_{By: Amanda Guarragi}

Gen Z has experienced different transitions and has adapted because of technology. In more ways than one, Gen Z are attached to the past and what they can learn from it. Some, more than others, are nostalgic for better days. Gen Z favours the past they miss and struggle with moving forward. More than any other genre, the horror genre has changed with the times. Technology has allowed horror to evolve over the decades. And that’s why original films like Halloween and Friday the 13th are the most referenced slashers. In Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk’s directorial debut, Hell of a Summer, the pair use Gen Z humour to coat this hell of a slasher based at a summer camp. 

The horror genre in recent years has been flourishing with fresh new concepts that have taken audiences. In comes Wolfhard and Bryk, who pull from familiar slashers from the 90s to make their film fun. The pair star as best friends who are counsellors at their summer camp and are determined to hook up with fellow counsellors over the summer. The story follows the characters at this summer camp after the cold open shows that there is a masked killer on the loose. Bryk and Wolfhard develop strong backstories for each character, and the cast works well together. It had a slow build-up but hit its stride towards the middle, only to fizzle out near the end. 

What works in the film is the character dynamics and the humour. Wolfhard is more tame in this role, and Bryk has the best comedic timing. Bryk is hilarious and steals the spotlight whenever he’s on screen. Even when they accuse each other of who the murderer is, his one-liners will have you chuckling. The kills are also executed well, and that’s because of where the camera is placed. The shock of the knife piercing through someone or a head flying off was effective. Bryk and Wolfhard let those scenes breathe so the audience could register what happened. The kills were spread out well, but there was some dead air in between because of character interactions. However, the twist in the third act is where this film falls apart because the motive isn’t strong enough.

Hell of a Summer is a fun slasher debut for Bryk and Wolfhard. It’s an accomplishment to create something like this at such a young age, and they should be proud of themselves. Even though the film doesn’t stick to the landing, it’s still entertaining for their debut. There are references to past horror movies. Some were a bit too on the nose, while others worked well. There’s even commentary on Mrs. Voorhees that will make any Jason fan grin. This did have the potential to be better than what it was. It still makes for a fun late-night slasher to watch with a big group of friends during the Halloween season.