CAMPING FUN is a found footage horror short film that follows a group of two couples on what is actually a trip to an abandoned house inherited by one of them. Once there, conflict ensues in the group, and danger rises from outside.
Setting aside that the group did not go on a camping trip, this could have been fun. Unfortunately, the movie manages to stuff several flaws in its short 13 minute running time.
Most annoying to me was the excessive shaky cam. I accept some shaky cam as either a plot device or more generally to add to the vicarious experience, but here it was way, way too much. When it affects even scenes for which there should have been no reason for the camera to shake, the contrivance becomes definitely an annoyance.
Then there was the contrived conflict in the group. Better dialogue would have rendered more plausible how an exchange goes from 0 to 100 in a matter of seconds. Also, constant yelling is almost guaranteed to render the characters unlikable, which in this case it did for me.
The story is exactly the kind in which building atmosphere plays an important part, but the pacing was too fast to properly build up atmosphere. In fact, several parts the film felt positively rushed. Also the exposition of the background story was perfunctory. Ironically, there is a scene in which the characters discuss a painting that could have been an ideal atmosphere builder/background story setter, but that opportunity was squandered.
All in all, even though I like found footage films a lot, this one did not do it for me.
