Marshmallow

I won't spoil anything here but I have to get this off my chest - this movie is an absolute mess.

The opening sets a tone that the movie immediately forgets about and then drifts off into a huge disappointment.

The only actor that could act was Paul Soter and you could see he was making an effort even though his character was a forgettable one.

I'm not going to say anything else about the movie other than "screaming isn't acting" and "cliches are cliches for a reason".

Skip to the ending if you REALLY want to know the "twist" but don't waste your time on this one as there are way more original and interesting films one could watch like "Cerdita" from 2022.

Yeah, watch "Cerdita" instead.

Even though I keep up really well with recent horror releases, Marshmallow completely passed me by without me noticing it. The premise sounded interesting and the poster looked intriguing, which was enough for me to give it a try.

We have the typical summer camp setting with a young boy who is fearful and shy. After making a few friends and encountering a mean bully, he and the other kids are told a horror story about an evil doctor who used to live in the area. After that, the young boy becomes even more frightened, and his constant visions and the voices in his head aren't making things any better.

The movie really takes its time with character development, and even though I enjoyed the characters and love the summer camp setting, it became a little boring after a while. Once the pacing picks up, the film definitely shifts in tone, but something about it feels off and not very well executed. It was too tame for a slasher and too generic for the "sci-fi" label it has on IMDb.

At some point, we are introduced to a plot twist that definitely got me excited, but the movie never really does anything with it. We get a final scene that looks pretty interesting and made me want to see more, which should be a good sign in theory. However, this movie just felt like wasted potential. That plot twist and the last scene should have happened much earlier and led into a final act that could have made the movie far more engaging.

As a standalone film, it felt disappointing and overall unsatisfying. The movie was stylish and had a soundtrack reminiscent of Stranger Things, and that, combined with the summer camp setting, created a nice atmosphere. However, the script was definitely an issue, focusing too much on boring elements instead of developing what is shown in the final scene.

Overall, it's not a terrible movie, but I couldn't help leaving it with an unsatisfied feeling. I'm still curious to see if they plan to continue this story, but until then, this was average at best. It would have worked great as a pilot episode for a new TV series, but definitely not as a standalone movie. [5.2/10]

Marshmallow is a film about a bit of a dorky, shy kid who gets sent to summer camp. He has similar troubles fitting in there, and to make matters worse he believes he's seeing the local campfire legend prowling the woods at night.

The premise is pretty straight forward, and is executed in a pretty straight forward manner. The movie takes the obvious twist, which is handled fine and ultimately a red herring. There's a second twist that changes the entire context of the movie, that's the part of the movie I really enjoyed. Unfortunately they threw another very obvious twist at the very end that completely undid the good will the movie had earned. If they had just committed more to the idea behind that second part, maybe introduced it a little earlier so they could explore it more, this would have been a better movie.

I recently watched Marshmallow (2025) in theaters. The story follows a socially awkward young man who isn't thrilled about returning to summer camp-but hopes it might help him make some friends. Soon after arriving, he starts noticing strange things happening, and violent acts begin to unfold. It quickly becomes clear that something is off about camp this year. Could it all be connected to the traditional campfire story they always tell?

The film is directed by Daniel DelPurgatorio, making his directorial debut, and stars Kue Lawrence (Good Girls), Giorgia Whigham (The Punisher), Corbin Bernsen (Major League I & II), Alysia Reiner (Orange is the New Black), and Miya Cech (Beef).

For fans of 80s summer camp slashers, this is a modern twist on the genre-with a Cabin in the Woods vibe and even some science fiction elements thrown in. The acting is strong across the board, and the cinematography stands out. The practical effects are especially impressive-classic, straightforward gore that fits the genre perfectly and is executed with precision.

The plot maintains a steady sense of mystery, though the final reveal might be easier to guess than the director intended. That said, I really liked the direction the story took. I just wish they had shown a bit more at the end, especially after teasing us with such solid effects throughout.

In conclusion, Marshmallow isn't perfect, but it's clever, stylish, and a refreshing modern entry in the summer camp slasher subgenre. I'd rate it a 6.5-7/10 and strongly recommend it to horror fans.

I loved the ideas in this movie, as far fetched as some of them are. The film seems tightly wound for a while, and too serious, and then kind of comes apart and there's execution issues all over it. Was it a good time though? Yes. Are the ideas great sci-fi? Yeah, I think it was innovative and a really fun late night watch. Points for entertainment and innovation and that has to mean something when so many movies are made today simply to put on in the background when you doom scroll and fold your clothes. If you're into science fiction and interesting indie filmmaking then you should give this a watch.