Review: Ernest Goes to Camp (1987)

Directed by: John R. Cherry III
Written by: John R. Cherry III
Starring: Jim Varney, Victoria Racimo, Iron Eyes Cody and John Vernon

It might come off as a bit unusual to so enthusiastically review this movie, let alone remember it as fondly as I do, but it's my opinion that this is not only a wonderful summer camp movie, but a great example of one that leaves you feeling very happy. Ernest Goes to Camp isn't the first movie to star the titular character (having been preceded by Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam a year earlier) but it's the first to popularize him in such a way, establish his family-friendly tone and push him into one sequel after another. In all fairness, these Ernest movies are pretty trashy and I speak from the perspective of only watching up to Ernest Scared Stupid, but there's something about this one that keeps me coming back.

In his first movie, Ernest P Worrell is a clumsy handyman at Camp Kikakee, a summer camp built on top of sacred Indian land. Ernest aspires to be a counselor, but his superiors won't trust him with the responsibility. A group of juvenile delinquents are sent to the camp in the hope to teach them discipline and values, and circumstances put Ernest in charge of managing them when all they want to do is cause trouble. At the same time, a mining company has its eyes set on the land with the intention of harvesting a rare mineral, and uses every dirty tactic to obtain rights to it.

For any review of an Ernest movie to work it's best the reader knows something about who this character is. Throughout the 1980s, Ernest P. Worrell was a character in the world of television that would advertise products, from Coca Cola to Hogan's Heroes. While hardly more than a goofball he had a wonderful demeanor thanks to his being played by the late Jim Varney, a true character actor. Ernest Goes to Camp makes the absolute best of Ernest's potential, even if it doesn't necessarily subscribe to the standards of great filmmaking.

Given that this movie is so cartoonish with its exaggerated gimmicks and unbelievable characters it fortunately puts itself in a zone where nobody expects it to overachieve and we willingly accept its faults. Some gags become really drawn out, performances range from average to completely over-the-top and at least 30% of the film is dedicated to filler that clearly doesn't lead the plot anywhere. I'll be the first to admit that some aspects of this movie are quite baffling in their logic. Why do I think it still works? It comes down to the feeling of fun. There's a sense that Varney, director John Cherry and everyone else is having a wonderful time making this picture. Like any other great movie it also comes down to character. He may be a silly invention made for advertising, but I personally find a good chunk of scenes absolutely hilarious. Varney was a wonderful performer for slapstick comedy, and the writing takes advantage of it at every turn.

It currently holds a rating of 5.5/10 on IMDb and a 62% at Rotten Tomatoes, and I imagine these votes were made on valid criteria. It's a cheap comedy designed for family viewing, but if you're after a movie featuring a delightful character, wacky antics and you want to turn the brain off then Ernest Goes to Camp is for you. If you like it, I'd also recommend Ernest Saves Christmas, Ernest Goes to Jail and if you're patient Ernest Scared Stupid. 

My Rating: 8/10