Critic Reaction to Class Action Park

For this week’s blog post I chose the HBO documentary “Class Action Park”. I really enjoyed this documentary about the now-closed amusement park in North Jersey. The documentary was amusing and interesting which made watching it a fun ride. I also really enjoyed the fact that the documentary took place in New Jersey since I’m from New Jersey. The owner of the park was Gene Mulvihill a rich man from wall street that wanted to create a water park with no rules that was all about fun. Mulvihill was a happy go lucky guy who put fun over accountability which can clearly be seen by looking at the designs of the rides at Action Park. Many of the rides Mulvihill designed himself injured thousands and killed a few people. Mulvihill was able to get away with a lot of illegal activity by not reporting many of the injuries that took place at the park, paying off officials, and creating his own shell insurance company. One thing I really enjoyed about this documentary was all the b-roll footage they had of the park and the creation of the park. Also, the use of the old commercials of Action Park made me feel nostalgic even though I wasn’t born till after the park was closed. Another thing that I enjoyed about this documentary was the interviews I thought they were all very funny and really helped you get an idea of it was like to work and go to Action Park. Nick Allen who wrote his own Class Action Park review said, “But that’s the lasting bruise of “Class Action Park,” a documentary that proves nostalgia can coexist with growth, and is full of adults who do not wish they could go back. Certain things are meant to pass, and exist only in memory. It’s OK that they stay there. (Rogereber.com)” I agree with his review and statement. In Allen’s review, he points out that Class Action Park that nostalgia is fleeting and can only be enjoyed by the people who survived the wild rides. I completely agree with this because even though the documentary was very nostalgic many people still died at the park and the documentary tells there stories. Overall I agree with his critic of the documentary as he enjoyed it too as I did. This is my review of the documentary “Class Action Park” and my reaction to the critic done by Nick Allen.