For whatever reason, humans are sometimes drawn to danger. We like to take risks in order to get some sort of thrill, and we will often put our own safety on the line if it means achieving that thrill. Action Park was a water park from the 80s that really embodied this spirit. It was one of the most dangerous parks to have ever been created, and yet people seemed to be drawn to it for that exact reason. Class Action Park manages to capture that human spirit in a new documentary about the infamous, now-closed park.
Class Action Park tells the story of how Action Park came to be, and how it ultimately ended up getting shut down. The story is told through interviews from park employees, guests, and people that were ultimately affected by its existence. We get a detailed look into the dangerous attractions that existed in the park, and what they did to the people that attended. However, the documentary also examines the culture and spirit behind the park, looking at how a man who didn’t play by the rules used some underhanded tactics to create a park that was essentially run by teenagers.
I thought that Class Action Park was an exceptional documentary. I’ve always been moderately aware of what Action Park was, but it was really cool to dive into the exact details of what it was, and how it came to be. The interviewees provided some real insight into what the whole experience was like. And of course, you would expect the documentary to shed some light on what made the park so dangerous, but it also does a good balancing job of explaining why it was so appealing to people as well. This movie is streaming exclusively on HBO Max, so if you ever find yourself with a subscription or access to the service, I definitely recommend checking this interesting documentary out.
4.5/5
