch. She doesn't feel her presence any more. Jack does not seem.particularly upset that Emma clubbed him over the head to leave him for the witch, or that Angela and Kevin are dead. Instead, he calls to video chat via his phone with Haley and Monet, who are back at home with a babysitter that Jack's wife found.
Oops! The babysitter is the witch, and she is coincidentally the woman from Haley's dreams. Jack screams "No!" at the phone as he watches the witch leading his daughters away.
The end. Roll credits. Now, do you really wanna watch this piece of crap?
We have four principal characters; Jack, the edgy, driven producer of a ghost hunting reality TV show, Angela, the show's research assistant, Kevin, the cameraman and all around handy guy, and Emma, the team's newest member, and resident "believer". Jack receives news from the network that carries his show that they likely aren't going to renew the program for another season. Jack promises to deliver an episode to end all episodes, one that will convince the network not to cancel the show. The network executive grants Jack a stay of execution, pending this proposed epidode.
While researching possible investigation sites, Angela suggests the fabled Winchester House, but then decides against the location, as there is already a movie planned, and that the house has been investigated numerous times already. Emma finds a remote camp in Oklahoma, Camp Cold Brook.
Camp Cold Brook was the site of a mass murder committed by a witch. This witch's daughter was accidentally killed in an automotive accident involving a church group, and their bus. In order to bring her daughter back, the witch somehow comes upon the notion that delivering the lives of 30 other children will bring her daughter back to her. So, through poison and witchcraft, she kills 28 children, but comes up two lives short. As a result of this, the souls of the 28 children that she killed, and the soul of the witch herself, are bound to the campsite.
Jack and Angela approve of Emma's suggested site, but Kevin, the group's resident skeptic, is less than enthused about the entire proposal. He has tickets to the Los Angeles Rams football game that weekend, and wants to go to the game instead. Jack not so subtly tells Kevin that he can go to the game, and to fill out forms to collect unemployment insurance while he's at it. Cowed by Jack's insinuation, Kevin reluctantly agrees to go to Oklahoma with the rest of the team.
Once they arrive in Oklahoma, and in the town closest to Camp Cold Brook, our intrepid band receives the usual admonitions and warnings from the locals not to go to the camp. Bad things have happened, and still happen there.
Well, wait. If, according to the locals, bad things still happen there, how do bad things happen when everyone in town knows to stay away from Cold Brook? If no one goes there, who does these bad things happen to, and who witnesses and reports these bad things afterward? Well, let's never mind that.
Jack meets with the local sheriff, who advises him not to take the group to the campsite. Jack slips the sheriff an envelope with $500 in it, and the sheriff agrees to take Jack and the team to the campsite. Here, we deliver deep into implausibility again. Jack and his team drive into town in a late model Ford Expedition; a large SUV with four wheel drive that is capable of ferrying the team and all of their equipment. Instead of driving the Expedition to the campsite, Jack and the rest of the team have the sheriff and a deputy drive them, and their limited gear, to the campsite in a pair of off-road, four wheel drive RUVs. The idea is that the team will be dropped off in an abandoned, supposedly haunted location, where nearly 30 people were killed, with no cell service, no means of radio communication with the town, and no way out, except to walk through unfamiliar territory back to town. The group has no idea if there is power, running water, or any other resources at the campsite. In fact, they know for certain that the campsite has been abandoned for at least 20 years, so it's unlikely that there will be any available utilities. Despite all of these potentially dire circumstances, the team thinks that being dropped off at the campsite for an entire week, cut off from any and all possible help, is an acceptable idea. And, oh, the sheriff reminds Jack repeatedly not to wander off and get lost, as he has no means of communication with the group, and he doesn't have the resources to search for them if things do veer awry. The team is just fine with these little details, too.
These people are clearly too stupid to live.
After being dropped off, the group explored the campsite, and selects a base of operations in one of the buildings. Later that night, they sit around a bonfire and swap stories of adventures past. Kevin appears to have a change of heart, and thanks Jack for asking him to come along. To be abandoned. Cut off from any help or communication. In a supposedly haunted area. Where nearly 30 people were killed. Yep. Unh hunh.
Angela and Kevin decide to retire for the evening, each going to their separate cots while Jack and Emma remain behind. Jack explains that he hired Emma, the newest member of the team, because she is a believer, like he used to be. There is a warm and fuzzy moment, and then Jack and Emma also retire to their respective cots.
Jack wakes up in the middle of the night and explores the campsite. He is drawn to one of the buildings apart from the team's base camp, where he finds a strange rune-like symbol drawn on one of the walls. Jack ascribes the symbol to be of possible Native American origin, and then goes back to bed.
The next day, the team splits up to explore further, set up equipment, and what not. We discover, along the way that Kevin really likes to smoke dope, drink whiskey, and to sleep. A lot. He's just the kind of guy you'd want to be abandoned with, in a place where virtually everyone that you've met told you not to go to, right?
We are treated to the usual haunted locale hijinks, and Angela decides that she's had enough. She wants out. Actually, she wants all of them to leave, but Jack and Emma want to remain and investigate, and while this debate is ongoing, Kevin is off somewhere smoking dope and taking long naps.
Jack decides that he is going to walk Angela back to town... even though the sheriff had warned him not to wander off and become lost... even though he's not really sure where town is from the campsite on foot... even though he's not sure how long it will take to walk Angela back to town... even though this means that this means leaving Emma and Kevin behind, in an increasingly sinister place.
Yep. Sure. That's what any rational person with half a brain would do.
Then, we get the big reveal. Jack and Emma were at Camp Cold Brook when the witch killed the 28 campers. Jack suppressed the memory, but Emma could not. The witch haunted her daily. She sought Jack out specifically to bring him back to the camp so that they could find a way to break the curse, or at least so that she can be free of the witch on her own, if Kevin and Angela die in her place to satisfy the witch's need for the requisite 30 souls. She then clubs Jack over the head.
Jack wakes up in the hospital, and his wife is there. Now, I need to digress here. Earlier in the movie, we see that Jack has two daughters, Haley and Monet. Haley tells Jack that she is having dreams about a ghostly woman, and that this woman really likes Jack.
Okay, back to the hospital. Jack's wife reassures him that he's safe and okay. Emma comes by and visits to tell Jack that she thinks that Angela and Kevin having died in their places seems to have satisfied the witch. She doesn't feel her presence any more. Jack does not seem.particularly upset that Emma clubbed him over the head to leave him for the witch, or that Angela and Kevin are dead. Instead, he calls to video chat via his phone with Haley and Monet, who are back at home with a babysitter that Jack's wife found.
Oops! The babysitter is the witch, and she is coincidentally the woman from Haley's dreams. Jack screams "No!" at the phone as he watches the witch leading his daughters away.
The end. Roll credits. Now, do you really wanna watch this piece of crap?
Eventful but Bland, Effortful but Cliche
TwistedContent14 February 2020
It was long ago when I stumbled upon "Camp Cold Brook" , thought the poster's cool and it's produced by Joe Dante, so it has been sitting on my watchlist for a year or two. Now that it has finally come out, I can officially say that I'm disappointed.
"Camp Cold Brook" is an undeniably eventful and effortful piece of horror - we follow Jack (Chad Michael Murray) and his paranormal team of the show "Haunt Squad" as they find themselves making their hopefully game-changing new episode on the grounds of an abandoned summer camp where a mass murder has taken place years ago. It might seem that the found-footage shtick might be in use, but it's not, just minimalistically. It's still a classic, (at this point) conventional story & to spice it up, the filmmakers mixed it up with... one or two other conventional story lines. The twists are largely predictable, the characters are one-dimensional and the action - bland. "Camp Cold Brook" has very little flair, even less originality, but a lot of effort for the cliché's and cheese, which I personally can't give much props for. The acting performances are fine, albeit clothed up in uninspiring characters, genre fans will likely appreciate seeing Danielle Harris. The cinematographer has really tried to make "Camp Cold Brook" aesthetically enjoyable, dynamic, but on the background of other flaws, it eventually wore itself out or, in other words, ceased to impress.
"Camp Cold Brook" is a horror movie for those less experienced in the genre, for it utilizes old tropes, cheap technical solutions and bland story arcs. It has little to none gore or sexuality, so I'd assume teenagers can a get a kick or two out of this. My rating: 4/10.
"Camp Cold Brook" is an undeniably eventful and effortful piece of horror - we follow Jack (Chad Michael Murray) and his paranormal team of the show "Haunt Squad" as they find themselves making their hopefully game-changing new episode on the grounds of an abandoned summer camp where a mass murder has taken place years ago. It might seem that the found-footage shtick might be in use, but it's not, just minimalistically. It's still a classic, (at this point) conventional story & to spice it up, the filmmakers mixed it up with... one or two other conventional story lines. The twists are largely predictable, the characters are one-dimensional and the action - bland. "Camp Cold Brook" has very little flair, even less originality, but a lot of effort for the cliché's and cheese, which I personally can't give much props for. The acting performances are fine, albeit clothed up in uninspiring characters, genre fans will likely appreciate seeing Danielle Harris. The cinematographer has really tried to make "Camp Cold Brook" aesthetically enjoyable, dynamic, but on the background of other flaws, it eventually wore itself out or, in other words, ceased to impress.
"Camp Cold Brook" is a horror movie for those less experienced in the genre, for it utilizes old tropes, cheap technical solutions and bland story arcs. It has little to none gore or sexuality, so I'd assume teenagers can a get a kick or two out of this. My rating: 4/10.
too little too late
SnoopyStyle24 October 2022
Jack Wilson (Chad Michael Murray) is the star of the paranormal show, Haunt Squad. Angela (Danielle Harris) is his costar. They are getting canceled. It's time to go big or go home. They are given one more show to turn things around. They head to Camp Cold Brook. There was a murder spree in the past and no one has ever investigated the site.
The premise is kinda cheesy. This does have CMM and Danielle Harris. With only four characters, the kill potential is limited. Nothing happens for far too long. It's only the last fifteen minutes when it does anything. By then, it's too late. It's not anything that scary anyways.
The premise is kinda cheesy. This does have CMM and Danielle Harris. With only four characters, the kill potential is limited. Nothing happens for far too long. It's only the last fifteen minutes when it does anything. By then, it's too late. It's not anything that scary anyways.
Camp Boring
df420516 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
So. A group of (rolls dice)....paranormal tv show crew people, go to investigate (rolls dice)....a haunted summer camp. In doing so they discover that the stories are true and it really is haunted. It's a set-up we've seem a trillion times, and beyond the "Ours takes place in a summer camp" angle, this one brings nothing new to the mix.
Did CMM fire his agent or something? This seems to be a whole new low for him. I've seen him in some D-list stuff before, but this is just sad.
So, tv crew is off to Camp Crystal....er...I mean Camp Cold Brook. We are told that some time ago, a lady poisoned and drowned the kids (and councilors presumably). And by poisoning and drowning....we totally mean she used witchcraft. So poisoning and drowning translates into "Making them go crazy and carrying rocks into the water". Just a quick little retcon for you there. We are told however that two of the kids were never found. The lady did this....because her daughter died? It's rather unclear.
But, have no fear! Paranormal team is here! They start off by bribing the sheriff into granting them access, which apparently means taking golf-carts to the camp. Soooo...golf carts can make it there, but cars can't? We're given the cliche exposition that cell-phones don't work here, and the radio doesn't have the range to reach the town. But who cares? Lets get introduced to our cameras. These are special 3-axis gimble cameras "So there's none of that shaky-cam crap!" Well that sounds nice, that would be a good change of pac....you're never going to use them are you?!
Despite the fact that these cameras are all super technological, you're still required to hold them in your hand like a scepter. Ever heard of a go-pro?! But yes, these cameras are used sparingly...as in like twice. Were they rented or something? Why bother introducing this concept if you're not going to use it?! They explain that these cameras have a "selfie-mode"...which again, gets used like one time. This one-time usage is understandable, as it does CMM no favors. Dude...you're a good looking guy, but nobody looks good that close-up! I can see the blood vessels in your eyelids for God's sake!
As you can imagine, strange and "scary" things start happening. A guy falls in the water We find that there are spiders in the camp...that's been abandoned for 30 years. Yep, sounds like the work of a paranormal entity to me! Is it 30 years, or 20? They seem confused on that. I think perhaps they realized that by saying 30 years, it would put CMM's character in his 40's. Did I also mention how those spiders managed to put cobwebs up through the hallways, and over the camera that was placed there? Yes, you can say the witch did it...but its just a silly oversight.
So, we've got Danielle Harris freaking out about seeing things on the cameras. Wasn't that rather the point dear? We've got the other lady with the spiders. We've got CMM...wandering around. And we've got a guy who seems to be experiencing narcolepsy at the hands of the witch. Or maybe he just got an advanced copy of the movie?
CMM decides to take Danielle back to civilization through the wilderness. The wilderness that was so rugged that it was inaccessible to cars. They have the requisite Blair Witch "It's not the same log Mike!" moment and return to camp.
Things take and odd turn back in the normal world. CMM's wife calls up some lady and tells her that CMM might come for a visit. She freaks out when she learns that he's gone to Camp Boring, and runs off to save him. This scene probably would have been more dramatic if we knew who this lady was. We find that it is CMM's mother, but I must have missed the part where they told us that.
So anyway CMM Mom is in town now and is searching for the sheriff. He finds her in her car and the two have a very odd conversation. Apparently CMM is one of the two children that was "NEVER FOUND" and he just has some very selective amnesia. CMM's mom is worried about what the witch is going to do to him. The Sheriff shrugs it off as crazy talk and CMM Mom says "You know what we did!". No, we really don't. The two of you might, but the audience hasn't been given this information as such. What the heck are you talking about? Don't worry....it's never explained.
Narcolepsy decides he can't stand this movie anymore and goes to drown himself. Hey, I'm right there with ya buddy! CMM tries to save him, but to no avail. Man, this lake hardly seems big enough to drown two people, let alone 28! So, its finally revealed that the (location scout? What was her job again?) was the other "NEVER FOUND" child. Only she remembers what happened, and the ghost/witch has been haunting her ever since. Having decided that being haunted your whole life is a bad thing, she decides to help ghost/witch out by being her minion. I know I always help my lifelong ghost-stalkers out!
I'm a bit confused at this point in the movie. How come she can remember what happened but CMM can't? How come the witch haunted her, but not CMM? How come the witch spared her in the first place? Was she hiding like CMM did? Does CMM not care that he can't remember a significant portion of time at a fairly developed age?
So the witch snaps Danielle's neck, and CMM tries to save her. Um buddy, that's great and all....but she broke her freaking neck! CMM gets clubbed on the head with a rock...and nothing of value was lost!
Then....What? What the heck just happened? Seriously! We're treated to some fast-forward footage (possibly still-shots) of mom and sheriff showing up....and nothing! CMM wakes up in the hospital. Boy his wife is just grinning from ear to ear at the idea of her husband's head trauma isn't she? She tells of how CMM was saved, and his injury was (reportedly) caused by trying to save Narcolepsy from drowning. Uh-huh. And what about Danielle? How did they explain that one sweetie? By the way...where's mom? Where's the sheriff? If they showed up and presumably saw what was happening...why is evil girl still wandering about freely? Shouldn't mom be here to provide me with some backstory? Don't talk crazy audience! You'll be getting no explanation from us!
So evil girl comes in and tries to make nice, and CMM's wife FaceTimes their kids...and....DUN DUN DUN...their new babysitter is the witch! She's come to take the two children as the final two sacrifices she needed. Say what? Then why didn't she just do that to begin with?! Why go through all the riggermarole of any of this? Why not just sneak in, in the dead of night and whisk them away without anyone being the wiser?!
You know one of the key elements of a movie? Having a freaking ending! This is right up there with Skyline where they just cut to comic book panels to finish the movie. Did you run out of budget? This is why you always save budget for the beginning and the endings!
All in all, this movie doesn't even rise to the level of shlock. Not even cheesy good. Yet another clone in the army of "Paranormal people find the paranormal" type movies. Low budget, wooden acting, and not scary in the least. And the lack of any real ending puts the final nail in its coffin.
Pretty good until the ending
jatstar-112-88389117 February 2020
I was expecting this to be a pretty b grade movie, I was surprised, to start off it was better then I expected. Nice and tense, got my heart racing a little. And then it got to the ending. It feels like they ran out of budget and just slapped together a 2 minute scene to finish the movie. I was so disappointed. Up until the end I would have rated it a 6 or possibly a 7. Honestly, it's enjoyable but be prepared to be pretty peed off at the ending.
Scary and entertaining
mansion-9513720 February 2020
Well produced, but very stale
rushknight10 May 2020
This is well acted. Everyone involved did a pretty good job of getting into their parts, and I appreciate it greatly when actors make the effort. It's what they should be doing and speaks well of them as professionals. I give them all kudos and frankly it's the only reason I rank this a 5 out of 10.
This is well filmed, it has that quality you hope to find in a movie when you view one: clear video, steady cameras, good story-boarding.
Unfortunately that's it. Plot wise it was very unoriginal. It's been done before by only, oh I don't know.. 60 or 70 other movies? I'm being facetious of course, but seriously, it's been done before. The plot was so stale that I was able to guess the ending almost immediately after the first hint was passed out. The second I heard, "28 children died" BOOM! I knew exactly what the ending was going to be. I also guessed the part about the co-worker. I won't spoil it, though trust me there isn't much to be spoiled. It was so predictable.
Additionally I felt like there were some real holes. Many of the scenes in the film were cliches from other movies, but some of them were left somewhat uncooked. This happens mainly in the supporting characters. They'll say something like (loose paraphrase to avoid spoiler) "You know what we did!" And then we never find out what they did. Lol.
As far as being scared goes, there is little to scare you. The special effects are limited (thankfully) and when they do appear they are not terribly effective.
I think the biggest problem is that there is a very discernible lack of focus. Is this a scary movie? It's not that scary. Is it a mystery? It's too easy to guess. Is it a comedy, nope. Is this about the (NON-SPOILER CHARACTER) or the other (NON-SPOILER CHARACTER)? Maybe neither? It felt as though the intent of the film kept changing somewhere in the middle. All told, it just didn't fly with me.
This is well filmed, it has that quality you hope to find in a movie when you view one: clear video, steady cameras, good story-boarding.
Unfortunately that's it. Plot wise it was very unoriginal. It's been done before by only, oh I don't know.. 60 or 70 other movies? I'm being facetious of course, but seriously, it's been done before. The plot was so stale that I was able to guess the ending almost immediately after the first hint was passed out. The second I heard, "28 children died" BOOM! I knew exactly what the ending was going to be. I also guessed the part about the co-worker. I won't spoil it, though trust me there isn't much to be spoiled. It was so predictable.
Additionally I felt like there were some real holes. Many of the scenes in the film were cliches from other movies, but some of them were left somewhat uncooked. This happens mainly in the supporting characters. They'll say something like (loose paraphrase to avoid spoiler) "You know what we did!" And then we never find out what they did. Lol.
As far as being scared goes, there is little to scare you. The special effects are limited (thankfully) and when they do appear they are not terribly effective.
I think the biggest problem is that there is a very discernible lack of focus. Is this a scary movie? It's not that scary. Is it a mystery? It's too easy to guess. Is it a comedy, nope. Is this about the (NON-SPOILER CHARACTER) or the other (NON-SPOILER CHARACTER)? Maybe neither? It felt as though the intent of the film kept changing somewhere in the middle. All told, it just didn't fly with me.
Highly enjoyable and cheesy supernatural effort
kannibalcorpsegrinder31 December 2020
Trying to save his show, the lead of a paranormal hunting team takes the crew to scout a location shoot involving a supposedly haunted summer camp, but the longer they stay at the area the more they come to believe it's stories and haunted history are true and must try to get away alive.
For the most part, this one was an enjoyable enough genre effort. Among its better features is the strong backstory about the history of the camp and how it got its haunted reputation. The backstories told about the incident at the camp involving the woman who lost her daughter and then decides to take to witchcraft to commit the murders against the children which are shown in a brutal yet tasteful flashback involving the kids suddenly and without warning beating each other with ordinary objects and being lead to death-by-drowning. It serves itself well enough to a likable setup for a show like theirs to be interested in exploring. This fine and serviceable setup help to make the later ghost-hunting scenes come off with some atmospheric touches. The first night where he does the lone investigations of the still-lighting fire and the strange symbol nearby is a fine start, while the later scene featuring the technological flare-ups is somewhat unsettling. That these tend to provide a nice bit of tension by mixing them filming everything for the show which enables some nice found-footage style sequences with narration about strange odors and markings along the walls alongside the real-time monitoring showing them being unnerved at the situation is a fun touch. Likewise, the series of hauntings and confrontations leading into the finale as these scenes manage to make the storyline rather chilling. The attacks in the bathroom stalls or on the playground offer enough of a hint that things are building nicely which is what happens as the true purpose of the hauntings is revealed. This leads to a rash of fun encounters and confrontations throughout the campground which all brings about a highly enjoyable and somewhat surprising series of revelations that have some shocks involved for the most part. These, for the most part, are the more engaging aspects of this one. There are some issues with this one. One of the biggest issues is the nonsensical storyline involving the series of twists and turns this takes in the finale. Featuring several twists that are quite lame and just underdeveloped due to be introduced so late that it's somewhat questionable why it would be featured at all with no build-up makes this section look rushed and inconsequential. As well, for supposedly professional ghost hunters they display some startling unprofessional behavior, from their attitude towards the job, failing to recognize when something's supernatural and just being unaware of what's going on, which just seems to lower this one.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language and Violence.
For the most part, this one was an enjoyable enough genre effort. Among its better features is the strong backstory about the history of the camp and how it got its haunted reputation. The backstories told about the incident at the camp involving the woman who lost her daughter and then decides to take to witchcraft to commit the murders against the children which are shown in a brutal yet tasteful flashback involving the kids suddenly and without warning beating each other with ordinary objects and being lead to death-by-drowning. It serves itself well enough to a likable setup for a show like theirs to be interested in exploring. This fine and serviceable setup help to make the later ghost-hunting scenes come off with some atmospheric touches. The first night where he does the lone investigations of the still-lighting fire and the strange symbol nearby is a fine start, while the later scene featuring the technological flare-ups is somewhat unsettling. That these tend to provide a nice bit of tension by mixing them filming everything for the show which enables some nice found-footage style sequences with narration about strange odors and markings along the walls alongside the real-time monitoring showing them being unnerved at the situation is a fun touch. Likewise, the series of hauntings and confrontations leading into the finale as these scenes manage to make the storyline rather chilling. The attacks in the bathroom stalls or on the playground offer enough of a hint that things are building nicely which is what happens as the true purpose of the hauntings is revealed. This leads to a rash of fun encounters and confrontations throughout the campground which all brings about a highly enjoyable and somewhat surprising series of revelations that have some shocks involved for the most part. These, for the most part, are the more engaging aspects of this one. There are some issues with this one. One of the biggest issues is the nonsensical storyline involving the series of twists and turns this takes in the finale. Featuring several twists that are quite lame and just underdeveloped due to be introduced so late that it's somewhat questionable why it would be featured at all with no build-up makes this section look rushed and inconsequential. As well, for supposedly professional ghost hunters they display some startling unprofessional behavior, from their attitude towards the job, failing to recognize when something's supernatural and just being unaware of what's going on, which just seems to lower this one.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language and Violence.
Small horror pleasure
sgmi-535793 May 2022
Not setting out to reinvent the wheel, this summer camp cum ghost hunter caper provides solid entertainment, and some modest scares for the horror afficionodo. Faced with cancellation, a team of ghost hunters heads to an abandoned summer camp which no other team has explored. We find out why. Ab abrupt shift of gears in the third act really sidelines what could have better a better film, but the tidy, well-defined script delivers on it's modest pleasures. Horror fans will want to see, and for that it's recommended.
Chad is the best thing about this film.. otherwise it's boring
olivewahh17 March 2020
The only reason I gave this film a watch is because of Chad Michael Murray. The trailer looked average, but I was hoping Chad would save the film, sadly not.
A group of ghost hunting TV stars head to Camp Cold brook to film a new episode. While things start off really slow, the group start to discover the history of the camp and the ghost that come along with it.
This was not an exciting film to watch. The acting was not good from most of the cast, and the run down camp still looked pretty clean with a bunch of cobwebs to make it look "old and dirty". It's pretty boring, and I feel sorry for Chad who was such a big star many years ago and now has to work in these low budget films to make some coin :(
A group of ghost hunting TV stars head to Camp Cold brook to film a new episode. While things start off really slow, the group start to discover the history of the camp and the ghost that come along with it.
This was not an exciting film to watch. The acting was not good from most of the cast, and the run down camp still looked pretty clean with a bunch of cobwebs to make it look "old and dirty". It's pretty boring, and I feel sorry for Chad who was such a big star many years ago and now has to work in these low budget films to make some coin :(
Overused storyline and bad directing make this teenie horror a real stinker
TuesdayThe17th21 April 2020
"Camp Cold Brook" is a boppy, cheesy, campy style of indie horror film. This type of movie will appeal to a certain type of audience and its one you wont find me in. This is typical Joe Dante involvement shlock. The style of the film reminds me a bit of "Gags the Clown" which is another stinker. It's childish and devoid of any real sense of style. "Camp Cold Brook" is directed by Andy Palmer and this is far from his first film. Looking back on his previous work it should be a clear foreshadow to how this film will be. I do like Chad Michael Murray and he wasn't all bad here, nor was Danielle Harris. The acting is actually good but it's the tone that hurts it. Its just too...colorful. Sometimes I can tell by the cover and preview for a movie entirely how the movie plays out in my mind, scene for scene, before even watching it. This is what made me hesitant to purchase this movie and sad to say it was just as boring and stupid as I thought it would be. I love reviewing great movies and usually could care less about the duds but every now and then there is one sooo horrendous I just HAVE to review it to warn peeps.
why do they call this a horror film?
lifelinespublishing17 February 2020
First of all, Chad Michael Murray is a good actor, average at best so I decided to give this a try since I haven't seen any movies of him recently.....I was wrong on this one, this is a real letdown of a film, they could have done much better with the scares, but they did not do it, predictable story, flat ending and lesson learned this time.
not worth a watch. watch something scarier and better...
not worth a watch. watch something scarier and better...
Not worth it
toriala4 January 2021
Lousy
Draysan-Jennings15 February 2020
Well that was a waste of time. I love Danielle Harris but that was just bad. Turned it off about an hour into it. I'm surprised I got that far. This movie could of been half way decent with a higher budget. Don't bother on this one people.
Oh boy! ..... grasping at straws to call this a horror
johnelevey15 February 2020
Booo!
fedor89 April 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Idiotic plot-twists ruin the movie at the finish line.
Not that the movie was firing on all cylinders until that point. It definitely wasn't.
The tech nerd Kevin feels the bridge sway, for no reason at all, yet what does this clod do? He takes a puff from his cigarette. Grab something to hold on to, perhaps?... Of course not: when a lousy Indiana Jones bridge seems unstable it is best to light a cigarette, because holding on to the bridge definitely won't help. Just as putting on warm clothes won't help when you're feeling cold. That sort of thing. Then the bridge starts shaking so violently that he falls into the water. Does he report this incident the way it occurred? No. I get it that he is a skeptical cynic who only took the gig to make money, but none of this makes any sense, none of his behavior, because that bridge moved for no apparent reason, yet he wasn't even remotely spooked or even motivated to hold on to something.
Kevin is such a dummie, he doesn't even inform them about "the kids" pranking him a day later. When he is flirting with Angela you can't shut his trap, but when it comes to the really important things he is as silent as Charles Bronson. He behaves like a mopey teen half the time which makes zero sense given the situation, and his jovial behavior when he was first introduced in the movie. To make things triply stupid, he experiences a "career crisis", ranting at the others for "chasing nothing for the umpteenth time". For once in the show's three years he experiences something truly spooky during one of the assignments, and that's the time he chooses to get angry at a lack of excitement?! The writer clearly doesn't know what he's doing.
Emma doesn't report her bathroom incident with the insects either. None of them talk to each other! Except to discuss trivialities. Well, Angela does report everything unusual, but only she does.
The team's pathetic communication extends to the walky-talkies too. Angela calls Jack: no response. She calls Kevin: no response. She calls Emma: no response. And this is BEFORE ghosts go on the offensive. For a team that's been working together for three years (minus Emma who is new: hint hint!) they definitely act very unprofessionally. I mean, it's cheesy enough that the team is told by the sheriff that "there is no cell-phone signal out here" (because clearly "outback" Oklahoma is like the Arctic) but must horror movie characters also be so thick as to not make use of the communication devices that DO work? Apparently they must be. Nobody informs anybody over the radio when they experience something strange. Lack of communication - whenever it's easy, obvious and necessary - is a typical plot-device used by shoddy writers.
The thing is, even if these guys are all "non-believers" in the supernatural (which is anyway not the case), and even if they were convinced that the place s devoid of ghosts, it still makes sense to stay in close contact - and certainly not to constantly split four-ways - while all alone in a remote area in the country. (Or the Arctic.) Especially at night. The team's lax attitude is baffling. (Or not that baffling: the writer needed the characters to be reckless in order to create more jump-scares, i.e. He sacrificed logic and sound characterization for a few cheap thrills, because he couldn't figure out a proper way to set up the scares.)
Now about this ghost curse... Why do murdered people always become angry, evil ghosts? Shouldn't they be in Heaven (or Hell)? Isn't there a god to break the spell and send him to either location? These ghosts in particular make zero sense. They whisper to Kevin "free us free us", and yet what do they do next? They kill him. So ghosts are liars now too?
The major plot-twist is just plain dumb. Even worse, part of it was predictable from the very beginning. Jack was one of the 30 kids from 1990... Boooo. "He forgot" says his mother. How could he possibly forget the ENTIRE incident?! He wasn't 3 years old, he was about 12, at the very least. Did he get out of a coma in order to forget everything? No. Emma remembers everything vividly, yet Jack doesn't even recognize the place itself or even its name? Booo! And of course Emma is part of the conspiracy: after all, she is the new member and she recommended Camp Brook. How dumb do they think we are? Emma was my no 1 suspect all along, because they phoned it in. Her motive for appeasing the "ghost-witch" stands on very shaky ground though; the writer needed her to be evil, but he failed in giving her a proper reason for it. So because she survived the 1990 incident she became a homicidal maniac? That easy, huh... Boooo!
The writer takes huge liberties with logic just to eke out his shoddy surprises, by force. He had to force them because he lacks the know-how to achieve big plot-twists without resorting to crushing logic in his path like a B-movie Godzilla.
Not that the movie was firing on all cylinders until that point. It definitely wasn't.
The tech nerd Kevin feels the bridge sway, for no reason at all, yet what does this clod do? He takes a puff from his cigarette. Grab something to hold on to, perhaps?... Of course not: when a lousy Indiana Jones bridge seems unstable it is best to light a cigarette, because holding on to the bridge definitely won't help. Just as putting on warm clothes won't help when you're feeling cold. That sort of thing. Then the bridge starts shaking so violently that he falls into the water. Does he report this incident the way it occurred? No. I get it that he is a skeptical cynic who only took the gig to make money, but none of this makes any sense, none of his behavior, because that bridge moved for no apparent reason, yet he wasn't even remotely spooked or even motivated to hold on to something.
Kevin is such a dummie, he doesn't even inform them about "the kids" pranking him a day later. When he is flirting with Angela you can't shut his trap, but when it comes to the really important things he is as silent as Charles Bronson. He behaves like a mopey teen half the time which makes zero sense given the situation, and his jovial behavior when he was first introduced in the movie. To make things triply stupid, he experiences a "career crisis", ranting at the others for "chasing nothing for the umpteenth time". For once in the show's three years he experiences something truly spooky during one of the assignments, and that's the time he chooses to get angry at a lack of excitement?! The writer clearly doesn't know what he's doing.
Emma doesn't report her bathroom incident with the insects either. None of them talk to each other! Except to discuss trivialities. Well, Angela does report everything unusual, but only she does.
The team's pathetic communication extends to the walky-talkies too. Angela calls Jack: no response. She calls Kevin: no response. She calls Emma: no response. And this is BEFORE ghosts go on the offensive. For a team that's been working together for three years (minus Emma who is new: hint hint!) they definitely act very unprofessionally. I mean, it's cheesy enough that the team is told by the sheriff that "there is no cell-phone signal out here" (because clearly "outback" Oklahoma is like the Arctic) but must horror movie characters also be so thick as to not make use of the communication devices that DO work? Apparently they must be. Nobody informs anybody over the radio when they experience something strange. Lack of communication - whenever it's easy, obvious and necessary - is a typical plot-device used by shoddy writers.
The thing is, even if these guys are all "non-believers" in the supernatural (which is anyway not the case), and even if they were convinced that the place s devoid of ghosts, it still makes sense to stay in close contact - and certainly not to constantly split four-ways - while all alone in a remote area in the country. (Or the Arctic.) Especially at night. The team's lax attitude is baffling. (Or not that baffling: the writer needed the characters to be reckless in order to create more jump-scares, i.e. He sacrificed logic and sound characterization for a few cheap thrills, because he couldn't figure out a proper way to set up the scares.)
Now about this ghost curse... Why do murdered people always become angry, evil ghosts? Shouldn't they be in Heaven (or Hell)? Isn't there a god to break the spell and send him to either location? These ghosts in particular make zero sense. They whisper to Kevin "free us free us", and yet what do they do next? They kill him. So ghosts are liars now too?
The major plot-twist is just plain dumb. Even worse, part of it was predictable from the very beginning. Jack was one of the 30 kids from 1990... Boooo. "He forgot" says his mother. How could he possibly forget the ENTIRE incident?! He wasn't 3 years old, he was about 12, at the very least. Did he get out of a coma in order to forget everything? No. Emma remembers everything vividly, yet Jack doesn't even recognize the place itself or even its name? Booo! And of course Emma is part of the conspiracy: after all, she is the new member and she recommended Camp Brook. How dumb do they think we are? Emma was my no 1 suspect all along, because they phoned it in. Her motive for appeasing the "ghost-witch" stands on very shaky ground though; the writer needed her to be evil, but he failed in giving her a proper reason for it. So because she survived the 1990 incident she became a homicidal maniac? That easy, huh... Boooo!
The writer takes huge liberties with logic just to eke out his shoddy surprises, by force. He had to force them because he lacks the know-how to achieve big plot-twists without resorting to crushing logic in his path like a B-movie Godzilla.
A good horror movie
olderman-0327620 February 2020
I think this horror movie was done well and had all the required jump scares. It got me at few places and a good twist. Acting was good, and makeup could have been better. Overall i think its still a good movie to watch alone at night
Eh,,,
reddiemurf8114 December 2020
Great flick, definitely worth a watch
mraymo-870-2163728 March 2020
Really enjoyed this film from the beginning voice over (I thought Don LaFontaine passed away some time ago?) to the final scene. The acting and story were good and I felt like it moved along well. I enjoyed a lot of the "jump" scenes and think it was a nice change from films in this genre that seem to like to fall back on sex and gore. The story of the campers seems intriguing and would love to have seen more of that. All in all definitely a film I would recommend to someone who enjoys suspenseful horrors.
Pretty bad
shaemarx20 December 2020
This movie was pretty bad. The acting was terrible by most of the actors. Harris did a much better job as a child actor in Halloween.
The writing was also bad. They failed at their attempt to create an interesting backstory and what was supposed to be suspenseful or jaw dropping revelations will leave you feeling nothing... you might even yawn or roll your eyes a bit. There were a few good pieces and I had hope that it would get interesting but it didn't.
It is very boring! I found myself googling random stuff, checking out social media, and deleting old picks out of my phone because this movie didn't hold my interest. It's great as background noise. And if you need a good ending, you know that ties everything together and leaves you satisfied then this is the wrong movie for you.
It is very boring! I found myself googling random stuff, checking out social media, and deleting old picks out of my phone because this movie didn't hold my interest. It's great as background noise. And if you need a good ending, you know that ties everything together and leaves you satisfied then this is the wrong movie for you.
This is a movie that had big picture good writing but implementing the premise is poorly executed
kevin_robbins6 October 2021
Camp Cold Brook (2018) is a movie I recently watched on Amazon Prime. The storyline follows a group of reality TV ghost hunters whose show is about to be cancelled so they're shooting for one last episode they think may save them so they get picked up for another season. Their only problem is their chosen location may be too good to be true. This movie is directed by Andy Palmer (The Funhouse Massacre) and stars Danielle Harris (Dont Tell Mom the Babysitters Dead), Chad Michael Murray (House of Wax), Courtney Gains (Back to the Future) and Michael Eric Reid (Fame). The storyline for this actually has a pretty good setup and potential, both the primary storyline and the flashback to what happened at the camp. Unfortunately once the movie gets going the horror elements are weak and fall flat. The kill scenes and special effects are limited and really contain no gore. The horror elements/children aren't really scary due to how they're used to execute the kill scenes, which is too bad because how they original died is eerie. The twist at the end is also a bit blah and disappointing. This is a movie that had big picture good writing but implementing the premise is poorly executed. I'd score this a 3/10 and recommend skipping it.
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