Mud decides to blackmail former drama teacher Dennis Van Welker into helping; he had bought an AMC Gremlin and failed to make most of the payments and is being pursued by soon-to-retire collector T.R.

With Dennis' help, the kids trick all the parents into sending them to the camp, and then rent an old campground (that used to be a hippie commune back in the 1960s and '70s) with a cabin on a lake.

Polk then meets a state trooper who was also seeking Dennis, and they find their way into the camp and catch him.

Mud confesses and explains that the whole thing was his idea, and uses the rest of the money to settle Dennis' debt with T.R.

Maslin thought it could have been predictable and awful but that it had "a funny screenplay", "good-humored direction", and "a nice young cast" who "have television experience, and they bring a sturdy, no-frills professionalism to their roles".

[2] Hal Hinson of The Washington Post gave it a positive review, and wrote: "Instead of the usual coming-of-age coarseness, this celebration of kid power is a rather tame affair.

"[6] Chris Hicks of the Deseret News wrote: "The youngsters in the cast are appealing and the film is amusing, though it never quite builds up the head of steam it seems to be aiming for.

"[7] Bob Ross of The Tampa Tribune placed it on his list of the worst films of 1994, while advising his readers to "watch it on cable for Christopher Lloyd's cheerfully subversive performance as an unrepentant ex-hippie.