The Camp Host (2024) User Reviews

Good!

[BandSAboutMovies · 5/10 · 23 March 2024]

Directed and written by Henry Darrow McComas (the writer of Wolfman's Got Nards), this is the story of Sadie (Rachel Colwell) and Ed (Dillon Casey), a young couple who are barely getting along as they live the van life and travel across the U. S. Their travels take them to a camp run by the title character (Brooke Johnson) who is very much Mrs. Vorhees without the need for a son to rise from the lake two movies later. Then again, this ends with the hint of a sequel and gets supernatural.

I never wanted to go camping before this and certainly don't want to now. The camp host has a series of rules -- her life was ruined by those horrible kids that didn't follow them, also it must be this place, this horrible place -- and there's one kill, in which a man climbs up out of one of those camp toilets covered in human excrement and looking like some kind of demon that would have made this an ironic film if it came out in 1980.

That said, I would never leave my dog at a killer camp and drive away. Obviously, Ed is a complete moron but he seems to get it together before the end. I really enjoyed this because it definitely leans into what you're expecting before becoming what you're not expecting. That's a big swing and seeing that this is a Tubi Original, an even bigger one. Bring on The Camp Host 2.

Strange horror

[Christopher370 · 3/10 · 21 March 2024]

I couldn't tell while watching if this was a straight horror or comedy horror because some scenes played out so weird and unrealistic that I wondered if it was a spoof of the genre.

I won't give too many spoilers here, but there's a bathroom scene where one of the leads ridiculously thinks a demon is in the toilet and does something so completely absurd than what a normal person would do. I actually laughed at how incredibly stupid he was and felt bad for the poor "demon" that was begging for help.

Then there's the surreal conversations the lead characters have with each other while in the midst of a psycho killer on the loose.

They actually argue about their freaking relationship when they should have been protecting themselves or getting help....or maybe just leaving?!.... Speaking of which....

At one point they were miles away from the danger, but they unbelievably willingly return back to psycho killer's lair......because they forgot their dog lol. Seriously!

Why not have the police come back with you when you go back?! Just make the phone call, or stop at a police station first.... But they're too stupid to figure that out and just turn the camper around back to an armed and crazed psycho killer by themselves! It HAD to be a spoof or comedy!

Then there's the unbelievable scene where the lead girl suddenly thinks she's invincible and upon their return, she boldly climbs out of her camper to insult the killer right up in her face without any weapon to protect herself....while her neutered husband just sits in the car watching and psycho killer has a loaded gun.

It was just so surreal that I couldn't believe they filmed this as straight up horror. I would have rated it higher if it was actually meant to be a comedy, but it apparently wasn't.

And that ending was the most terrifying part of all because it insinuated the possibility of additional sequels on the way.

And since when is a hefty trash bag so strong that you can't just pop your finger in it to tear a breathing hole if a psycho killer is attempting to suffocate you with it? I know they're strong bags...but they're not THAT strong!!! I laughed out loud at that ridiculous scene. 3 stars if it was a straight horror, and 5 stars of it was meant to be comedy/horror. Either way, I just can't recommend unless you're really bored for something mindless to watch.

Horror/Comedy?

[iamtherobotman · 3/10 · 28 April 2024]

I'm not entirely sure what this was meant to be. Was it Horror/Thriller? Or was it a Horror/Comedy?

It ended up being nothing, really.

The poster itself tells us far too much by itself. We know exactly who the protagonist is and who the antagonist is, so there's absolutely no level of suspense or intrigue before we even watch the film.

Onto the actual film, and it's just not that good, and it's full of that overly annoying trope of 'stupid people doing stupid things'. It could've been an average film, had the part the characters were to play in this not been signposted before we watch the film.

It was just all too obvious how this was going to play out, though they attempted a twist ending, presumably with the hope of setting up a needless sequel. They need to leave this alone.

Please don't watch this.

[avidmoviewatcher1 · 1/10 · 3 April 2024]

I made an account specifically to review this movie. I watched this movie yesterday, and in all the movies I've seen over the years this is genuinely the worst film I've ever watched.

It had a somewhat promising start and I was genuinely intrigued until about a third through the movie (or earlier??) it all immediately gets thrown out the window when the main characters (the couple) witness two horrors individually. And boy, let me tell you, this couple is the most infuriating pair of characters I've ever had the misfortune of seeing in a movie. All the suspense built from the violence of this movie gets thrown out the window VERY early on by the disappointing response from the characters. It baffles me how someone can screw up a story THAT BAD.

Like, for some reason this couple completely shrug off the camp host killing a man and stuffing another in a toilet because of a pointless drama between them lazily woven into the script that does nothing to benefit the story other than provide a useless issue between the couple that will not get fixed until the very end of the movie. What even was the message here???? The scene basically goes like this: The boyfriend of this couple (whos name is irrelevant) is using the yucky privy (which the camp host had secretly killed a man in an earlier scene before the boyfriend went there) when he sees blood dripping off all the walls, because golly gee this granny didn't clean up after her kill! Then a *hand* comes out from where the boyfriends doing his business. Startled, he jumps off the toilet and tries to open the door. He takes an unnecessary amount of time trying to actually leave the room and even goes as far as to run back over to the toilet and step on the mans head before the poor guy can even get out. I don't know about you but if I saw someone coming out of a toilet covered in actual poo I'd turn and never look back. He didn't even help the guy after he tore the plastic bag off his face and gasped for air and looked VERY pleadingly at the boyfriend for help!

Meanwhile with the girlfriend (who is also too boring to remember the name of) shes relaxing in their camper van before she decides to stalk, yes, STALK, a man camping nearby in a tent when she spots what she assumes is the camp host granny getting down and dirty with him through the shadows in the tent. Yes, this woman actually watches them before, oh great heavens the camp host is in fact killing him! Then the psychotic granny burns down the poor mans tent afterward and... walks straight towards the woman in the van. Instead of trying to hide like a normal person through this absolute buffoon stays right where she is and makes eye contact with the camp host. Fortunately, she is spared and left by the granny because of a plot I can't be bothered explaining.

So after these two incidents the couple reunite and try to explain to each other what they both witnessed and... you're not gonna believe this, think the other is crazy. Yes, the woman who just watched a granny kill someone calls her boyfriend (husband?? I cant remember) crazy. And to be honest I can't even remember if the boyfriend had a similar response to the girlfriends own experience but uh yeah that happend. This is the moment I went 'WTF!' and suddenly I realised... this movie is hot trash! After this the movie suddenly turns into this terrible slasher-comedy-whatever and not the scary thriller it was set up as.

Afterwards I had to endure the most painful set of events ever created as we watch the couple completely disregard their situation and even continue to TALK IN FRONT OF THE CAMP HOST when she tells them off for making noise (talking in public??) after 10pm. Nice to know they're worried about potentially dying too!

Then they make the first smart decision that is to LEAVE THE CAMPGROUND. But then oh no! Their dog is missing! And instead of deciding to drive to a police station and ask for help against this MURDERER back at the campground the girlfriend tell her boyfriend to turn back??? Then she accuses him of not worrying about them but worrying about himself because he wants to forget the dog?? And then she says she loves the dog more then she ever loved him and oh my god what is this terrible writing.

I ended up skipping the last portion of the movie because it was so painful to endure I had to stop watching it and spend my time doing anything else. Every aspect of this movie left me just groaning in disappointment or annoyance and at that point you're left thinking "Why am I watching this?"

All in all, don't watch this. It sucks. Theres millions of movies out there to watch and this should not be one of them. If you're a writer of any kind and ever feel bad about your writing skills, just watch this movie. It's torture, but you'll have a lot more faith in yourself afterward to write something better then this.

Oddly good film

[pbenen · 7/10 · 19 March 2024]

I watch a lot of b- horror (especially on Tubi), this one is a step above normal. The 2 leads do a great job as a real couple and the bad person is very convincing as a psychopath. The premise used the quintessential campground, but uses it in a newer way. The cinematography is superb for this type of film and there are limited night scenes (which I can't stand). The semi-yuppie couple argue like one would expect. The kills aren't too gory, but they are creative. Again, this is a very unique Mar Vista film that I did not anticipate as being this good. The female lead is a perfect fit for this role.

Love Letter to a Genre

[karltroberts · 10/10 · 15 April 2024]

On its surface The Camp Host is a love letter to a genre that has become over saturated with cliches and trusted imitations.

Subtle nods to horror trailblazers are not obvious but are there for the true fan to smile at.

What's most impressive is the reassurance of what can be achieved on a small budget in the hands of a talented director who knows and loves their craft.

Without the aid of expensive cgi McComas achieves what most modern horror films fail at, creating an atmospheric environment that feels fraught with danger. Just like early Carpenter and Hooper he is able to present a threat that is grounded in reality but elevated to the extreme.

This isn't the full picture though, once all the blood, gore and, yes, feces has run off into the woods the question of 'What is wrong with the world?' lingers.

Not why are there crazy serial killers in the woods but why are we all so sure that our world view is right?

How can we be so unwieldy in our beliefs even in the presence of those with more reason and experience to comment?

In summary The Camp Host is a skillfully made modern slasher with a retro vibe in the truest form that takes a subtle dig at modern mainstream cultural values.

Camp Host ftw

[shugga_ray · 10/10 · 10 April 2024]

An exciting and clever horror romp. This Tubi original puts an emphasis on original. A relevant turn on typical slasher tropes. Takes it from the time honored yet truly tired 'teenagers at camp' and spins a yarn of post-pandemic millennial-malaise evocative of cinematic treasures like Lost in America. There are moments that are hilarious, moments that are anxiety attack inducing and moments of true surprise. There's so much culture and soul couched in the context of genre cinema. And though you know the titular villain from the jump, the twists and turns and character moments propel the plot with a voracious pace. The cinematography is splendid. Impressive how controlled the framing, blocking and movement are. The sound design is subtle yet strong when appropriate. Performances and tone are executed perfectly. Thematically as big as you want it to be but not overbearing or pedantic. It's there for the taking if you're the type. But even if you're not a comp lit major, it's still a smart, swift, surprising, thrilling and ultimately very satisfying watch. I'll be giving this another spin soon to see how it holds up on rewatch because damn it was fun the first time around!

Story telling done the right way.

[terancetucker · 10/10 · 15 April 2024]

This movie is a cinematic gem. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of a remote campground, the film follows the journey of a reclusive camp host, brilliantly portrayed by Brook Johnson. The casting choices fit perfectly in the story. McComas's masterful storytelling unfolds with precision, inviting viewers into a world where quiet moments speak volumes and human connections are forged in the most unexpected places.

With stunning cinematography capturing the serene beauty of the wilderness, coupled with a hauntingly beautiful score that echoes the protagonist's emotional journey, "The Camp Host" transcends the boundaries of traditional cinema. McComas deftly explores the complexities of the human spirit, offering a poignant reminder of the transformative power of forgiveness and the importance of finding solace in the natural world.

An overall fun if somewhat slightly flawed feature

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 8/10 · 12 April 2024]

Taking a trip together, a married couple staying at a remote camping site in the woods are shocked to learn that a series of disappearances around the area is the result of a tyrannical camp host who kills off those that break her rules about staying there and must get away alive.

This was a rather fun and solid genre outing. One of the finer features here is the way this one brings about the kind of starting point necessary to follow through with the premise. Getting an early taste of the type of character she is with their arrival at the site hoping for just a simple way to enjoy the sights while relaxing off the road during their journey, the fervent way she tries to defend the sanctity of the forest around her is rather fun. It all manages to bring together the type of storyline present here where the two of them are shown to be a somewhat understanding type that are willing to go along with the rules but are a bit more freer with following them outside of her sphere of influence which is a factor that goes against the rest of the denizens camping around the forest which is where the main setup comes together quite nicely. This makes for a fun time when it starts to turn into a slasher effort where the punishment for failing those rules means the participant is killed off in gruesome fashion. Featuring a slew of strong attacks with the opening scene in the tent on the couple, the attack in the bathroom on the disrespectful camper, or attacking the one friend in their tent through an attack witnessed in the distance through shadows makes for some rather intriguing moments for some decent brutality along the way. The final half here, featuring a solid inverse of the type of confrontations normally associated with the genre as the discovery of her actions provide a rather different type of action against the killer than expected which allows this to have quite a lot to like about it. There are some factors here that hold this one down. The main issue to be had against it is the overly dramatic way this one tries to make the killings justified, as even though they come off that way there's still so much unnatural action taking place to try to make that the case. The majority of these encounters do feel more like pettiness and vindictiveness than anything, especially for the way most of the attempts are done even when characters do show remorse or are guilted into doing what she wants so it doesn't make any sense why that occurs. Other times, the fact that her challenges to them are done for immensely petty motivations is as lame as the actions being committed causes everything to feel somewhat underwhelming, especially once the killings start since that just makes it so obvious she's insane that something should've been done much earlier about it. Still, these are the factors that really hold it down.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.