'Marshmallow' Review: A Summer Camp Horror Film That Defies Genre Expectations
- Becca Johnson
- 1 minute ago
- 4 min read
By Becca Johnson - May 26, 2025
A directorial feature debut from Daniel DelPurgatorio, who has helmed shorts such as Tales of the Black Freighter (2009) and Bug Bites! (2021), Marshmallow takes us to a secluded summer camp alongside introverted 12-year-old Morgan (Kue Lawrence). In true horror film fashion, Morgan is thrust into a waking nightmare when a once-fabled campfire tale becomes real. A mysterious figure descends upon the camp, with Morgan and his newfound friends embarking on a treacherous journey to uncover a sinister reality buried beneath the surface.
A Fresh Take on the Classic Summer Camp Horror
Subverting all expectations and creating one of the most unique horror flicks of the year, Marshmallow is a well-acted film that may not entirely stick the landing, but provides an excellent journey.
Upon reading the premise, it might seem a little obvious where things will go. In the world of horror, a summer camp usually means sexual antics, a masked slasher and a slew of dead camp counsellors. Marshmallow may lull you into a false sense of security at first, providing creepy campfire stories, sexually active counsellors and the promise of a creepy villain known only as ‘The Doctor’. However, the further the run-time progresses, the more it flips our expectations, and its opening act, on its head.
Providing an entirely creepy, thought-provoking and unique story that begs us to ‘question everything’ as its tagline suggests, Marshmallow proves that this setting still has plenty of tricks up its sleeve when placed with the correct writers. Firstly, it’s not the camp counsellors that are the main victims of our threat, but the kids themselves who are attending camp for the summer. This increases the stakes and creates an entirely new sense of danger. Our lead character, Morgan, is also a lot better developed than leads in this sub-genre of movies normally are. Plagued by nightmares from the opening sequence and recently suffering the death of his grandfather, he’s easy to root for and has much depth. If the premise of Marshmallow puts you off, know that there’s more than meets the eye.
Young Cast Delivers Standout Performances
The target of our horror being a group of kids means we have quite a young cast on our hands, but thankfully, they’re all up to the task and sometimes even perform better than their older counterparts. In the leading role of grief stricken and introverted Morgan is Kue Lawrence (Beautiful Boy), who delivers an excellent turn in creating someone likable and relatable to follow. Despite his initial reluctance to make friends and his proclivity to be picked on, his kindness radiates and he becomes quite the determined youngster as the plot progresses. Lawrence is great.
Another standout is Max Malas (Kinda Pregnant) as Dirk, another individual who frequently gets picked on and referred to as ‘Doink’ by his campmates and counsellors alike. The pair strike up a genuine bond, with a true sense of friendship that gives Marshmallow a lot of depth. The kids are forced to come together by the third act due to what they’re facing, which not only further develops the themes of friendship and determination, but shows how unsuspectingly strong they can be. The cast are absolutely fantastic and gives us a few up-and-coming talents to keep an eye on. Our older cast has a few recognizable faces including Alysia Reiner (Orange is the New Black) and Giorgia Whigham (The Punisher) who do well with their run-time, but its the kids that make an impression.
The story of Marshmallow is engaging from start to finish, even during that first act where things appear to be more regular and generic than they are. Due to the character development and themes of grief and loneliness, it offers much to chew on even during the initial exposition and set-up. This continues into the latter half when its true colours are shown, and it becomes an entirely different beast. However, once its true nature is revealed, the run-time is already near its end. This means it doesn’t have much time to play out, and the fantastic ideas introduced go under-developed and under-explored. It’s not often a bad thing to leave a movie with unanswered questions, but for a script that isn’t going for ambiguity it’s quite a hindrance, and feels like a lack of information rather than a sense of wonder and lust for more. This can perhaps be considered a testament to the script, as the ideas and themes introduced are so interesting that you leave wanting more of them. However, it’s also at a detriment, as the third act feels rushed and for some, the conclusion won’t be worth the journey.
Does Marshmallow Stick the Landing in Its Final Act?
With an extremely impressive young cast and a plot that truly subverts expectations and flips genre tropes on their head, Marshmallow is more than worth a watch for horror fans. A fun setting, a likable lead and a truly intriguing reveal ensure that you won’t leave Marshmallow feeling disappointed, though further development of the third act would’ve made for a more cohesive flick.
Marshmallow is coming soon
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