Happy Campers

Daniel Waters, screenwriter of the cult classic Heathers, makes his directorial debut with this darkly funny teen comedy/satire that finds the adolescent camp counselors at Camp Bleeding Dove in charge of the kids after the lone adult (a wacko Chief Oberon, played by Peter Stormare, whose campfire tales are laced with offhand references to topics such as sodomy) is injured in a lightning-related accident. What was supposed to be a hormonal free-for-all for the teen counselors instead becomes something of a challenge to run things semi-responsibly, though camp activities do become a little, shall we say, unorthodox (the food fight here gives way to tossing water-filled condoms at the more oversexed counselors in an effort to cool them off). While Happy Campers features a good cast of up-and-comers (Emily Bergl, Brad Renfro, Dominique Swain, James King), as well as some of the sauciest biting dialogue since…well, Heathers…the film begins to seriously bog down during the second half. Still, consider this a strong optional purchase. (T. Keogh)