I usually hate when a sequel explains what happened in the original but this movie needed it and thankfully they did it. Once again there is basically no plot and the acting is not so good. This time they don't go for the over the top screaming, which is definitely a good thing. The ways the people get killed are much better than in the original, although this time lots of dead people continue to breath or move their eyes. I'm sure other reviews on here say it sucks but it's just as good as the original, just different. Give it a chance.
173 Reviews
In a different league than the original, but still entertaining
mattymatt4ever22 January 2003
I consider "Sleepaway Camp" to be one of the best, most original B-horror films I've seen so far. The sequel is standard B-movie trash, which goes for broke in gory death scenes and gratuitous female nudity. It doesn't contain nearly as much originality as its predecessor. Nevertheless, it's mindless entertainment. And the frequently nude and topless females serve as fine eye candy. The acting is bad (except for Renee Estevez, who's halfway decent, and the guy playing Uncle John, who's pretty good), the cinematography is bad and the special f/x are extremely low grade. But what the heck? In this sort of film, those elements can be quite charming. But after a while, the cheesy horror grows tiresome (they could've chipped in just a tad more money for the f/x) and script is so devoid of original ideas that the film gets too lame for its own good. But if you're looking for a fun late night horror flick to watch during those sleepless nights, "SC 2" shouldn't disappoint. Even though I felt the first one was much more ingenious, the sequel serves its purpose. And I loved the new heavy metal theme song. It's one of those tunes that screams out, "This is not your father's horror movie!"
My score: 6 (out of 10)
My score: 6 (out of 10)
My favortie one in the series
DunnDeeDaGreat13 February 2002
Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers is the best in the camp trilogy. The gore scenes are great, Pamela Springstein as Angela is very funny and the cast of unknowns is very good. There is also a lot of nudity which is always good in a slasher flick.
No Masterpiece But Very Fun
Apolcold20 January 2006
Everybody's favorite transvestite serial killer is back
with her tongue firmly placed in her cheek
and a little something missing from between her legs. This time around, quirky Angela Baker (now being played by Pamela Springsteen) daringly returns to camp once again with a completely different persona; that of an overly blithesome camp counselor with good intentions for her naughty little campers. But her sinister past fails to stay buried as each one of the troublemaking kiddies begin to show their true colors and quickly secure a place on Angela's bad side.
Since the beginning of the slasher craze, the moral being sent out to teenagers wasn't something you'd consider subtle. Getting involved with drugs, alcohol and premarital sex wasn't just a sin in these movies, it was a first class ticket straight to hell by means of brutal slaughter. Failed attempts to instill values in these unlikable little drug-addled fornicating sinners (a.k.a. campers) leaves Angela with no choice but to follow this slasher trend and "weed out the bad". The ongoing mistake of most filmmakers, however, was allowing this sort of teen behavior to seem funny and hip instead of shunned. But in Unhappy Campers, we're given a much needed satirical take as we find ourselves rooting for the crazed killer instead of the victims, which is quite a welcomed departure.
As the campers quickly begin dropping like flies, Angela smoothly covers up her tracks by disguising all the disappearances as nothing more than kids who were sent home for unacceptable behavior. But good girl Molly (played by Renée Estevez) realizes that something isn't quite right. Even though she's the typical virginal sweetheart we're meant to root for, I was very much in favor of Angela's motive and couldn't care less if she murdered a few innocents along the way. That, my friends, is the power of Pamela Springsteen. She somehow manages to put a hold over her audience, allowing her to get away with anything and still be lovable. She made me feel free to point and laugh at the mangled corpses of these idiots and not feel guilty about it. Sure, that's an awful thing to do, but hey these kids really had it coming, especially when they're named after members of the 80's Brat Pack and sport mullets among other things.
Although the death sequences don't have much gore and weren't executed to their full potential (as a result of budget limits I'm sure), they still came off creatively funny and deliciously mean spirited. Using silly one-liners just before brutally disposing her victims, Angela makes sure to get her point across of how uncompromisingly stupid teenagers can be, leaving us laughing and anxiously anticipating her next move. Adding to the satire, there happens to be plenty of girls who love to flash their wobbly bits just about every two seconds for no apparent reason. With acting that could barely pass as decent, there are also plenty of horribly delivered lines of dialogue peppered throughout. Don't be surprised if you're brought to laughter by the unintentional humor more than anything. But as long as you're laughing, who really cares, right? While most horror movie sequels tend to be nothing more than boring and unneeded retreads, writer Fritz Gordon thankfully brought us into new territory with his cheesy yet utterly lovable sense of cruel humor. Although Unhappy Campers isn't exactly a masterpiece and doesn't quite compare to it's predecessor, it still works nonetheless as a fun little guilty pleasure for us die hard slasher fans. After all, the world is a better place with killer Angela on the loose, ain't it?
Since the beginning of the slasher craze, the moral being sent out to teenagers wasn't something you'd consider subtle. Getting involved with drugs, alcohol and premarital sex wasn't just a sin in these movies, it was a first class ticket straight to hell by means of brutal slaughter. Failed attempts to instill values in these unlikable little drug-addled fornicating sinners (a.k.a. campers) leaves Angela with no choice but to follow this slasher trend and "weed out the bad". The ongoing mistake of most filmmakers, however, was allowing this sort of teen behavior to seem funny and hip instead of shunned. But in Unhappy Campers, we're given a much needed satirical take as we find ourselves rooting for the crazed killer instead of the victims, which is quite a welcomed departure.
As the campers quickly begin dropping like flies, Angela smoothly covers up her tracks by disguising all the disappearances as nothing more than kids who were sent home for unacceptable behavior. But good girl Molly (played by Renée Estevez) realizes that something isn't quite right. Even though she's the typical virginal sweetheart we're meant to root for, I was very much in favor of Angela's motive and couldn't care less if she murdered a few innocents along the way. That, my friends, is the power of Pamela Springsteen. She somehow manages to put a hold over her audience, allowing her to get away with anything and still be lovable. She made me feel free to point and laugh at the mangled corpses of these idiots and not feel guilty about it. Sure, that's an awful thing to do, but hey these kids really had it coming, especially when they're named after members of the 80's Brat Pack and sport mullets among other things.
Although the death sequences don't have much gore and weren't executed to their full potential (as a result of budget limits I'm sure), they still came off creatively funny and deliciously mean spirited. Using silly one-liners just before brutally disposing her victims, Angela makes sure to get her point across of how uncompromisingly stupid teenagers can be, leaving us laughing and anxiously anticipating her next move. Adding to the satire, there happens to be plenty of girls who love to flash their wobbly bits just about every two seconds for no apparent reason. With acting that could barely pass as decent, there are also plenty of horribly delivered lines of dialogue peppered throughout. Don't be surprised if you're brought to laughter by the unintentional humor more than anything. But as long as you're laughing, who really cares, right? While most horror movie sequels tend to be nothing more than boring and unneeded retreads, writer Fritz Gordon thankfully brought us into new territory with his cheesy yet utterly lovable sense of cruel humor. Although Unhappy Campers isn't exactly a masterpiece and doesn't quite compare to it's predecessor, it still works nonetheless as a fun little guilty pleasure for us die hard slasher fans. After all, the world is a better place with killer Angela on the loose, ain't it?
Limp slasher sequel
Leofwine_draca22 December 2016
Warning: Spoilers
SLEEPAWAY CAMP II is one of those no-budget made-on-the-quick slasher movies that exist solely to cash in on the '80s boom in serial killer flicks. It's also one of the films at the lower end of the scale, offering a dearth of originality in a genre that was already starved of invention by the early '80s; somehow the slasher flicks made in the latter half of the decade just seemed to be even cheesier and less scary than before. SLEEPAWAY CAMP II plods through a routine script in which a bunch of horny teenagers at a camp are bumped off one by one by a crazed murderer using increasingly bizarre methods. It's not a particularly well made film, with production values equal to the worst of the Friday the 13th sequels and the dull, repetitive nature of the film will have many viewers snoozing off.
Pamela Springsteen, sister of Bruce, plays the killer, taking over from the actress in the original production. Springsteen is pretty annoying, making lots of unfunny wisecracks as she bumps off her victims, and she only really impresses in the last twenty minutes or so when we find out just how crazy she really is. The rest of the cast is populated by bimbos happy to whip off their tops in their 15 minutes of fame, so expect a ton of gratuitous nudity throughout the film. The only characters I really liked were Brian Patrick Clarke's hilarious mulleted jock and Uncle John, who is played by a down on his luck Walter Gotell, better known for his turns in classier fare like THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL and the Roger Moore/James Bond flicks. Renee Estevez, daughter of Martin Sheen, plays the virginal heroine but her character is utterly boring.
As is the case with most of these cheesy slasher flicks, the only real fun to be had is derived from the ludicrous death scenes. Here, there's some imagination in the killings, which include death by battery acid, guitar string, chainsaw, and decapitation, but all the murders are so poorly staged that there's no fun to be had from the rubbery gore effects that we briefly see. Otherwise, the film strives for the gross-out effect in a couple of moments, like the girl confronted with her sister's fried skeleton or the poor victim shoved into the toilet. The only other moment of interest is some early self-referencing – years before SCREAM – in which a couple of characters dress up as Freddy and Jason.
Pamela Springsteen, sister of Bruce, plays the killer, taking over from the actress in the original production. Springsteen is pretty annoying, making lots of unfunny wisecracks as she bumps off her victims, and she only really impresses in the last twenty minutes or so when we find out just how crazy she really is. The rest of the cast is populated by bimbos happy to whip off their tops in their 15 minutes of fame, so expect a ton of gratuitous nudity throughout the film. The only characters I really liked were Brian Patrick Clarke's hilarious mulleted jock and Uncle John, who is played by a down on his luck Walter Gotell, better known for his turns in classier fare like THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL and the Roger Moore/James Bond flicks. Renee Estevez, daughter of Martin Sheen, plays the virginal heroine but her character is utterly boring.
As is the case with most of these cheesy slasher flicks, the only real fun to be had is derived from the ludicrous death scenes. Here, there's some imagination in the killings, which include death by battery acid, guitar string, chainsaw, and decapitation, but all the murders are so poorly staged that there's no fun to be had from the rubbery gore effects that we briefly see. Otherwise, the film strives for the gross-out effect in a couple of moments, like the girl confronted with her sister's fried skeleton or the poor victim shoved into the toilet. The only other moment of interest is some early self-referencing – years before SCREAM – in which a couple of characters dress up as Freddy and Jason.
All-around improvement on the original perverse youth camp slasher
Wuchakk24 July 2019
About six years after the events of the first film, Angela (Pamela Springsteen) is now an adult camp counselor at Camp Rolling Hills after getting therapy and the operation (if you know what I mean). She carefreely weeds out all the bad kids and anyone else who might get in the way.
The production values of "Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers" (1988) are all-around superior to the original 1983 slasher. Sure, both are "Friday the 13th" knock-offs, but they're distinguished by (1.) actual adolescents inhabiting the camp and (2.) the perverse uniqueness of the killer.
The only real campy element is Angela's blithe chippy-ness in carrying out her slaughter spree. Other than that, this plays out like a mid-80's coming-of-age drama with quality insights and surprisingly fleshed-out characters, which were the attributes of the first film as well. For instance, Molly (Renée Estevez) is very distinguished from Ally (Valerie Hartman) and Mare (Susan Marie Snyder). The mullets and short shorts on guys are amusing.
An additional highlight is the kick-axx soundtrack of semi-obscure mid-80's rock/metal, starting with Anvil's excellent "Straight Between the Eyes" during the opening credits (only hindered by the juvenile and tasteless lyrics, but what else is new?). "Outta Control" by John Altyn is featured later and Obsession's "Desperate to Survive" during the end credits.
The film runs 1 hour, 20 minutes, and was shot in Bremen, Georgia, about an hour's drive west of Atlanta.
GRADE: B/B-
The production values of "Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers" (1988) are all-around superior to the original 1983 slasher. Sure, both are "Friday the 13th" knock-offs, but they're distinguished by (1.) actual adolescents inhabiting the camp and (2.) the perverse uniqueness of the killer.
The only real campy element is Angela's blithe chippy-ness in carrying out her slaughter spree. Other than that, this plays out like a mid-80's coming-of-age drama with quality insights and surprisingly fleshed-out characters, which were the attributes of the first film as well. For instance, Molly (Renée Estevez) is very distinguished from Ally (Valerie Hartman) and Mare (Susan Marie Snyder). The mullets and short shorts on guys are amusing.
An additional highlight is the kick-axx soundtrack of semi-obscure mid-80's rock/metal, starting with Anvil's excellent "Straight Between the Eyes" during the opening credits (only hindered by the juvenile and tasteless lyrics, but what else is new?). "Outta Control" by John Altyn is featured later and Obsession's "Desperate to Survive" during the end credits.
The film runs 1 hour, 20 minutes, and was shot in Bremen, Georgia, about an hour's drive west of Atlanta.
GRADE: B/B-
Waste of time
tmolthan30 October 2005
Warning: Spoilers
No wonder Pamela Springsteen gave up acting to become a full-time photographer; it's a much better idea to have her behind a camera than in front of one. While this movie is not without its interesting elements (mullets from hell, etc.), it is outweighed by flaws. For one thing, Angela, the murderous counselor, appears to be about the same age as the campers. Having an older, more threatening camp director would have done a lot for the film. And then you have the murder scenes. The budget was apparently too low to execute most of them properly (no pun intended), although drowning someone in an outhouse toilet is certainly original. But overall, there are a ton of movies out there that are scarier/more fun to spend an hour and a half of your life watching.
Happy Slashing!
Coventry2 November 2005
100% female and waving around the certificate of goody-goody Girl Scout, Angela signs in as a counselor at Rolling Hills summer camp. She's determined to make it a fun summer for everyone, singing Kumbaya-songs around the fire and all, but she keeps on having conflicts with rebellious and sex-hungry teenagers. In order to uphold the camp's happy spirit, Angela has no other option but to send the rotten apples home. Of course "sending people home" in Angela's book means slaughtering them brutally
Talking in terms of 80's slashers, the original "Sleepaway Camp" (released in 1983) is a classic. Along with a selected group of other titles (like "Prom Night", "Friday the 13th" and "The Prowler"), the original is a film that every self-respecting horror fan simply has to see. This first sequel isn't nearly as 'essential', but it still stands as a highly enjoyable and relaxing film. The script contains absolutely no tension or plot-twists, since you already know the culprit's identity from the beginning, so all the excitement depends on the various methods by which the teenager are killed off. Angela uses drills, strings of a guitar, car battery-acid, campfires and there even is an entire act in which campers battle dressed up like horror icons Jason Vorhees, Freddy Krueger and Leatherface! The biggest trump of "Sleepaway Camp" is that it never takes itself too seriously and it has absolutely no ambition to be a compelling film. All in one, a light-hearted movie with gore, nudity and an attractive cast. You simply can't expect more from a movie like this.
Oh no! What a letdown!
reallifestory14 October 2001
I'm a fan of the original Sleepaway Camp and this sequel is utterly lousy. Parts of the movie occasionally qualify for that "so-bad-it's-funny" entertaining quality, but that's the only slightly redeeming aspect. Other than that, this film is so sleazy that I felt the need to shower afterwards!
Angela kills for no reason whatsoever, just murder for murder's sake. At least she uses a bit of creative variety, I'll give her that. The effects are laughable and the 25-30 year old actors trying to portray young teens really make you shake your head. The immaturity and idiocy of the characters wouldn't even have been believable if it were a camp of Kindergarten kids.
Invest your time more wisely than this!
Angela kills for no reason whatsoever, just murder for murder's sake. At least she uses a bit of creative variety, I'll give her that. The effects are laughable and the 25-30 year old actors trying to portray young teens really make you shake your head. The immaturity and idiocy of the characters wouldn't even have been believable if it were a camp of Kindergarten kids.
Invest your time more wisely than this!
An Excellent slasher film reviewed by L. White from London
laslowhite17 August 2002
Warning: Spoilers
I first saw this film in 1995 under the title Nightmare Vacation and was pleasantly surprised, there are lots of laughs in this film and it is quite entertaining. At the time i was unaware that the U.K version of the film was cut by 2 minutes and 16 seconds of violence. So i brought the American version titled (Sleep Away Camp 2:Unhappy Campers)MINOR SPOILER: Watch out for the scene in which the queen bitch Ally gets her just deserts from Angela and i tell you now it is not for the faint hearted! Go and watch this film for fun it is not scary in the least as it is more of a comedy than a horror, it also spoofs other popular horror films of the late 1980's.
A departure of the worst kind
WildestDreams25 September 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I recommend avoiding Sleepaway Camp's initial sequels no matter how much you loved the original. Forget they were ever made because this and part three have no resemblance to the first one. They aren't even enjoyable movies in their own rights, they're just plain shallow.
The basic premise is this: Angela saying sassy things whilst hacking off campers. I'm the biggest fan of sequels, but does anybody really want to see their slasher villain look into the camera to deliver a corny one-liner whenever they go to off somebody? Its the same formula that led horror icons such as Freddy Krueger and Chucky to become mere parodies of their themselves as their sequels went on.
Thankfully, the series creator (who is also the writer/director of part one) had almost nothing to do with these trash sequels. Better still, he created his own direct sequel in 2008, Return to Sleepaway Camp, which is excellent. It ignores the two sequels from the late 80's altogether and you should do the same.
The basic premise is this: Angela saying sassy things whilst hacking off campers. I'm the biggest fan of sequels, but does anybody really want to see their slasher villain look into the camera to deliver a corny one-liner whenever they go to off somebody? Its the same formula that led horror icons such as Freddy Krueger and Chucky to become mere parodies of their themselves as their sequels went on.
Thankfully, the series creator (who is also the writer/director of part one) had almost nothing to do with these trash sequels. Better still, he created his own direct sequel in 2008, Return to Sleepaway Camp, which is excellent. It ignores the two sequels from the late 80's altogether and you should do the same.
A Wickedly funny and brutal horror spoof!
matts197929 February 2000
Sleepaway Camp II is a great horror sequel, not only does it manage to equal the demented original, but in many areas, it actually improves upon the 1983 masterpiece.
Angela is back, this time at Camp Rolling Hills and posing as a camp counselor. She's pretty cheerful until some of the immoral teenagers start getting under her skin, then it's death by battery acid, power drill, knife and much, much more! The character of Angela Baker this time out is played by Pamela Springsteen (Bruce's sis) and she does a wonderful job. Some have criticized this film for making its maniac too likable, and that is a minor fault, but Pam is wickedly funny, often creepy, and always a great presence on screen.
Sleepaway II ties horror and comedy together very well, being in turn funny and creepy, it's much more of a subtle horror parody than the likes of Scream, and a lot more fun! For fans of the genre that have managed to miss this one, definately check it out, its got enough nudity, blood and overall fun for 10 summer camp slashers! As horror goes, it rates a solid 8 out of 10 on a serious scale!
Angela is back, this time at Camp Rolling Hills and posing as a camp counselor. She's pretty cheerful until some of the immoral teenagers start getting under her skin, then it's death by battery acid, power drill, knife and much, much more! The character of Angela Baker this time out is played by Pamela Springsteen (Bruce's sis) and she does a wonderful job. Some have criticized this film for making its maniac too likable, and that is a minor fault, but Pam is wickedly funny, often creepy, and always a great presence on screen.
Sleepaway II ties horror and comedy together very well, being in turn funny and creepy, it's much more of a subtle horror parody than the likes of Scream, and a lot more fun! For fans of the genre that have managed to miss this one, definately check it out, its got enough nudity, blood and overall fun for 10 summer camp slashers! As horror goes, it rates a solid 8 out of 10 on a serious scale!
Mullets, boobs and gore galore!
Stevieboy66611 September 2021
The original Sleepaway Camp movie was a dark slasher movie with a seriously twisted ending, part 2 "Unhappy Campers" however is loaded with humour. Killer camp counsellor Angela (Pamela Springsteen, yes sister of Bruce) is back, "cured" of her murderous tendencies. However, even before the opening credits, she's back to her old ways, hitting a girl across the head with a log before slicing off her tongue! There follows many more gory and imaginative deaths, two stoner sisters are burnt to a crisp ("Say no to drugs" says Angela during the act), a guy has acid thrown into his face, another is decapitated, throats slashed, heads, drilled, etc. There is also plenty of sex and gratuitous female nudity (boobs, no full frontal) on show, add to that some mullet hairstyles and 80's rock music, proof that despite the slasher boom being over by around four years there was still life in the genre. Three characters dress up as horror icons Jason, Freddy and Laetherface, with Angela playing the latter you can be assured that her chainsaw isn't a fake one! Originally released heavily cut in the UK on VHS as Nightmare Vacation 2 this is now available in all of its uncut glory. Not really a classic but there is a lot of gory fun to be had.
Unhappy Renters
Jimmerman Fish25 October 2002
Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers? More like Unhappy Renters!
Who funds this sort of garbage? There was no suspense as to who the killer was and none of the usual sudden unexpected deaths or even bare minimum plot typical for the 80s horror genre. The thing that makes this whole thing even worse is the fact that they decided to make a third installment of this series.
I want my 80 minutes back.
Who funds this sort of garbage? There was no suspense as to who the killer was and none of the usual sudden unexpected deaths or even bare minimum plot typical for the 80s horror genre. The thing that makes this whole thing even worse is the fact that they decided to make a third installment of this series.
I want my 80 minutes back.
Good movie, but who the heck is the chick on the box cover?
zmaturin9 April 2000
It's not easy being a horror movie fan. After seeing some spectacular masterpieces you start to realize that there aren't many good ones, and you'll spend most of your valuable movie-watching time on lame tripe that contains no originality or jollity, desperately searching for another classic. But I've discovered that if you lower your standards a bit you might find some less-than-classics that are still fun and enjoyable, if not legendary works of art. I humbly submit "Sleepaway Camp 2" as a tolerable entry in the slasher movie archives.
First of all, as far as deranged mass-murderers go, you could do a lot worse than Angela, a demented transsexual camp counselor who flips out at the most minor rule-breakers and reacts lethally, all while sporting a smile and never feeling blue. Our cheery Angela is the most "can-do" serial killer ever. You'll never find a copy of "Catcher in the Rye" or "American Psycho" near her victims- but maybe "Life's Little Instruction Booklet"!
Next of all, it's got a lot of killings. Some movies give you three, maybe four killings, but this one has a crate-full of slaughter- burning, eye-gouging, stabbing, beheading and more. Main characters or peripheral characters, on-screen or off, pretty much everyone gets it in this movie. There's even a classic scene where Angela forces one loathsome character down the hole in an outhouse! (If that doesn't sell you on this movie, nothing will.)
Finally, the cast is pretty good. The heroine is the lovely Renee Estevez, who should be a bigger star. She's always super-likable, (most notably as Betty Finn in "Heathers"). The severely unstable Angela is brought to life by Bruce Springsteen's sister Pamela, and puts in a wonderful performance here.
I can't recommend parts one or three in the epic "Sleepaway Camp" saga, because they're pretty putrid, but part deux is a pretty good diversion from the standard cinematic defecation that's passed off as entertainment.
First of all, as far as deranged mass-murderers go, you could do a lot worse than Angela, a demented transsexual camp counselor who flips out at the most minor rule-breakers and reacts lethally, all while sporting a smile and never feeling blue. Our cheery Angela is the most "can-do" serial killer ever. You'll never find a copy of "Catcher in the Rye" or "American Psycho" near her victims- but maybe "Life's Little Instruction Booklet"!
Next of all, it's got a lot of killings. Some movies give you three, maybe four killings, but this one has a crate-full of slaughter- burning, eye-gouging, stabbing, beheading and more. Main characters or peripheral characters, on-screen or off, pretty much everyone gets it in this movie. There's even a classic scene where Angela forces one loathsome character down the hole in an outhouse! (If that doesn't sell you on this movie, nothing will.)
Finally, the cast is pretty good. The heroine is the lovely Renee Estevez, who should be a bigger star. She's always super-likable, (most notably as Betty Finn in "Heathers"). The severely unstable Angela is brought to life by Bruce Springsteen's sister Pamela, and puts in a wonderful performance here.
I can't recommend parts one or three in the epic "Sleepaway Camp" saga, because they're pretty putrid, but part deux is a pretty good diversion from the standard cinematic defecation that's passed off as entertainment.
Pleasantly Surprised Camper
CharlestonNole15 August 2003
After the debacle of the first Sleepaway Camp, who thought that a franchise could be born. SC II is superior in aspect. More inspired killings and just whole lot more fun. While that might not be saying much (compared to the first movie), Sleepaway Camp II is worth the rental.
Pros: Entertaining, doesn't take itself too seriously like SC I. Inspired Killings. Cons: Crappy acting and mullets abound.
Bottom Line: 5/10
Pros: Entertaining, doesn't take itself too seriously like SC I. Inspired Killings. Cons: Crappy acting and mullets abound.
Bottom Line: 5/10
Slasher flick with an edge.
insomniac_rod22 December 2006
Before commenting on "Sleepaway Camp II" I need to put something clear. Valerie Hartman is a spectacular beauty; she's incredibly beautiful, sexy, charming, etc. She makes this movie worth a watch. That's how amazing she is. Also, her sex scenes are highlights. Yes believe it.
Now seriously, "Sleepaway Camp II" is a fun, entertaining, somehow gory Slasher flick. It's a sequel to a straight Slasher flick; I mean, the original had no black humor and was all about gore and the now infamous creepy ending. The sequel is more of a black comedy with some gore and cheesy one liners.
This is a pleasant watch for fans of Slashers with the occasional black comedy. Pamela Springsteen delivers a unique, comical performance but when she needs to be bad, oh, she is bad and wicked. She steals the show and I'm glad she is now somewhat a cult icon on the Slasher sub-genre.
The death scenes are very regular for these kind of movies but I must be redundant; the comical bits add something fresh to these death scenes.
Sincerely, I'm objective, and that's why I will recommend "Sleepaway Camp II" only for fans of the Slasher sub-genre. Avid Horror fans with more violent tastes most likely will hate it. It's the typical American Slasher filled with clichès, cheese, and horrible acting.
But overall this is a decent sequel with decent death scenes and funny sequences.
Now seriously, "Sleepaway Camp II" is a fun, entertaining, somehow gory Slasher flick. It's a sequel to a straight Slasher flick; I mean, the original had no black humor and was all about gore and the now infamous creepy ending. The sequel is more of a black comedy with some gore and cheesy one liners.
This is a pleasant watch for fans of Slashers with the occasional black comedy. Pamela Springsteen delivers a unique, comical performance but when she needs to be bad, oh, she is bad and wicked. She steals the show and I'm glad she is now somewhat a cult icon on the Slasher sub-genre.
The death scenes are very regular for these kind of movies but I must be redundant; the comical bits add something fresh to these death scenes.
Sincerely, I'm objective, and that's why I will recommend "Sleepaway Camp II" only for fans of the Slasher sub-genre. Avid Horror fans with more violent tastes most likely will hate it. It's the typical American Slasher filled with clichès, cheese, and horrible acting.
But overall this is a decent sequel with decent death scenes and funny sequences.
Revenge of the 80's: The sequel!
Captain_Couth7 August 2005
Sleepaway Camp 2 (1988) was another in a line of unwarranted and lousy sequels to good horror films. The first one was no classic but it is one compared to this tripe. My biggest pet peeve in a movie is when the film makers try to hard. Yes, they tried to hard this time. I hate that so much. If you're not funny and witty but you think you are and you cram it down the people's throats and beat them over and over in the head with lame humor is not cool! No one is going to fall for it! The only reason this movie got such a high rating is that the movie that followed this one is so bad that this one is a masterpiece by comparison and the first one is a classic.
Not recommended, unless you love movie that tick you off!
Not recommended, unless you love movie that tick you off!
yummi yummi yummi I got a knife in my tummi
mrdonleone27 July 2003
the acting isn't very good, but it's all right. especially pamela springsteen rules as a nut in a camp. she's pretty scary. now, the story isn't the best I ever saw, but it's better than friday the 13th (now that's a movie I hate). the music wasn't good, except for this crazy camping song, one of the big highpoints of the movie. totally I think this movie is a good laugh with a few scary moments, but hey, horror's laughing and kicking, isn't it? so I recommand this movie to all joking creeps on this planet, they'll have a big fun out of it.
Another lousy slasher sequel
preppy-330 October 2009
Angela Johnson (Pamela Springsteen--yes she's related to Bruce), the killer from the first film, is up to her old tricks again. She's one of the counselors at Camp Rolling Hills. As long as the girls at camp are nice and stay away from sex, drugs and swearing things are fine. But a few step over the line and Angela kills them--cracking bad jokes all the way.
The original "Sleepaway Camp" was a vicious and nasty splatter film but had some good points to it. This is vicious and nasty too but has NO good points to it. The plot has been done to death and this adds NOTHING new to the formula. There are plenty of gory killings in here (people are burnt alive, heads are cut off, throats slashed) but all the gore is so obviously fake it actually become comical. This also has the smallest amount of campers I've ever seen and virtually everyone is far too old for their roles (especially Higgins). As expected there's the gratuitous female nudity (here provided by the tremendously untalented Valerie Hartman) and the obligatory good girl/good boy team (Renne Estevez and Tony Higgins). With the sole exception of Springsteen and Higgins the acting is lousy--even by slasher movie standards. There's also a cruel edge to this movie in which one character is drowned in an outhouse! Boring and sick with a stupid plot, pointless nudity and bad gore. Skip it.
The original "Sleepaway Camp" was a vicious and nasty splatter film but had some good points to it. This is vicious and nasty too but has NO good points to it. The plot has been done to death and this adds NOTHING new to the formula. There are plenty of gory killings in here (people are burnt alive, heads are cut off, throats slashed) but all the gore is so obviously fake it actually become comical. This also has the smallest amount of campers I've ever seen and virtually everyone is far too old for their roles (especially Higgins). As expected there's the gratuitous female nudity (here provided by the tremendously untalented Valerie Hartman) and the obligatory good girl/good boy team (Renne Estevez and Tony Higgins). With the sole exception of Springsteen and Higgins the acting is lousy--even by slasher movie standards. There's also a cruel edge to this movie in which one character is drowned in an outhouse! Boring and sick with a stupid plot, pointless nudity and bad gore. Skip it.
Cheap, tasteless, and utterly stupid... and I mean that as a compliment
happyendingrocks4 October 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Angela, our murderer/murderess from the original Sleepaway Camp, returns for more merry mayhem in this unabashedly goofy follow-up that eschews the grittier edges and sleazy plot points of its quirky cult classic predecessor in favor of a straight series of splat-stick gore gags, and the result is a slasher movie that openly lampoons its own genre and practically dares you to keep a straight face while you're watching it.
No real plot summary necessary here. Basically, Angela is all grown up for this outing and has returned to her familiar stomping grounds as a relentlessly perky camp counselor, and that's all you really need to know... Well, that, and the fact that she kills a crapload of people.
The film as a whole is little more that a succession of vignettes of teenage campground shenanigans, gratuitous nudity, and frequent displays of bloodshed. If this sounds like I'm slighting Unhappy Campers, don't misunderstand me. This is a film that clearly knows its audience and doesn't waste any time on suspense or character development, and once you see how quickly the film settles into its blood and boobs routine, even the most kill-happy Friday The 13th sequels look like meticulously measured Alfred Hitchcock thrillers by comparison.
Every aspect of the production is cheesy and inept, from the low-grade film stock to the discount rack splatter effects, but since there's never a moment when we think Sleepaway Camp II has any pretensions of taking itself seriously, all of this works immeasurably to the movie's benefit. If you're looking for an exercise in pure, visceral horror, this is most assuredly not intended for you. However, if you just want to have a hell of a good time watching naughty teens get butchered for their transgressions by a cloyingly cheerful psychopath who looks like she would have been right at home in the cast of "Saved By The Bell"... Well, then, you'll probably decide 20 minutes into Unhappy Campers, at which point you will have already seen four people get slaughtered, that you're dealing with a masterpiece of its kind.
Much of the dialogue here is especially priceless, and while it's hard to choose a favorite passage, I'm partial to the post-coitus exchange between the token tramp Ally and one of her conquests. (Ally: "Thanks, that was fun. Say, you don't have AIDS or anything do you?" Guy: "No!" Ally: "Great, see ya.")
The spirit of parody runs rampant throughout the film, but the surreal apex of this arrives when Angela slices up a boy who's dressed like Freddy Krueger with his own razor glove and uses a chainsaw to off another kid who's wearing an imitation Jason mask, all while she is, herself, decked out in a Leatherface costume. The finale, where Angela is confronted about her murderous past and insists "I'm cured" while surrounded by the dozen or so corpses she's racked up at that point, likewise references numerous other classic slasher films that have included equivalent shrine-like tableaux of victims.
The film's murders are impressive in terms of sheer numbers, but if there's one legitimate complaint that can be levied here, it's that most of the kills are pretty by the numbers if you've seen a handful of similar splatter outings before this one. However, this abundance of rote slashings and bludgeonings is reconciled by the most memorable scene in the movie, in which one unlucky lass is forced head first into the pungent reservoir of a port-a-potty and drowned in a pool of leech-infested human waste. That segment pretty much sums up the mindset of the entire film, so your enjoyment of Unhappy Campers will probably depend on how eager you are to see a sequence like that etched into the annals of cinematic history.
A movie like this is clearly its own animal, so comparing it to any of the more serious-minded slasher fare that preceded it is rather pointless. If you require scares, tension, or even general coherence to sate your horror appetite, you can skip this offering and move right along. However, if you find yourself in the mood for a mirthful celebration of the basest elements the genre has to offer, spending 70 minutes with Sleepaway Camp II will definitely make you a...
Nah, too obvious.
No real plot summary necessary here. Basically, Angela is all grown up for this outing and has returned to her familiar stomping grounds as a relentlessly perky camp counselor, and that's all you really need to know... Well, that, and the fact that she kills a crapload of people.
The film as a whole is little more that a succession of vignettes of teenage campground shenanigans, gratuitous nudity, and frequent displays of bloodshed. If this sounds like I'm slighting Unhappy Campers, don't misunderstand me. This is a film that clearly knows its audience and doesn't waste any time on suspense or character development, and once you see how quickly the film settles into its blood and boobs routine, even the most kill-happy Friday The 13th sequels look like meticulously measured Alfred Hitchcock thrillers by comparison.
Every aspect of the production is cheesy and inept, from the low-grade film stock to the discount rack splatter effects, but since there's never a moment when we think Sleepaway Camp II has any pretensions of taking itself seriously, all of this works immeasurably to the movie's benefit. If you're looking for an exercise in pure, visceral horror, this is most assuredly not intended for you. However, if you just want to have a hell of a good time watching naughty teens get butchered for their transgressions by a cloyingly cheerful psychopath who looks like she would have been right at home in the cast of "Saved By The Bell"... Well, then, you'll probably decide 20 minutes into Unhappy Campers, at which point you will have already seen four people get slaughtered, that you're dealing with a masterpiece of its kind.
Much of the dialogue here is especially priceless, and while it's hard to choose a favorite passage, I'm partial to the post-coitus exchange between the token tramp Ally and one of her conquests. (Ally: "Thanks, that was fun. Say, you don't have AIDS or anything do you?" Guy: "No!" Ally: "Great, see ya.")
The spirit of parody runs rampant throughout the film, but the surreal apex of this arrives when Angela slices up a boy who's dressed like Freddy Krueger with his own razor glove and uses a chainsaw to off another kid who's wearing an imitation Jason mask, all while she is, herself, decked out in a Leatherface costume. The finale, where Angela is confronted about her murderous past and insists "I'm cured" while surrounded by the dozen or so corpses she's racked up at that point, likewise references numerous other classic slasher films that have included equivalent shrine-like tableaux of victims.
The film's murders are impressive in terms of sheer numbers, but if there's one legitimate complaint that can be levied here, it's that most of the kills are pretty by the numbers if you've seen a handful of similar splatter outings before this one. However, this abundance of rote slashings and bludgeonings is reconciled by the most memorable scene in the movie, in which one unlucky lass is forced head first into the pungent reservoir of a port-a-potty and drowned in a pool of leech-infested human waste. That segment pretty much sums up the mindset of the entire film, so your enjoyment of Unhappy Campers will probably depend on how eager you are to see a sequence like that etched into the annals of cinematic history.
A movie like this is clearly its own animal, so comparing it to any of the more serious-minded slasher fare that preceded it is rather pointless. If you require scares, tension, or even general coherence to sate your horror appetite, you can skip this offering and move right along. However, if you find yourself in the mood for a mirthful celebration of the basest elements the genre has to offer, spending 70 minutes with Sleepaway Camp II will definitely make you a...
Nah, too obvious.
Ouch.
filmguy_075 June 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Being a slasher film aficionado, I typically will settle in to watch every slash movie that passes over my retinas, which sometimes does more harm than good to my brain, I will say. While channel surfing the other night, Sleepaway Camp II happened to cross paths with me. Of course, I wanted to check it out, as I had heard of the Sleepaway Camp franchise, but have never actually seen any of them (for shame, I know). I will note that since I have not seen the original, my criticism should probably not be taken too seriously, because perhaps what I think is wrong with it is totally intentional by the franchise's own design.
Now I'm assuming that the franchise of Sleepaway Camp is, in itself, a joke on itself. Hell, even the name comes off as an intentional joke. Sleep away camp? It's good fun. I can appreciate the film for wanting to just put together something for pure camp horror value, but that's about as far as I can go. The acting in this movie made the cast of the original Friday the 13th look like thespians doing a rendition of Macbeth. Campy requires bad acting, but come on. Pamela Springsteen as the evil out-of-touch-with-reality killer did a better job of killing off my interest than she did killing off the entire cast. As far as comedy goes, there were a few times where I chuckled, but it was few and far between.
Ultimately, SAC II is pretty boring, and I really did want to sleep away the camp. The deaths are so obviously staged and fake that you can barely appreciate them. If you're looking for a slasher film comedy with good camp, I recommend Club Dread. If your channel surfing takes you across this one, check and see what else is on.
Now I'm assuming that the franchise of Sleepaway Camp is, in itself, a joke on itself. Hell, even the name comes off as an intentional joke. Sleep away camp? It's good fun. I can appreciate the film for wanting to just put together something for pure camp horror value, but that's about as far as I can go. The acting in this movie made the cast of the original Friday the 13th look like thespians doing a rendition of Macbeth. Campy requires bad acting, but come on. Pamela Springsteen as the evil out-of-touch-with-reality killer did a better job of killing off my interest than she did killing off the entire cast. As far as comedy goes, there were a few times where I chuckled, but it was few and far between.
Ultimately, SAC II is pretty boring, and I really did want to sleep away the camp. The deaths are so obviously staged and fake that you can barely appreciate them. If you're looking for a slasher film comedy with good camp, I recommend Club Dread. If your channel surfing takes you across this one, check and see what else is on.
Don't Be An Unhappy Camper
taxidriver4529 July 2005
If you hate this film that means that you took it seriously. This movie is not meant for those searching for brilliant acting and touching characters that you can relate to. This is a movie for people who want to see people die in horrible gory ways. This movie, as well as the first and third movies, contains some of the most bizarre murders you can possibly think of. This is a movie for die hard horror fans that can look past how cheesy this movie appears to be. Gore hounds will love the Sleepaway camp movies. I recommend it to anyone that likes movies with bad acting and cheesy special effects. Even if you don't like these kinds of movies I would watch it in order to learn how to use power tools. MUH HA HA
Amusing and self-knowing horror sequel
bowmanblue31 August 2020
The first 'Sleepaway Camp' was an entertaining, if low budget, little slasher/horror film which might not have been too memorable, had it not been for the ending (which was pretty different and shocking for the day). So I was happy to sit down and watch the next installment, but this one took me a little while to get to grips with.
Because the first one was outright 'horror' I couldn't help but wonder whether the film-makers were trying to be all 'meta' and self aware with what they were doing here, or whether they genuinely thought they were being scary. By the time the credits rolled (and, just in case, I checked online as to what the producers were thinking they made this) I was certain that this sequel was more of a horror black comedy than anything that should be taken seriously.
As the title of the franchise suggests, the story takes place at a children's/teenage summer camp where someone is out to 'off' the guests. The first one - in typical slasher fashion - tried to make you guess who the killer was whereas in 'Part II' you're shown who it is in the opening scene, so this isn't a 'Scream-like' film when you're left wondering.
Just on the off-chance you haven't seen the first installment and don't know who the killer is, I wont ruin it for you. But I will say that the killer here seems to relish the role they're playing and delights in offing as many people as they can with a well-constructed plan or two, followed by a post-homicidal quip.
Sadly, the black humour is in place of any gore and, although the kills are gruesome, they're more left up to our imagination, rather than shown in all their gory detail. 'Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers' is more like one of the 'Scary Movie' films than a scary film that will gross you out. It descends into depths where you just have to laugh at how as soon as a camper gets killed their absence is merely chalked up to 'being sent home' and no one asks any questions.
I enjoyed the first film and do recommend it for its daring approach to the genre (of the time) and, if you prefer something with a few more ironic chuckles then this one should definitely entertain you, too. Roll on 'Part III.'
Because the first one was outright 'horror' I couldn't help but wonder whether the film-makers were trying to be all 'meta' and self aware with what they were doing here, or whether they genuinely thought they were being scary. By the time the credits rolled (and, just in case, I checked online as to what the producers were thinking they made this) I was certain that this sequel was more of a horror black comedy than anything that should be taken seriously.
As the title of the franchise suggests, the story takes place at a children's/teenage summer camp where someone is out to 'off' the guests. The first one - in typical slasher fashion - tried to make you guess who the killer was whereas in 'Part II' you're shown who it is in the opening scene, so this isn't a 'Scream-like' film when you're left wondering.
Just on the off-chance you haven't seen the first installment and don't know who the killer is, I wont ruin it for you. But I will say that the killer here seems to relish the role they're playing and delights in offing as many people as they can with a well-constructed plan or two, followed by a post-homicidal quip.
Sadly, the black humour is in place of any gore and, although the kills are gruesome, they're more left up to our imagination, rather than shown in all their gory detail. 'Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers' is more like one of the 'Scary Movie' films than a scary film that will gross you out. It descends into depths where you just have to laugh at how as soon as a camper gets killed their absence is merely chalked up to 'being sent home' and no one asks any questions.
I enjoyed the first film and do recommend it for its daring approach to the genre (of the time) and, if you prefer something with a few more ironic chuckles then this one should definitely entertain you, too. Roll on 'Part III.'
Spoiler in the begining of the movie
lwinch2000720 March 2022
Movie creators shows in the beginning who the murder is. After this the whole interest and intrigue to watch the movie disappers. Compared to the first part of Sleepaway camp where you can suspect some of characters to be a killer but the ending is totally unexpected. Here is the plot very trivial.
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