Tuesday, 1 November 2022

Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland (1989) Review


After stealing someone's identity serial killer Angela returns to the camp where she brutality slain a bunch of teens to carry out more grisly murders on the new campers.

Director Michael A. Simpson returns with an epic pre-credit kill on the the streets of New York, with a slicker filmed sequel. Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland (aka Nightmare Vacation 3) has more, boobs, drugs, killings and rock music, but possibly less makeup effects. Even though filmed back-to-back with Sleepaway Camp II the editing is tighter this time and cinematographer Bill Mills also returns to lift the look of the locations.

In keeping with part 2's continuity Pamela Springsteen reprises her role as disturbed moralistic serial killer Angela. There's a few padding flashbacks and further tie-in is Cliff Brand as cop Barney, father of one of the boys murdered in the previous instalment, which in between the daisy chain kills gives it a little weight. Both Kim Wall and Kashina Kessler's Maria leave an impression. Notable character actor Michael J. Pollard appears as Herman.

Angela's murderous heart is for the most part in the right place killing drug users and racists to name a few with fistfuls of kills. The transgender topic isn't really explored, neither is plot of the camp coordinators aiming to bring together rehab privileged kids from the suburbs with with underprivileged kids from the big cities. With more black comedy, 80s atmosphere, part three is debatably more polished, but the deaths less elaborate than its predecessor,

Overall, there's enough fun slasher antics for fans of the franchise to enjoy this third addition.

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