Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (2026) Review

If you enjoyed director Jane Schoenbrun’s previous films, you probably knew what you were getting into with this movie. Even so, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma takes the surreality and messiness of Jane’s previous works and turns the dials up a notch.

Miasma features a captivating but strangely uneven script. Its first half is fantastic, but its third act practically caves in on itself under the weight of too many ideas. The main concepts explore sexual identity, shifting gender dynamics, and the subversion of horror and television tropes. This is achieved through a self-conscious satire of the puddle-deep, referential nature of modern remakes, as well as the supposed sins of ’80s slasher cinema and the cynically woke overcorrection of those sins.

The film, like I Saw the TV Glow, is clearly a self-insert of Schoenbrun’s experiences as a filmmaker, and this meta-commentary works beautifully in the opening acts. In fact, the film does nearly everything well; however, it ends up trying to do simply too much, too fast. While the main present-and-past parallel plot lines serve as a fantastic narrative driver, the movie leaves too many threads dangling unfinished in the wake of its own creativity. It ultimately lacks the powerful allegorical engine that made TV Glow so devastating and impactful, and sometimes feels like it’s more interested in making memorable and shocking singular moments instead of a cohesive film.

That said, a few scenes are so memorable and visually stunning—such as Little Death’s emergence from the lake and subsequent revenge on the campers—that the film will likely achieve long-term cult status on the strength of those moments alone. Unfortunately, the film as a whole likely won’t be remembered nearly as fondly as its predecessor, whose script was based on such a tightly allegorical plot that’s it’s almost unfair comparing the two.

The soundtrack, once again scored by the impeccable Alex G, works wonders for the atmosphere, with expertly placed needle drops elevating nearly every major scene. If they ever get bored with film, Jane certainly has a Spike Jones-style future in making music videos.

Hannah Einbinder is absolutely at the top of her game here as the main character of the film, delivering a subdued, nuanced performance that contrasts sharply with her cynical role in Hacks. This was clearly a passion project for Einbinder, and it further elevates her standing as a major emerging talent.

Ultimately, fans of I Saw the TV Glow or We’re All Going to the World’s Fair will find plenty to love here. While the messy third act and the lack of a steady narrative through line leave the ending feeling less impactful than it should have been, it remains a wild time at the theater. You simply can’t fault a film for being so wholly unique and intensely personal.