Review: MARSHMALLOW is a Sneakily Unique Campfire Treat

Slashers and sleepover camps are the spaghetti and meatballs of horror cinema. Counselors told campfire legends even before Friday the 13th, their faces ghoulishly illuminated by a dim-wattage flashlight. Daniel DelPurgatorio's Marshmallow follows in the footsteps of every overnight retreat nightmare … until it doesn't. A film titled after the soft and squishy treats that bind s'mores evokes comfort, but quite impressively, after establishing normalcy as a ruse, DelPurgatorio pivots from sweet familiarity. It takes some patience to outlast the film's more mediocre beginnings, yet unlike other stories that paddle in place without going anywhere, Marshmallow lands a payoff you'll be buzzing about for a while.

Screenwriter Andy Greskoviak uses typical coming-of-age blueprints to establish Camp Almar, a bunks-and-bugs escape from civilization where children of different ages spend their summertime breaks. We follow Morgan (Kue Lawrence), a timid, screen-watching boy who is still getting over the unexpected death of his compassionate grandfather (played by Corbin Bernsen). Morgan's not thrilled about leaving his guarded suburban lifestyle, especially with his bully also attending, but things even out thanks to the friendship of other loners. Between buddy Dirk (Dirk (Max Malas) and Morgan's crush Pilar (Kai Cech), things start to look up—until a local urban legend known as "The Doctor" becomes more than a spooky boogeyman.

Now, lovingly, Marshmallow is nothing special until the climax's revelation sinks in. It's not exceptionally disturbing or newly charted territory. Camp Almar is staffed by dumbbell-lifting jocks and soft-spoken soft boys, overseen by Broken Lizard alum Paul Soter as the head honcho who disciplines as best he can. Morgan's issues are from a young adult perspective that's vibing Stephen King Lite or defanged Goosebumps, whether he's too afraid to swim or nearly wetting the bed at midnight. That's all before The Doctor shows up, this Camp Almar icon who supposedly used to operate on children in heinous ways before the campgrounds were erected.

Marshmallow finds its footing as the mood shifts, and The Doctor starts zapping campers with their electrified prod. DelPurgatorio's working with a shoestring budget, which limits special effects to a few surgery glimpses and wounds as kiddies flee, but this isn't a hack-em-up type slasher. It's got more in common with an X-Files episode or Black Mirror off-the-deep-end-ness. DelPurgatorio and Andy Greskoviak tweak traditions cemented by classics like Sleepaway Camp, The Burning, and beyond. Morgan's fears are proven correct when The Doctor isn't just his imagination playing tricks, yet Marshmallow subverts the idea that campfire horror tales can only succeed through hunting, stalking, and gratuitous violence. Frankly, for about half the movie, I wasn't understanding "the hype" (from festival screenings)—until I did, for reasons that shan't be spoiled.

That said, Marshmallow is still a fairly accomplished yet somewhat "whelming"—not over nor under—horror feature. Kudos to what DelPurgatorio and crew pull off with limited funding, but there's a template feel to characterizations and proceedings. Filip Vandewal's cinematography captures The Doctor silhouetted like The Thing poster against foggy Kentucky nightscapes, but the villain's plasticity and sanitary-stooge costume leaves ferocity to be desired. Tension never spikes beyond a shivery chill, hinged on a youthful cast fulfilling their duties while tied to fundamental adolescent interactions between puppy love and hurtful pranks pulled by meaner attendees. There's a very "field guide" nature to storytelling that checks off necessary milestones before slam-dunking the finale, which has to be acknowledged.

Marshmallow would fit perfectly on a Blockbuster shelf, ready to be snatched by soon-to-be horror fans for a sleepover party. It's got that aimed-at-the-kids vibe for demographics not yet ready for Jason Voorhees, while the riskier third act will win over diehard genre fiends who think they know what'll happen next. DelPurgatorio's indie debut inspires hope that fresh voices can steer horror towards newfound originality, with or without studio safety nets. Marshmallow is resourceful, reinventive, and worth your attention—a sneakily thought-provoking experience that's so much more than what we assume it to be.

Movie Score: 3/5