Anyone who knows anything about horror movies understands only bad things happen at summer camp. That is just as true for Camp Almar in this film as it was for Camp Crystal Lake in the Friday the 13th franchise. However, the situation is a lot more complicated for young, insecure Morgan. His camp harbors some seriously sinister secrets in Daniel DelPurgatorio’s Marshmallow, which starts streaming tomorrow on Shudder.
Awkward Morgan could use a boost of confidence, so his kindly grandfather Roy cautiously suggests two months of summer camp might not be such a bad thing. Then he has a heart attack and dies. Morgan’s parents send him to camp anyway.
Maybe old Roy was right. Morgan quickly befriends fellow nerds Dirk and Raj. He also meets Pilar, a girl who is willing to talk to him. Unfortunately, he must room with CJ, the camp’s violent bully. Morgan is also freaked out by the stories of “The Doctor,” the camp’s supposed bogeyman (told round the old campfire, with hot chocolate—hence the title). Consequently, his friends initially assume his imagination has simply gotten the better of him when Morgan warns them the Doctor is tazing kids with a cattle prod. Yet, sure enough, it turns out to be true.
DelPurgatorio and screenwriter Andy Greskoviak deliver plenty of fan-pleasing retro 80’s horror vibes, while still telling a relatively original story. This is more than a slasher film, but it still has some of those elements. Nevertheless, there is little outright gore in Marshmallow. Instead, DelPurgatorio prioritizes suggestive mood and eerie atmosphere. Although it culminates with some genuinely surprising lunacy, the second act is arguably even more fun, in a nostalgic, throwback kind of way.
Frankly, if you find the idea of Stranger Things appealing, but never got into the show, try Marshmallow instead. It was an under-the-radar film that overachieves, so it was a nice pick-up for the streamer. Highly recommended for fans of 80’s horror, Marshmallow premieres tomorrow (1/1) on Shudder.
