I came into this flick because AAl recommended it, and because it was directed/produced and acted in by several members of The State comedy troupe (several other members have gone on to such TV gems as Viva Variety and Reno 911). AAl loaned me tapes of their sketch show that appeared on MTV, and I really loved it, so this movie was a no-brainer.
Wet Hot American Summer pretty well skewers the whole 80s teen sex comedy genre, cramming a summer full of lovin’ and outrageous obstacles for the cast to overcome into one day— the last day of camp (natch). Don’t go into it looking for a cohesive whole, though. The satire is key, and most of the jokes play out to the point of absurdity, enough to take you totally out of the “reality” of the narrative. It’s more a collection of interweaving sketches rather than an overall story. Not that that’s a bad thing. Some of the jokes fell flat, but I appreciated the satire just the same.
Recommended for anyone who ever watched Meatballs and their ilk, or loves the members of The State so damn much they’ll watch anything with them in it. Three stars.
DVD features deleted scenes (edited into one highlights reel! Thank you!), commentary, and an alternate audio track with “more farts.”