This film is billed as a fun tween-friendly romp through the summer camp you’d like your delinquent kids to attend, “because it just might change them.” That’s right, its like the summer camp with a truck load of corny dad jokes.
But is that okay? Of course it is. In fact it sounds like the kind of light “campy fun” that kids could use these days.
That’s kinda what this film is about. A kid falls into a bad crowd, steals something, hides out at a summer camp (Camp “Hideout”), learns the truth about his behavior, and the camp workers help protect him from the “actual criminals” who want their pound of flesh. The good thing about this seeming contradiction (who are the true criminals) is that it may have the opportunity to teach the difference between someone who does bad and repents vs someone who continues to do bad in the world. You can use the example of King David, doing wrong, then repenting and hiding out from those who wish to do him harm vs the people who call themselves holy, but are not. We like to judge people by their outer appearance, but God judges the heart.
Christopher Lloyd of Back to the Future fame has a major role here as the grandfather you wish would teach you how to build a bird house in shop class, except he’s too busy being the gramps with the grumps. He plays this kind of role very well.
The kids from the YouTube channels, Fun Squad Family and the Tic Tac Toy Family, show up here as well, alongside Corbin Bleu of the High School Musical movies, which many kids will enjoy.
So, if you don’t mind some corny jokes, the same Home Alone gags you could watch over and over (let’s just admit we could watch that film forever and ever, amen), and tropey “friends stand up for each other” writing like you’ve seen in The Sandlot or The Little Rascals, except even more tropey… well you might try this one out. It, at least, might be better than most of the jaded Hollywood junk we get these days.
Please don’t think this is my review or my final word on it, as I haven’t seen the film myself. It’s just my feeling based on what I’ve seen from the promo materials so far.
I bet some of you don’t know who the “Fun Family Squad” are. Here’s their announcement that they are in the film. They describe working on a feature film, and show you the parts where they show up in the film.
Also the “Tic Tac Toy Family” announce their involvement as well.
The Christian Post does a review of the film here. https://www.christianpost.com/news/camp-hideout-film-infused-with-christian-values.html
And MovieGuide does one here. https://www.movieguide.org/reviews/camp-hideout.html
Did you enjoy this article? Even though this isn’t the typical sort of film we cover, did you enjoy the change of pace for us covering the Camp Hideout film? Let us know on our social media!
