“You took something from us, we take something from you.”
When two police officers show up to investigate a domestic dispute, a startling escalation leads to a tragic accident. Not wanting to be crucified by the public, the officers attempt to cover it up – only to reveal that their body cameras aren’t the only things watching them.
With BodyCam, Brandon Christensen offers a found footage horror film that successfully gets the heart racing. Clearly a film that will appeal to fans of the genre.
It moves…
There are two styles of found footage films. There are those that are very calculated, with a fairly stable camera to resemble a more classically shot film, and there are those that leave the actors truly in charge and where things move a lot—as was the case for Blair Witch Project. BodyCam falls into this second category.
I really like the idea of the director relying on his actors to film. But at times, it moves a bit too much. There should have been a little more control. Not a huge amount, but at certain moments, if it moved a little less, the moments of intensity would be reinforced. Perhaps the beginning of the film is the worst time for it to move so much. The viewer would get hooked more quickly if the first few minutes were slower.
On the other hand, you can’t say that not much is happening. Unlike the majority of found footage films, this one is packed with action. Often, we only have one camera (like in Rec.). This limits the possibilities. But here, since both officers and the car have cameras, the director can play with angles in the editing. These camera changes are well utilized.
Not very original, but effective
BodyCam relies on the familiar. You get the impression that the screenwriters picked from the genre films here and there to gather what they liked and introduced it into their film. Let’s be clear: it works. The result is a film that gets the heart racing and provides successful horror moments. But if you’re looking for originality or something new, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
At times I felt like I was watching Rec., then suddenly, I found myself in Blair Witch, then in It Lives Inside. The opening sequence in the house is nonetheless thrilling. It sets up the story in an intense and fast-paced way. The setting is magnificently terrifying and the actors are convincing.
But we are left with the impression that the symbols of magic/witchcraft/threats are not very well developed and that the reasons are a bit too simple. It’s a shame, because the cultists are striking and their interactions are chilling. And the phrase that returns again and again, “You took something from us, we take something from you,” gives goosebumps.
But the way we reach the conclusion lacks value. The reasons aren’t clear enough to fully embrace them, and the actions related to the character’s mother don’t give much juice to the story.
A little more…
I often say that a horror film doesn’t need to revolutionize the genre to be worth it. Honestly, even though it’s not a great film, BodyCam is a guilty pleasure to watch.
I wasn’t bored, I didn’t fall asleep, and I got a few chills. What more can you ask for when diving into a low-budget Canadian horror film? Yes, a film like 28 Days Later is always more enjoyable because it revolutionizes a sub-genre. But sometimes, a little shiver isn’t so bad.
So, if you’re looking for a film that’s still different from what you see every week, and you haven’t seen all the classics of the genre, you should have a good time.
