Panic Fest 2025 featured a sold out screening of Marshmallow. Directed by Daniel DelPurgatorio, his feature film debut, and written by Andy Greskoviak (Black Friday), Marshmallow harkens back to the classic 80’s summer camp slashers. Shy 12-year-old Morgan goes to a secluded summer camp for the first time. When a campfire story becomes all too real, Morgan and his new friends will have to uncover the truth to survive the night.

At first, DelPurgatorio and Greskoviak present a fairly standard 80’s-inspired horror film. After getting to know Morgan a bit, the audience follows him to his first ever summer camp. He’s able to make a few friends, but it’s difficult for him to settle in. On the first night, the camp counselors tell a story about a deranged killer supposedly from that area known as “the doctor.” The story crashes into Morgan’s reality when he spots a strange figure in the middle of the night. No one believes him, but that sighting is just the beginning of weird happenings around the camp. It culminates in a night of chaos and terror when a masked figure terrorizes the camp as the campers run in all directions trying to escape. The plot seems fairly straight forward and clearly pays homage to 80’s slashers like Friday the 13th and Sleepaway Camp, even having the camp counselors fit certain archetypes. Yet the climax turns everything upside down, taking Morgan on an unexpected journey with twists and turns the audience won’t see coming. The plot combines a story of one boy finding his confidence with a twisted mystery injecting thrills and chills. It’s nostalgic, it’s original, and horror fans are sure to want more of the world DelPurgatorio and Greskoviak have created.

The campers and camp counselors of Marshmallow give quite memorable performances. Kue Lawrence (Atypical, The Amityville Murders) stars as Morgan. Lawrence is the heart of this film, bringing to life a shy, lonely kid. Morgan is a character many will relate to and Lawrence makes it easy to believe this kid is loyal, smart, and more capable than he realizes. While Lawrence carries much of the film with his performance, the rest of the cast is great as well. Some of the standouts among the kids are Max Malas (Kinda Pregnant) as Dirk and Kai Cech (Dear Santa) as Pilar, Morgan’s two closest friends at camp. As for the adults, Giorgia Whigham (Scream: The TV Series), Maxwell Whittington-Cooper (The Photograph), and Pierson Fode (Out of Hand) all give iconic performances, often embodying classic stereotypes of 80’s camp counselors.

From the moment Marshmallow begins, the film is accompanied by a killer score. Composed by Nicholas Elert (The Stylist), the music creates a balance of fun and adventure with chilling suspense. Camp Almar, the backdrop of Morgan’s ill-fated summer, has a very classic look. There are small cabins spaced out, each housing about two campers, with communal areas like the mess hall, a fire pit, and a lake for swimming. The production design is quite nostalgic, allowing for some of the hidden areas around the camp to have a more sinister look. There is a bit of gore throughout the film, all of which looks great. If there’s one thing audiences will remember most about Marshmallow, it will be the iconic look of the figure tormenting the campers. It’s fairly simple, a white hazmat-style suit with black apron, but it leaves a lasting impression.

Marshmallow turns classic summer camp horror on its head, delivering excitement, terror, and plenty of surprises. Greskoviak wrote a truly unexpected screenplay, which was brilliantly brought to life by DelPurgatorio. The adults and kids all give fantastic performances, with Lawrence bringing plenty of heart to the film. Audiences will find themselves transported to Camp Almar, whether they want to or not, with memorable imagery and a delightful score. Be sure to run to the theaters beginning April 11th so you can witness the horror and intrigue of Marshmallow on the big screen.

OVERALL RATING: 8.5/10