The writer and director of the initial film has returned for this sequel, and it's not a pleasant experience. This movie was filmed between September and November 2003, twenty-one years after the original, but it took five more years to complete the special effects and secure distribution, which is why it arrived direct-to-video in late 2008. From a technical standpoint, it’s an improvement over the first film because Robert Hiltzik had considerably more money available for this production; as of now, these are the only two movies he has made. “Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers” (1988) remains the most enjoyable installment in the series, followed by the original from 1983 and “Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland” (1989). That’s my personal ranking. Hiltzik wasn't involved with parts II or III, nor was he connected to an unfinished project mentioned later on. This one ends up at the bottom of the list primarily because it is so unpleasant. I'm referring to the focus on bullying, which brings “Carrie” (1976) to mind, but set within a summer camp environment. However, unlike "Carrie," the person being bullied isn’t particularly likeable either (though I do appreciate his friendship with the frogs in the woods). Ultimately, the movie is just too mean for its own good. Fortunately, there are a few characters that I found appealing, such as Petey (Kate Simses) and Ronnie (Paul DeAngelo), but they don’t play major roles, especially Petey; her part should have been larger. You might recognize the physically fit DeAngelo from the first movie, and there's a funny nod to his short shorts. Two other actors return from the 1983 film, which I will leave for you to discover. There are also a couple of things that worked well, like the nicely done opening credits featuring the song with the same name, as well as an amusing scene after the credits roll (so it’s worth sticking around). Like the first three movies in the series, these events are exaggerated, but here it goes too far into tasteless satire or dark humor. However, the final act becomes more serious and is genuinely disturbing, if that's something you enjoy. A fifth entry was created in 2012 called “Sleepaway Camp IV: The Survivor.” This felt like a gift to fans because it combines footage from the sequel to "Sleepaway Camp III" with clips from earlier movies. The production was halted after just a few days in 1992 when the company went bankrupt, so it’s not really a complete movie; at best, it offers a glimpse of what could have been. Still, fans of the franchise might find something to appreciate. The film runs for 1 hour and 26 minutes and was filmed primarily at Camp Starlight in northeast Pennsylvania, but also five miles across the border in Hancock, New York. The original movie was shot at a camp in Argyle, New York, which is about a three-hour and ten-minute drive northeast of Starlight/Hancock, roughly an hour’s drive north of Albany. GRADE: C/C-

Source on TMDB