BODYCAM -- The Blair Witch is ACAB!

Review by Steve Barton II

When the police show up at the end of your favorite film, do they actually ever save the day or are they usually just there to inflate the kill count? In the year 2026 where we have special police forces across the United States of America causing death and violence to spike to previously unseen heights, it’s important for artists to air out their feelings in creative and innovative ways. While it does have similarities to other projects in the found footage sub-genre, Brandon Christensen (Z, Superhost) was able to accomplish something special here with Bodycam. Bodycam tells the story of two police officers who are responding to a domestic dispute call and during the investigation, there’s an “accidental” shooting and the incident goes haywire. While the cops discuss how to go about their next course of action, they quickly realize that they won’t get out of this situation so easily.

One of the biggest aspects of Bodycam that needs to be highlighted is the use of actual Bodycam-style devices to film the entire movie. With those cameras having wide-angle lenses (GoPros), the margins of error are extremely small and you also can’t have tons of crew members, lighting or any production equipment near the sets because it would be picked up. The actors themselves also had to operate their own cameras and had to do plenty of rehearsals and planning for blocking especially. With it also being a small, independent budget movie it’s remarkable that Brandon even attempted, yet successfully made a film like this. The fact that they are able to capture a style that can be compared to End of Watch is a major achievement in itself!

Bodycam has an obvious criticism of the police with use of force as the inciting incident. Christensen’s dialogue between the two officers is one that you hear constantly around the issue of police misconduct. The cop who did the shooting (Sean Rogerson, Grave Encounters) doesn’t want to disrupt the system or receive any blowback, while his partner (Jaime M. Callica, Trap House) is having a morale crisis and can’t just turn his back on the victims. The dilemma goes even deeper due to the guilty cop being a white man from a more privileged background, while the other is an African American man who was raised in poverty with addicts in his family.  Bodycam shows the unfair bias that many people, but especially law enforcement has against addicts and people in crisis. Having the addiction being shown as a form of possession isn’t the newest idea, but the creature here is unlike anything that you’ll expect. It may have been a stronger choice to leave the monster more ambiguous and shrouded in darkness, most audiences will still get the urge to look away. 

In the end, Bodycam is a unique and innovative spin on the found footage genre and may spark some inspiration in future filmmakers. With a few tiny cameras, a small crew and an even smaller budget, Brandon Christensen was able to capture a solid feature film. The camera style engrosses the audience deeper into the story and often gives you an intimate POV of exactly what our characters are seeing. If you enjoy a spooky movie that’ll have you terrified of a fictional monster just as much as a white cop, set your sights on Bodycam! 

Bodycam will be available on Shudder starting March 13th! 

Rating: 3.5/5