'Class Action Park' Review
TV-MA
Runtime: 1 Hr and 30 Minutes
Production Companies: Perennial Media
Distributor: HBO Max
Directors: Chris Charles Scott, Seth Porges
Cast: John Hodgman, Alison Becker, Chris Gethard
Release Date: August 27, 2020
Class Action Park is the first ever documentary on the world's most dangerous amusement park, Action Park, that had its heyday in the 80s and 90s and was a staple for anyone who grew up in New Jersey.
As if we needed further proof that New Jersey is the biggest piece of shit state, home to some of the shittiest people ever, Class Action Park is here to support that claim. Sorry Florida, but you’re currently sitting in second place. At least you have Disney World and Universal Studios. New Jersey had Action Park. Sure, they have Six Flags Great Adventure now, which is fun, but the fact that they had Action Park — the place teens used to go to get injured and/or die in the late 20th Century — still validates the point. Back in the day, New Jersey was desperate to become an attraction site to compensate for being the runt of America’s litter, so tycoon/con artist/owner Eugene Mulvihill created a park with nothing but thrill rides. It was like something straight out of a Johnny Knoxville playbook. Imagine Jackass but as an amusement park, which is ironic considering Knoxville’s last feature, Action Point –– a god awful movie –– was inspired by the legacy of Action Park. Mulvihill was confident about becoming Orlando, Florida’s biggest competition and having that amount of hubris never ends well.
Class Action Park, a doc by filmmakers Chris Charles Scott and Seth Porges that is now streaming on HBO Max, gives an anxiety-inducing look into an amusement park that should’ve been shut down long before it actually was. From the shocking and unethical business practices that transpired during the park’s lifespan to the ample deaths that occurred due to the lack of safety concerns, the film makes your jaw drop a little further with each insane anecdote about Action Park. Going there was like signing yourself up for a potential death sentence. That was both its selling point and reputation.
There were no official safety precautions outside of the term “ride at your own risk,” which was the equivalent of signing a deal with the devil. Having a good time was all that mattered and lawsuits were out of the question because the state of New Jersey and the park’s owner couldn’t give less of a fuck about you or your loved ones’ safety. Man, I can now see what inspired Final Destination 3, which could probably be considered a biopic thanks to this doc.
The first-person anecdotes by former park employees and a variety of former park guests, such as comedian Chris Gethard, are insightful and riveting. Out of all the storytellers, Gethard stands out the most. If you’ve ever watched any of his works, you know he’s a great comic whose biggest strength lies within his storytelling and riffing. He elevates the entire movie with anecdotes about his experience, along with some surprisingly poignant and wise words about growing up in his time. Hearing tales of this park is so terrifying that I assume any survivors suffer from some form of PTSD.
What makes the film so fascinating is that much of it is divided into sections as it goes over Action Park’s entire map. With each area comes new insane stories of things that occurred in that specific location. You even learn of the rides that were never fully completed due to unethical tests that nearly killed employees. It truly was the Lord of the Flies of amusement parks, for it was a chaotic madhouse with no parental supervision and everyone acted like delinquents. New Jersey, everyone!
The film is crafted around the Ancient Roman saying, “It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye.” The filmmakers set their primary focus on the insane stories that were as exhilarating as the park was dangerous, but as the doc progresses, its gears shift to the dark and tragic stories of families who lost their loved ones to the rides at Action Park. Because New Jersey is New Jersey and the owner was a complete asshole, the park never faced repercussions.
Something that I find rather distasteful about the film is how it positions the park’s late owner, Eugene Mulvihill. The more stories that you hear throughout the film, the more you hate Mulvihill, especially when blood began to splatter on his hands as the bodies piled up within his park. Unfortunate scenarios could potentially lead to deaths at any given amusement park, but it was a constant problem at Action Park. For the most part, the film paints Mulvihill as a villain with a major hubris problem, but by the end, one of the subjects who had a rough history with him says that he was an admirable person, for her relationship with him got better in his twilight years in life. The truth is that Eugene Mulvihill can rot in hell and I don’t appreciate the film not taking that stance. Imagination and determination don’t compensate for the murders and shady practices that occurred. New Jersey truly is the garden state that produces absolute garbage.
That being said, Class Action Park is an entertaining and stress-inducing doc that keeps you at the edge of the seat throughout. I just got the urge to watch Final Destination 3.
Rating: 3.5/5 | 74%
