Class Action Park (2020) User Reviews

Gripping Documentary on America's most Dangerous Water Park

[elicopperman · 7/10 · 29 August 2020]

From the late 1970s to the mid 1990s, entrepreneur Gene Mulvilhill ran his own water park in Vernon, New Jersey called "Action Park". Often known as the most dangerous water park in North America, the park was known for its casualties as it was known for its bizarrely constructed rides. It was so controversial that it led to a documentary called "Class Action Park", which details the history before the park was even opened, its runtime, and the aftermath. Described mostly from the people who either attended or worked at the park, this might be one of the more fascinating amusement park documentaries out there.

As this park was known for its recklessness, the documentary details how much the owners utilized that as a gimmick, from the insanely designed rides injuring attendees to even the employees joining in on the reckless behavior. All of this was because "uncle Gene" was fulfilling his dream of creating his own fun-filled utopia without any rules. Many of his frankly crooked schemes would include engineering rides that sometimes wouldn't even make it past the testing phase, daring kids to ride these unsafe rides with money, and not even reporting on any action no matter how deadly. And yet, all this mayhem was what drove people to the park given how much freedom they had around the parks in the first place; everyone interviewed in the documentary has a story to last a lifetime. Probably the more fascinating stories come from the former employees, who were mostly dumb juvenile teenagers with little concern for morality and would spend their time drinking and partying more than anything. If that lifestyle doesn't sum up teen life in the 80s, let alone in New Jersey, I don't know what does.

In terms of filmmaking, a good chunk of the footage is older stock material of the park itself, which helps put into context just how crazy the park really was in terms of its lack of rules or unguaranteed safety. Considering a lot of the attendees were the youth or young adults, one could almost cringe at the sight of these people going around these parks despite not caring for their overall safety. In addition, some of the more painful slapstick moments are shown in animated form, which only adds to how cartoony a lot of the antics behind this park really were. In a way, the documentary is both a recap of the general events that went on in the park's runtime, and an 80s teen movie meets a gritty horror movie. Two of the interviewees who went to the park, comedian Chris Gethard and actress Alison Becker, even pointed out how much the Jersey-bravado motivated the people wanting to get hurt for fun on the ludicrous rides. But even then, they got to enjoy the rides in hindsight, compared to people who actually died at the park, which would become the park's ultimate downfall.

So in the end, not only is Class Action Park an intriguing documentary that showcases the fascination nostalgia can bring back to an adult, but it's also a reminder of how what you once thought was fun was really more of a miracle you even survived such a wacky ordeal. It's ok if some things are just left as a memory, because there's no way you'd want to revisit near death anytime soon. If you're still on board to check this documentary out, it's on HBO Max just waiting for you. It may make you cringe, it may make you feel unsettled, but it will never stop shocking you, like the park did to people for 18 long years.

A nostalgic trip back to a time when greater danger meant greater fun

[betyouaint · 8/10 · 30 August 2020]

Back in 1990, I was taking a bunch of summer camp kids on a day trip to Action Park. Being from the UK, I'd never heard of the place or even the concept of a waterpark. It didn't take me long to discover that Action Park was possibly the greatest amusement park on the planet. I was so in love with it that at the end of summer camp, I drove back down there and landed a job as a lifeguard, which by all accounts wasn't a difficult feat.

So, yes, this documentary was an immense nostalgia trip for me and when I heard rumors and later saw early previews, I became incredibly excited for the release. My only fear was that it would disappoint and fall flat, as these things so often do after you've built them up in your mind and romanticized the memories.

Fortunately, my fears were completely unfounded. This documentary absolutely nails it, from the content to the commentary, from the crazy risk of the rides to the ultimate reward of immeasureable fun. Chris Gethard provides a fun, familiar and accurate historical narrative blended with contemporary perspective, which asks in hindsight, how this was allowed to go on for so long!? Other talking heads with first hand experience enrich the story with extraordinary tales of their own. And there's plenty of archive video footage to send you right back to the 80s and 90s.

If you weren't "lucky" enough to be embedded in this wacky world, you'd be forgiven for thinking a pinch of salt is required when listening to some of the anecdotes but from my own time working at the resort over the course of several seasons, I can testify to the complete credibility of the Action Park story as presented here. Working on the Tarzan swing, I'd need to rescue ten or more kids a day who despite the warnings, "the water is ice cold... if you're not an excellent swimmer, do not attempt this ride", would happily risk death and launch themselves into the abyss. Then there were the others who were too scared to let go and would swing back into the platform.

My favorite quote that sums up the entire film is "this was the last decade of unsupervised fun for kids". There is inevitable tragedy in this account of a legendary waterpark that simply couldn't exist in given today's standards for safety. For a "survivor" like myself, it raises the philosophical question, "Sure, we live in a safer world but at what cost"?

7/10

[Analog_Devotee · 7/10 · 24 March 2022]

Fun and games with a heavy dose of 1980s carefree nostalgia until the hinted darkness comes to light. It's pretty gross when they try to salvage the nostalgia at the end after said darkness has been unveiled.

Good documentary, obnoxious commentary.

[vanat12 · 7/10 · 27 December 2020]

I liked this documentary but the commentary from Chris Gethard was utterly obnoxious and distracting with his over the top storytelling and constant use of f bombs, it was driving me up a wall. I do agree with others that it is kind of an unusual way in which they have portrayed the park. It seems like a total nostalgic throwback about how cool the park was and how crazy it was that a bunch of kids ran it and how things were out of control but less about the actual tragic incidences at the park. One mother spoke about losing her son and how Gene is an awful person but that was really the extent of that. The documentary otherwise was about the staff experience. Still enjoyed it but not necessarily what I expected.

Very funny. Good watch. Heavy ending.

[rochfordsimon · 7/10 · 17 September 2020]

This is better than I was expecting. Very funny and unbelievable in parts. Not documentary of the year by any means, but very entertaining.

The ending reveals dark consequences for all the unruly fun.

I have mixed feelings

[zdfjyrb · 6/10 · 27 July 2023]

Being the same age as the guy who did a lot of the talking, I do remember those "good ole days" (mine were spent at Six Flags personally) but I felt that they spent a lot of time kind of glorifying the owner who seemed like a total tool! There is nothing awesome about being a sneaky prick who doesn't care if people died. Scrapes and "the orange spray" I can ride with that. Missing teeth, drowning, concussions, electrocution, drowning...no. That should not be happening and should not be a something that you should expect when you go to have fun. Like why? I didn't know who Gene was until today and I am just so glad I've never met anyone like him. I don't think I'd even be honored to be related to the guy! Yeah he was innovative and a risk taker, but do that shiz without risking people's lives! That is nothing to be proud of At ALL! I enjoyed it for what it was, but I am unsettled. To me he is a serial killer in disguise.

Surviving Action Park

[pjk5 · 9/10 · 8 September 2020]

Growing up going to Action Park, this place was definitely unsafe. This documentary nails it, and I was fortunate enough to be young enough to be too scared to do some of the crazy acrobatic stunts teenagers would be doing. All in all, I recommend this documentary to get an inside perspective of a kid/teenager growing up in NJ during the 80's and early 90's.

No Action, Real Stark (but how do I get a ticket)

[julianlapicz422 · 7/10 · 5 October 2020]

"Class Action Park is a true Crime Story" give or take a direct quote from the trailer for this documentary. Now I don't know how I was supposed to be left feeling after viewing this. Some will be filled with anger towards the park and park director and what follows. But I also think this glorified the park and most will be filled with nostalgia and a eagerness to go to Action Park even if that is impossible in this age. The latter is how I felt. I felt that the negatives were even somewhat talked about in a positive way. 80% of the time everyone was smiling and happy even in the sad parts. Might have just been me though but sign me up for a season pass. If you want to learn about Action Park watch this but you aren't missing anything.

I never knew about this place, but awesome documentary.

[rdoubleoc · 10/10 · 24 October 2020]

If this story wasn't so insane and the rides so crazy, it might not be as interesting, but this is a great documentary, at least in my mind.

The good old days when Health & Safety didn't exist

[valleyjohn · 7/10 · 11 March 2021]

Ah ! Memories of when we had no mobile phones and health and Safety was the name of comic double act . I only wish I lived near New Jersey back I. The day because I would have been first in the queue! A really interesting documentary that I'm sure is tinged with a massive spoonful of exaggeration but boy was that place Dangerous .

If you try out HBO Max for a one week trial or more then this is a must see!!

[justin-fencsak · 10/10 · 2 September 2020]

From its opening in 1978 until its closure in 1996 two years before it became mountain creek water park, Action Park was the biggest outdoor park in Northwest Jersey and was more dangerous than Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. People nicknamed it Traction Park as well as Class Action Park due to the fatal incidents at this major venue. This documentary complies videos and interviews with actors and staff members who grew up with the park and telling their horror stories. At one point, Trump wanted to invest in the park back when he was working for the organization but avoided it due to the way the park was handled. Highly recommended if you like theme parks.

Irresponsible teens run a dangerous amusement park

[dfloro · 7/10 · 30 December 2023]

The only question in this bizarre documentary is whether irresponsible children who packed the grounds of "Action Park" helped Gene Mulvihill, the irresponsible business jerk who owned and ran the place, actually design and build all the ridiculous, tinker-toy like rides at this deathtrap of a so-called "Amusement Park." People, some well known for their talents & future endeavors (Chris Gethard, Alison Becker, Johnny Knoxville) and some quite average New Jersey teenagers, are interviewed to describe how they managed to survive this deadly right of passage all the way into adulthood. The conclusion that this tale reaches, as with so many dozens/hundreds of other documentaries, is that money (profits, minimum-wage jobs, county tax revenue, etc., and not the safety and wellbeing of children) is all that matters in the U. S. Unless the healthy and athletic teenaged boy who is thrown from a ride into a large, adjacent bed of jagged rocks and killed just happens to be your son. Sorry?!?

Surface-level documentary, somewhat disrespectful at times

[historyfilms · 3/10 · 4 September 2020]

I was expecting a deep-dive, but instead it was mostly people retelling stories of the dangers of the park in almost comedic / laughable way. The filmmakers interviewed the family of a young man who died in the park (one of five people to die there). That segment was gripping... but that was it. At the end of the film, everyone is reminiscing about the park with a sense of nostalgia while the filmmakers show the parents of the boy who died putting flowers on his grave. It was very strange and, I thought, pretty disrespectful to the family and memory of that young man.

"There's nothing in the world like Action Park"

[BrunoRatesTheMovies · 6/10 · 24 January 2022]

The 80s was a wild time. No rules, Wall Street mess, I was born. The first half of this documentary was a thrill, I kept thinking how could this happen with wonder and amazement. Then the corner turns and it's a sudden drop and all I could think of was HOW could this happen! Amazement replaced by anger at the negligence. Action park, where you control of the action at your own peril.

An Okay Documentary Based On One of the Most Infamous Water Parks

[jeremycrimsonfox · 7/10 · 21 February 2023]

Class Action Park is a documentary that is themed around Action Park, a water park that was once open in New Jersey that is infamous for being the one with the worst safety record. Before this, I have heard about the park's history from YouTube channels like Defunctland, which explains the park in general and the incidents, but here, we have a documentary that includes interviews with people who were either employees or guests.

However, this documentary does not really focus on the park entirely, as it also puts focus on Eugene Mulvihill, the man who built the park, as the documentary starts with his history before Action Park, from his start running a brokerage firm, to his building of the park and the legal issues he had to deal with until his unfortunate death.

However, it is an interesting documentary, as it tells of the rowdy, dangerous behavior at the park from the people who were at the park, either as an employee or guest, which adds a new perspective to the tale, and while it does not focus on the deaths until the final part, it is for the best, seeing as how I have already known of them, only here, it's from the side of those interviewed. Still an okay documentary since it sheds some new light on this infamous water park.

Class Action Park - *** out of *****

[unclejeff · 6/10 · 3 March 2024]

Let's get the obvious out of the way - do NOT watch this before going on vacation. As a documentary, it's just OK, but the events discussed here are absolutely mind-boggling. It's practically impossible to comprehend what was allowed to happen at Action Park, and it's equally unfathomable to understand why anyone would frequent this place considering its reputation and the fact that PEOPLE HAVE DIED HERE. You know, life is too precious to risk life and limb by testing a shoddy water slide for a hundred bucks. As angry as I was at the people responsible for Action Park, I found myself just as angry at the people who stood in line and made it popular. The film itself is very one-sided, which is the kiss of death for a documentary. There's a lot of placing blame and not a lot of accepting responsibility. It all gets to be a little monotonous after a while, and, with the exception of a couple scenes, I felt like it takes the subject a bit too lightly. It's definitely worth a look - there were times my jaw was practically on the floor. But, again, don't watch it before vacation.

Gripping and just so messed up.

[mazykin · 9/10 · 2 September 2020]

As someone that didn't grow up in the Northeast and never went to Action Park, but also as someone that loves amusement parks, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I thought the narrative was engaging all throughout, especially layered in with the archive footage. I wish they didn't sugar coat how ****** up Mulvihill was though, especially at the end. But overall I thought the film did a decent job of showcasing the extreme incompetence and negligence of Mulvihill and management. If you're already familiar with the history of the park and/or have watched the Defunctland documentary, you're not going to have any new revelations, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it.

An odd mix of nostalgia and the consequences of recklessness

[cricketbat · 7/10 · 7 November 2023]

I've never been to New Jersey, and I don't know anyone who's been to Action Park, but the promotions for Class Action Park intrigued me. This documentary showcases a magical and terrifying place, where the rules don't apply and the consequences are drastic. It does present a sense of nostalgia for the reckless fun the amusement park offered, but it doesn't go so far as to glorify the danger, nor does it pull its punches regarding the deadly results of the owner's greed. I'm sure I would have loved going to Action Park as a teenager, but watching Class Action Park as an adult was kind of horrifying.

Boy, that looked fun

[chrislawuk · 8/10 · 30 August 2020]

Its hard to justify what the mother of the child who died on the Alpine Slide went through in the name of fun. The owner lied and covered up how he had died. If, indeed, he was honest in his lawsuits, the park would have no doubt have gone bust long before it did. The theme park was undoubtedly a high financial risk to begin with, and the owner took out dodgy accident insurance, linked to a tax haven, to cover it. It did provide high octane adventures... at a price. You still cant beat the vibe of the place though, safe adventure parks are so mundane in comparison to this. People like to take risks, and ofcourse there are great risks in any sport. Its hard to quantify the risk factor without knowing how many people passed through the gates, it looked like the majority of New Yorks/ New Jersey youth and beyond. Personally I would love to see something like this in operation, its just to wild. You could sign a disclaimer and certainly certain aspects would need to be improved for health and safety ofcourse. The Alpine slide for example - what was that? Careering along a half tube made of concrete and asbestos down a mountain face, in a broken kart which looks not much more than a skateboard with no brakes lol, no thanks. Think I'd draw the line there. Maybe this could have only have happened in the 80s, great stuff

Unbelievable....

[Thorgal67 · 8/10 · 4 October 2021]

When we Europeans read about lawsuits in the United States, we often laugh about it. People putting hamsters in micowaves, suing the company and actually winning that lawsuit comes to mind.

So when I saw Class Action Park on HBO, I could not believe it. This theme park was so dangerous and still after the first casualty it was not closed down? How on earth is that possible?

I watched the documentary with lots of interest. The quality of the footage was low but what it lacked visually was nicely compensated with animation and interviews. I heard some people complain about one actor/comedian who was interviewed, but I did not find him annoying.

Screw the dead, let's have fun!

[Belt826 · 4/10 · 2 May 2021]

This documentary seems to just glorify a man who didn't care at all about the kids in his community. Movie focuses on funny accidents, but sweeps under the rug the amount of people killed at the park and the amount of underage drinking at the park. Seems like they mentioned in passing 6 or 7 people who died but only talked to one family. There was no follow up on the people who were seriously injured. This would be a good topic for a true crime doc. Not sure what they were going for with this movie.

WTF... the 80's!

[henrypat6 · 8/10 · 7 May 2021]

This documentary about a waterslide/amusement park in the 80's is crazy entertainment. Oh and it's also just CRAZY. The stuff people could get away with in the 80's in terms of safety (or lack thereof)! It makes you nostalgic for a more relaxed, less strict time, but it also makes you glad that it's harder for people to act like reckless, dangerous jackasses now, because at the end of the day, this park hurt and killed too many people!

A great watch for the uninitiated

[sp_777 · 8/10 · 7 March 2021]

I think a lot of people are missing the point with this doc. It's told through the eyes of many different people, many of them kids at the time, and so of course their recollections and memories of the park are going to be different to those who paid a price on a personal level. Yes it was dangerous, yes Gene Mulvihill was a sociopath who acted disgracefully and irresponsibly in a great number of ways, and equally yes a lot of people have fond memories of the place and how it was an embodiment of what it meant to be a kid in the 80's. We see a story told through many different eyes, sometimes in comedic fashion but ultimately the message gets through; a lot of people got hurt there and the park was poorly managed and constructed. It certainly wouldn't get built today, and that's one thing everyone interviewed would agree on now, even if they didn't realise it at the time.

Amazing what he got away with

[garyphillimore · 8/10 · 16 February 2021]

Worth a watch to show how health and safety has changed over the years, absolutely no way the owner of the park wouldn't get it off the ground these days. How he didn't give a toss about anyone who died or got hurt there was frankly disgusting. I grew up in the eighties and to my knowledge we had nothing like this here in the Uk like Action Park, however if we did I'm not sure I would have gone. Only in the USA I guess!

Wish a different documentarian did it

[pemcclure · 3/10 · 16 January 2022]

This was a really interesting one. The topic was like a gold mine, but the way the doc was set up was tacky. I really feel bad for the mom featured. This was basically the justice she gets after the newspapers took Gene's side. Instead her story was sandwiched by people relishing in the nostalgia. For a doc called "Class Action Park" they barely focused on the lawsuits and deaths. Just kinda amateur all in all.