Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma – Film Review

Director – Jane Schoenbrun
Writer – Jane Schoenbrun
Stars – Gillian Anderson, Hannah Einbinder, Patrick Fischler

Billy Presley (Gillian Anderson) was the final girl in the original Camp Miasma film. For personal reasons, Billy refused to return for the sequel, but the series continued despite her absence. It is now one of the longest-running horror franchises in Hollywood. Over the years, the series has become stale, a victim of its own success. It is now in need of a substantial reboot. To introduce new energy into the series, the producers have hired Kris Williams (Hannah Einbinder – Hacks), a young queer filmmaker, to write and direct the latest feature. Kris thinks casting Billy Presley is important to her reboot, and decides to visit the reclusive former star at her home.

This is a new film from writer/ director Jane Schoenbrun, who is a relatively new name, having directed a couple of smaller features: I Saw the TV Glow, and We’re All Going to the World’s Fair. This film seems to have a considerably larger budget than their previous releases, with several high-profile actors attached.

The premise is complex and more than a touch Meta. We see Billy and Kris watching the original Camp Miasma release, featuring a film-within-a-film. This layered technique allows the filmmaker to create an early 80s slasher film in all its glory. We see the group of teenagers arrive at the camp, and their hopes of a perfect summer are ruined by the arrival of the villain, Little Death. It’s always fascinating to see someone play with the horror genre and take it in a new direction, and this is as playful and smart as they come. The ending really gets quite bizarre and leaves you questioning what you’ve just seen! For fans of smart horror films or engaging lesbian love stories, this is the hot ticket in town.