Summer of 84

Someone here has already compared this to Ready Player One and I think that's a pretty apt comparison. This movie's idea of recreating nostalgia involves nothing more than a lot of name-dropping and going down a sterile checklist of 80's tropes without seeming to really understand any of them.

We've got a retrowave soundtrack that wants to be an homage to the 80's, but doesn't have an authentic feel to it at all. A nerdy kid that looks almost exactly like ones we used to see cast in the 80's and an edgy semi-punk kid that looks as much like young River Phoenix as possible and etc etc, but neither they or any of the other cast have any charisma whatsoever. There's also a badly done montage, an unbelievably cringey romance subplot, a plot we've seen many, many times before, and much more that's all ripped directly from 80's movies/shows, but it never actually manages to properly capture that 80's spirit and just feels like a desperate, hollow attempt to copy familiar things without any real thought put into it.

I really don't see what there is to like here. The kids mostly sit around constantly name-dropping 80's movies, talk about jerking off a lot, and then act really weirdly excited that there's a serial killer targeting boys their age nearby. None of it's funny or interesting or at all authentic.

Maybe the comparison to Stranger Things is already overdone, but it's still very valid. The kids in Stranger Things have all the charisma and acting talent that these ones don't and they live in a world that has a quality retro atmosphere to it that doesn't rely entirely on making a bunch of lazy retro references. Stranger Things also has its characters surprise you by playing against perceived stereotypes, whereas this just has everyone diving headfirst into being a complete cliche and not even doing that well. Hell, even something like The Guest felt vastly more well done and authentically 80's than this and it doesn't even actually take place in the 80's.

There's not really a nice way to say it, but this really is one for the Ready Player One crowd who don't even really care about characters or story quality, as long as someone sits there and reads a list of names of 80's movies and shows to hit their nostalgia hair-trigger.

Suspenseful, with good acting. Highly recommend. Takes a little while to get started but once it does you aren't bored for a second.

I was well entertained but I wouldn't call Summer of 84 a horror movie, rather a mystery thriller with some (very few) elements of horror. Reminds me of movies like Stand by Me, Super 8 etc. Fine style, fine music, good production and direction make this a well crafted one.

Well, if you like kids as heroes playing detective, this one is like a fine summer's breeze for you.

First and foremost - this film is not to be compared to Stranger Things and / or It because it was never intended to be compared to those films.

Summer of '84 is a well constructed indie slow-burn film which draws on the neighborhood and suburban vibe which was only realized fully in this country during the 1980's. Harkening back to such classic films as The 'Burbs, Rear Window, When A Stranger Calls Back and other such '80s gems that hone in on the mentality of evil in our midst sight brought about by the Cold War and anti-communist rhetoric of 1950's McCarthyism.

Many of our younger readers will not remember a time when kids actually played outside at night in the neighborhood. Games we all loved such as Kick the Can or War or Flashlight Tag, games that parents secretly worried would expose us to that unknown evil... it is this mindset that Summer of '84 sets itself on.

Not your typical serial killer film, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. I will say I was surprised by the ending as I am cursed with determining the plot too early for most films - this one blindsided me and for that I thank the writers.

Haters of this film either 1) Don't understand that a horror movie doesn't have to be all in-your-face or 2) have no recollection of life during that period so don't see it as realistic. I was that age during the '80s and I vividly remember playing those games, being exposed to nudie mags, doing the neighborhood festivals, hearing about killers and half-wishing something happened in my area so I could play hero.

Well done production crew.

Did not expect film to be to good! But I was very suprised & odd moments of iffiness for me in regards to acting/lines! But I really enjoyed this film. Also has you in suspense till the end & beyond! Also when I thought it was over it was not at all! Really good film I actually hope there is a 2nd! But the Quote of there are serial killers everywhere is so factual sadly. I am a big true crime fan & this tells the story of what has often sadly at times been a reality! Great film. Deffo worth the watch.