FILM REVIEW: HAPPY CAMP

A scene from Happy Camp.

Sad stay

By John Esther

Sometime during the 75-minute film, Teddy (Teddy Gilmore) jokes, “What is does the local economy and Bigfoot have in common? There is no evidence either exists.” 

Well, thanks to director Josh Anthony’s ugly, deceiving “found footage” portrayal of Happy Camp, California, what do you expect? 

The film begins by declaring that over the past 25 years 627 people have gone missing in Happy Camp, the highest in the country. I could find no evidence to even remotely support that claim. 

(My wife and I actually drove through Happy Camp last year. We encountered wild horses on State Route 96.)

And that is just one of the film’s problems. Some of the writing is weak and the so-called payoff is cheesy -- and it would do nothing to promote tourism in Happy Camp. I will say Michael Barbuto’s performance as the character, Michael Tanner, the guy who returns to his hometown to uncover a childhood tragedy, is quite good and the other two male actors -- Gilmore and Anthony -- are pretty good, but that is about it. 

Happy Camp will be released on various non-theatrical platforms this Tuesday.