Bodycam

"Bodycam" is brilliant take on a concept that proves that the found footage sub-genre can still surprise. The found footage sub-genre of horror has had several ebbs and flows since it became popular following the success of "The Blair Witch Project." When it works, it really works, and when it doesn’t, it really doesn’t. Sometimes it comes down to a good idea and proper execution that makes the gimmick now feel like a gimmick, and that’s something director and co-writer Brandon Christensen finds with "Bodycam," the latest found footage exercise that is now available to watch on Shudder. At 75-minutes, the film is lean and doesn’t waste much time getting tension started from the jump, and, because it involves the cameras that are mounted on police uniforms, there is a bit of social commentary at play. Make no mistake! This is a horror film through and through, but it’s hard not to think about several news stories where bodycam footage has played a role, for and against cops, which has allowed those not in law enforcement to catch a glimpse of the job that is gritty and, sometimes, very complicated. Christensen wants this to play in the back of your mind as the horror unfolds, and this is something that makes this film work surprisingly well. Officer Jackson (Jaime Callica) and Officer Bryce (Sean Rogerson) are on standard routine patrol when they receive a call that most police officers say can be the most dangerous to respond to. They are notified about a domestic dispute that is in a particularly rough neighborhood, but that becomes the least of their problems once they enter the home. Circumstances unravel and lead to Officer Bryce making a life-changing call that leaves the officers with two dead bodies in the home. Led by the fear of the situation, Bryce decides he wants to cover it up and convinces Jackson to go along with the plan, despite his resistance. However, there is more at play than what made this domestic dispute call go wrong, and it’s soon obvious that there is something supernatural going on in the area, and it has taken control of its inhabitants and will do the same to the two officers if they don’t figure out a way to stop it. One of the positives about the best found footage is that, thanks to their relatively short runtimes, there isn’t much room for fat, and they typically cut right to the chase. It falls into that category as no time is wasted throwing Bryce and Jackson into an unrelenting spiral of circumstances. Christensen understands that pacing is essential, wasting no time with unnecessary exposition or wasted moments. He makes every single frame count as the nightmare of the situation escalates. This does sacrifice things in terms of character since the audience only really gets to know Bryce and Jackson on a surface level, but in terms of the experience, it moves at a pace that gives it a sense of necessary urgency. Christensen also makes great use of the technology he’s using to capture his story. The bodycam footage works two-fold. It gives the film a proper sense of realism, but there are limitations to what the footage can capture, and it’s something the director uses to his advantage. Since so much is obscured thanks to what these types of cams can usually capture, it allows the audience to use their imagination of what they could see next or what could be lurking right out of frame. Christensen, with the aid of his cinematographer Clayton Moore, is committed to the format, and they don’t make any asinine choices that make their gimmick not work. Honestly, the burden of suspending disbelief isn’t necessary like it can be in some found footage films. Frequently, the audience has to question why a character is holding onto a camera when, in reality, they would ditch that thing within a moment’s notice. Thanks to the cameras being mounted to their uniforms, as is the practice, the audience never has to roll their eyes at why all this footage is being captured. It’s meant to be thanks to the nature of their profession. As the characters go, Rogerson fares a bit better because he has more to work with, and his character is at the heart of the situation that kicks things off. He finds a delicate balance that works because while he’s technically a “bad cop” because of what he’s doing, Rogerson makes it clear that it’s coming from a place of fear rather than entitlement. He’s not 100 percent likable, particularly in his description of the rougher neighborhoods they patrol and his thoughts on the people who live there, but he’s able to find some shades of grey. In the end, "Bodycam" was a pleasant surprise. There are faults to be had with character development, but Christensen embraces the format wholeheartedly and creates a relentless descent into the occult that never lets up and offers something much better than this sub-genre typically delivers.

Usually when a film is only 75 minutes long, I'm not impatiently waiting for the last 15 to be over with. I liked a few of the concepts employed in Bodycam, but to me... most of it felt like many of the found footage cliches simply being recycled and regurgitated. "Oh gee, we suddenly don't have radio contact anymore." "Oh no, my flashlight is spazzing out at the exact, precise moment." Meh. If you're a hardcore found footage fan, you might as well watch it just to cross it off your list. But everyone else, be forewarned.

A quick found footage film that's pretty generic in its scares and presentation.

Body Cam parte de una premisa interesante: una serie de eventos sobrenaturales registrados a través de cámaras corporales policiales. Este enfoque tiene potencial tanto para generar tensión como para explorar temas sociales relevantes, pero la película no logra desarrollar ninguno de estos aspectos de forma **** uso del formato visual, que podría haber sido uno de sus mayores aciertos, termina sintiéndose inconsistente y poco aprovechado. En lugar de aumentar la inmersión, muchas veces rompe el ritmo y dificulta seguir la narrativa.Además, la historia intenta abordar temas complejos, pero lo hace de manera superficial, sin darles el peso necesario. Como resultado, la película queda atrapada entre el terror y el drama social, sin destacar realmente en **** una de esas ideas que en papel suenan mucho mejor de lo que terminan siendo en pantalla.

Bodycam grabs attention right away because of its concept. Following the story through the police body cameras creates a constant sense of claustrophobia and helps establish some genuinely tense moments. There is real potential in this idea, especially in how the limited point of view feeds the feeling of **** problem is that the film relies too heavily on this concept and not enough on the construction of its horror. Many events appear abruptly, without the care needed to build a stronger sense of escalating tension. Important elements of the story show up but receive so little development that they end up serving mainly as excuses to repeat similar situations throughout the narrative.Because of that, when the film reaches its ending, it lacks the weight needed for the revelation to truly land. The result is a horror film that begins with a strong premise but never manages to turn that initial curiosity into something truly memorable.

Uma tentativa completamente desleixada de fazer um filme de terror com câmera na mão, que definitivamente não sabe para onde ir.