We saw the trailers for this when HBO Max launched, and we’ve been interested in this documentary since, but we’ll be honest that we got a little behind in the Pandemic. Now that we got the chance to see this colorful film, we can’t help but write this with the hopes that more people will see it!.
Like normal, this critique will be based on three categories: Story, Acting, and Overall. So let’s begin.
STORY: 8/10
The story and history of Action Park are so beautifully told, it feels so powerful and informative, it’s almost like you are there. In-depth tales of rides, their creation, and the effect it had on the workers, attendees, and the town around it make it feel almost like you rode the ride yourself. If not that far though, it surely makes you wish you could ride them. Even knowing the danger of the rides, it’s not a deal-breaker on all of them.
The rise, fall, rise, fall, and rise of Eugene Mulvihill is quite a story. From Wallstreet to Wallbangers while riding a waterslide, a tale that could really only exist in the 80s!
ACTING: 8/10
Each person presented in this documentary does an amazing job showcasing how it felt to attend, work at, and live in a time of Action Park. From workers to attendees to the families of victims, the film showcases every side of the dark and dangerous park.
Not all of the stories are positive, or fun to watch. The film takes a turn to showcase the other side of the events, showing the devastation the park had on one specific family, as they recount their loss. That aside, and more because of, this film is incredibly important to watch and understand.
OVERALL: 8/10
Remember the 80s and 90s weren’t all drugs, some of it was child endangerment and legal maleficence. I highly recommend this film. It’s a time capsule of a period which a lot of people alive either want to forget or would love to return to. Hell, I have so many fun memories of playing construction sites when they were closed for the day. That kind of stuff was dangerous, and so was the 80s!
Conner’s Final Thought(s):
This movie does an amazing job painting a picture of the wild west that was growing up in the 80s and 90s. It was almost a different time, but you can still see remnants of the world around us. I can’t imagine a place like Action Park existing today, but you can still enjoy the memories left behind in your mind, as fresh as it was today while watching Class Action Park. Anyone who wants to remember their childhood in those decades should watch this film, anyone born before can get a better idea of what their children went through, and anyone born after can see what insane actions their parents did.
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