review for Back to the Beach on AllMovie

More of an oddball homage to the bygone era of the beach film than a straight-up parody, Back to the Beach still has its fair share of goofy gags aimed at the genre and its stars. But the film is mostly just a series of out-of-nowhere B-list celebrity cameos and out-of-nowhere song-and-dance numbers, which actually isn't the worst thing in the world. It's a light movie that's just short enough and just fun enough to be enjoyable. The songs are at the very least interesting, with a pre-scandal Pee-Wee Herman covering the Trashmen's "Surfin' Bird" and a you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it Annette Funicello and Fishbone duet, and there are a few genuine chuckles along with a few forced ones mixed in with a fair share of groaners. Still, while Back to the Beach is definitely on its way to being a minor cult-classic, it's anything but a must-see movie.