Review by
Sue Finn
Directed by: Leonardo Fuica, Demian Fuica
Starring: Leonardo Fuica, Caitlin Cameron, Alex Gravenstein, Hannah Forest-Briant,
Jonathan Vanderzon, Ben Pellertier, Michael D'Damico
Set, as the title-card tells us, after the first lockdown, this topical
film fully embraces its place in the new Covid world.
Sombre music sets a serious tone while a series of images give a sense of
our new reality. The signage, the death tolls, the rubbish bins
overflowing with masks, the empty streets - all now wryly familiar to most
of us, if not all.
Our two couples - Coco and Ace (Alex Gravenstein and
Hannah Forest-Briant), and Enzo and Polly (Leonardo Fuica
and Caitlin Cameron) - meet up to set off for a camping trip, but
first they chat about their lives and the impact of Covid as the
neighbours look on. Issues for the audience arise almost immediately with
the unnatural way they interact and the almost pantomime style of Fuica's
acting.
Arriving at a scenic riverside location, they set up tents and finally
indulge in a long-time-coming hug (the lack of human contact in Covid
times is something which I think most of us lament).
Though I never managed to buy these characters, I did buy their
friendship, because the rapport between them is the most believable thing
here.
The camping trip takes an odd turn when after waxing philosophically about
the changes Covid will bring and whether we’re ready for it, Enzo makes a
play for Ace and we are treated to a tastefully-cutaway-from bisexual orgy
by the campfire. Yep, I’m as surprised as you.
The next day nefarious types arrive and are apparently ready to do an
illegal deal of some sort with each other. You know they’re bad because
they wear leather vests and swear a lot!
After the deal goes wrong and a doctor, who, in an effort to save his own
life declares that he’s “the best doctor!” and “might make a vaccine to
save the world” lies dead, our campers return to find his body.
They take the plans for a Covid vaccine from the corpse and decide to also
keep the bag of cash they find secreted in their tent.
Apparently Enzo has ‘contacts’ who can make the vaccine, “save the world”
and make them rich, and they’re all in debt anyway so why not?!
They celebrate by playing loud music and lamely dancing by the river
before they are discovered by the killers and a wet squib of a thriller
ensues.
Between dialogue that is over-explanatory, bookish and frankly laughable,
a cast of characters no one could like, and padded out by endless shots of
the lake, this protracted film directed by Demian and Leonardo Fuica and
written by Leonardo Fuica, just never works.
The two female characters are okay, though they spend a lot of time
leaning into the ‘girlfriend tropes’ of whining, not helping, weakly
‘fighting’ the antagonists, goading their boyfriends etc. Ace is by turns
life of the party or anti-police, an empty-headed jock or a scheming
backstabber - he’s wildly inconsistent in service of the script; and Enzo
is completely insufferable, a character whose death you look forward to.
This doesn’t help build any tension, which is totally lacking for the most
part anyway. The villains are fine with the standout being
Jonathan Vanderzon as Billy, who manages to be believable and
well-cast.
The direction is unnaturally flashy at times. Do we really need multiple
shots of someone walking down a pier? Or pacing a pier? The camera angles
never seem to be chosen to enhance the scene, but rather to show off.
There is one long unbroken shot near the end where the camera turns
circles showing more and more of a developing confrontation, which would
have been impressive had it not all felt so utterly unbelievable.
Interestingly though, slow motion is used most effectively the few times
it is employed - I must give credit for that. The most effective and
memorable scene in this movie happens almost entirely in slow motion, but
once it’s over we are back to the same terrible dialogue and improbable
concerns. The production values are exceptional, particularly
cinematography, lighting and sound, especially for an indie; it’s just a
shame that it falters so irrevocably in the script and some of the
performances.
Though a unique take on the pandemic blues, this movie is overwrought,
overindulgent and takes itself far too seriously for its own good.
Camping Trip is on UK/ROI VOD from
August 16th.
