Deer Camp ’86 is a prime example of how taking a gamble on a nothing movie can actually work… sometimes. Not often. But in this case, I gave it a shot basically just because it’s set in Michigan where I grew up. I rented it because it felt like home.

It’s about a bunch of friends who head up to Northern Michigan to hunt deer. But something follows them to their cabin in the woods and people start dying. Sometimes in a funny way.

The flick opens at a bar run by a Native American woman played by Tina Manera, a newcomer with only one other credit to her name. And if she doesn’t become a star, there’s no justice in this world. She’s so charismatic and appealing, I was sad to realize she wasn’t in the main cast.

The main cast though are pretty good and amusing, each actor with their own interesting character that kept me engaged. Creating good characters shouldn’t be hard but so few horror movies accomplish it so I wanted to call out the ensemble for good work.

The flick is a horror/comedy and leans more towards comedy in its tone… but it has some pretty good scary-adjacent moments and decent gore and kills. It’s basically a slasher film and it was pretty cool learning who or what is out here murdering people. And it turns out to be a pretty good slasher so that’s a perk.

Deer Camp ’86 won’t amaze or astound but it might amuse and that’s good enough. I liked the cast, I liked the laughs, and I liked the killer. It does just about everything it needs to do to be a solid cabin in the woods slasher comedy.

Score: 82