Ernest Goes to Camp (1987)

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

With the 'Ernest' film series, there are people who get much entertainment out of them and finds a lot of appeal in Ernest. There are also people who dislike, or even outright hate, the films and find the character annoying.For me, while they are not great films, the 'Ernest' films are mostly silly harmless fun that don't try to be any more than they need to be. They're mostly uneven but entertaining in a guilty pleasure sort of way, and Ernest is the sort of the character one can relate to easily. The sort of character that is a well-intended serial bungler with a strong heart but always finding himself messing up. 'Ernest Goes to Camp' was the film that started it all off, and while not one of the series' best to me it really wasn't bad.'Ernest Goes to Camp' is an uneven film sure. It is thin in story which makes the tacked-on and ridiculously over-the-top evil businessman/company subplot and ending even more muddled and out of place. Low budget does show in some of the slapdash camera work.Not all the humour and sentimentality work, though mostly do. Some of the slapstick is very childish, even for an Ernest film, and some of the sentimentality is cloying and cornball. Other than Jim Varney and the appealing children, the rest of the cast are not all that memorable.Varney however is immensely likable and great fun as Ernest, thought he had a lot of charm and to be honest in the 'Ernest' films in general the mugging that he has been criticised for is to me not that apparent. The camp setting is nicely nostalgic, for anybody with fond memories of camping will it will be like a trip down memory line, and the music is an energetic delight.It was said earlier that not all the humour and sentimentality worked. Most does, from personal opinion that is. Most of the time it was a range of being quite amused to being in hysterics in the laughter factor, and there are some sweet and touching moments. Also appreciated some of the messaging/values done without preaching.Overall, not a bad start for Ernest even if it's not one of his best. 6/10 Bethany Cox

He is an amazing guy in person..though I have not talked with him since 94 when I was living in Vegas he was proud of what he got to be. He's just a really nice person. When I was 14 I had to do an accapella star spangled banner for school talent show. He encouraged me to try. I did it even though my family did not attend. But he made me feel special. He patted my back and said I should be proud I did an awesome job. That was years ago but I still remember as though it was yesterday. He may have had secondary roles in the films but he was a number one actor in my heart. Thank you Mr. Schumacher. I will always remember your kindness and creativity. You star shines bright. I wish you would have acted more. It was something you loved. As do I.

When I was a kid, Ernest was the man. Even if he was not the typical "man," he was still someone I looked up to and laughed with and I saw someone that could entertain with a heart.Ernest Goes to Camp was a movie I finally got my hands on following my multiple views of (Part II) Ernest Saves Christmas and (Part III) Ernest Goes to Jail. Back in those days, movies weren't always readily available. Sadly, I wasn't as impressed back then with this outing when I already was in love with the improved sequels.In today's times, I'm still on the fence. I did have fun, and did laugh a lot with this romp of a camp counselor wannabe, but it wasn't as good as I remember his follow-ups to be.What is nice about the character Ernest, from the dearly departed Jim Varney, was how big his heart was and how well he could connect with children, even as an adult. Literally, despite the slapstickness of his act, he was a genius in his connection with the youth. At the time, I was part of that, and I will never forget him or his "Ernest." Ever.Poor, dysfunctional Ernest. He yearns to evolve from a maintenance/janitor at a summer camp to full-fledged Camp Counselor. The kids don't really respect him, the staff pities him and yet, his pure heart strives on.When the opportunity arises, he's assigned troubled kids and does all he can to lift their spirits while…running into objects, getting bit, providing poor advice and eating goo not fit for man. But, when the going gets tough, he leads the rascals against the big, bad man who wants to harvest the camp's land for profit.In all honesty, it may not be the best message to send to kids in the climax, but it's just for fun. And it is a lot of fun. Even some unintentional sexually explicit statements are made, but maybe I twisted those from my warped mind.I digress. I think this is great for young kids and adults who remember him from their childhood. And let me tell you: It's refreshing to see a wooded camp movie without a killer on the loose!

Criticts like Mick Martin gave this no stars. I guess they just don't like comedies about dumb clucks like Ernest. I laughed more than in any Ernest movie here. Ernest causes disaster, one mistake after another involving everything to do with camp you could think of, and ends up with boys who are so unusually obnoxious that they belong to the institute for bad boys, they make him drive like an idiot and give him poison ivy as a gift, to name a few. The camp is getting evacuated and Ernest and the boys and crew teach them a lesson, the best part is seeing the huge, macho, laughing bully who beat up Ernest during the confrontation, REALLY get it. Ernest and his friends have a battery full of weapons!