'Scout Camp' a mildly entertaining flick

OK, so "Scout Camp" is low level fun and full of the kind of activity and pranks that only a young boy can truly enjoy. It's almost Scout reality camp.

That doesn't mean a movie about it has to be so much like it.

While there are some highlights — such as the telling of the scary ghost story around the campfire and the sequence where the spirit stick ends up high in a tree — this flick is mostly a series of moments and not so much a story.

Yes, the spirit stick goes missing and yes, there's some rivalry between the patrols with the Fire Dragons trying to defend their honor, but nothing really holds together at Camp Rakhouta.

It's kinda fun to see the hapless scoutmaster, played by Kirby Heyborne, get his eyebrows singed off.

It's also interesting to see the vignettes about swimming in the cold lake where there's probably a shark lurking and the various patrol cheers but only mildy so.

For some reason, this show just doesn't ever take off. You get to the end and wonder what was supposed to have happened.

Plus, some of it is a little offputting. (The spit puddle in the middle of the cabin floor, for instance.)

A good portion of it is very predictable.

Of course, the cute girl that the boy wants to date and kiss and hug is the camp director's daughter.

Of course, the fire — heavily doused with kerosene — blows up big.

Of course, the slouchers and bullies seem to win, for a while.

And naturally, the movie comes down to an outhouse climatic moment.

There's no question that this is very much like a real Scout Camp but that doesn't mean it makes for a watchable movie (It should be noted that the 10-year-old and the 8-year-old grandsons liked it a lot. Go figure.).

E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com