Bodycam

2025

Horror

5
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Certified Fresh 81% · 16 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 81%
IMDb Rating 6.9/10 10 52 52

Top cast

Jaime M. Callica as Officer Jackson
Elizabeth Longshaw as Michelle
720p.WEB 1080p.WEB
691.62 MB
1280*720
English 2.0
NR
us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 15 min
Seeds ...
1.39 GB
1920*1080
English 5.1
NR
us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 15 min
Seeds ...

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by 8 / 10

Genuine thrill-ride into madness, and a premise that pays off

Watched the film as part of a film festival with director, key producers/cast/crew attending. This film genuinely scares, and is well worth your time.Shot entirely from the perspective of what the body-cam from two police officers record, this adrenaline pumping "rollercoaster ride" as the director calls it pays off. The rules of how this is shot is established very early and does not break the rule, the film genuinely was filmed as it shows it, the actors wore the cameras that captured the footage you see, thats it! This becomes immersive after the first three minutes, and puts the audience in for the ride.What a ride by the way, the story is simple but it makes sense, genuinely scary, tension filled, adrenaline pumping. The "high" moments really kick ass, and the "slow" moments, of which there are very few, provide necessary backstory and exposition that answer some (not all) of the questions you might have.Characters make choices that make sense, the team used a retired police officer as a consultant to make the movement, tactics, lingo and procedure feel legit.There are a few very effective jump scares, however the film does not rely on this for cheap scares, the terror is genuinely there, you feel the pressure, as the immersive experience really puts the audience in the middle of the action.The effects are very good, not only the on-screen practical special effects, but also the visual effects adding static, glitches, and enhancing some vehicle shots. Yes, there are some visuals in one driving scene that are flimsy in spots, but the performance in this scene distracts the audience well to keep the eyes on the performer for most of the scene. Towards the end there are a couple of scenes that I cannot discuss for spoiler reasons, where the special effects are not fully top notch, but the originality and effectiveness of the horror remains intact.Acting wise, we the audience stays with mostly two characters: two police officers. The story is not thick, there is no time to elaborate on many character moments to justify choices and behavior, this is a tough job for actors to make things more visceral without too deep of a story (i know this from personal experience, as I am an actor when I get to participate in filmmaking). All of that considered, the acting really pulls you in, the reactions to the "madness" feel genuine, the choices during moments of pressure push the audience into empathy even when these choices challenge morality. Overall, aside from a few secondary character performances that were a bit thin (there are very few of these characters), the acting is great, keeps the suspension of disbelief intact, and personally, blows the usual "found footage" level performances out of the water.The film is filled with homages to found footage (Paranormal Activity, Blairwitch, etc.) yet it finds its own style too, and really places the audience right in the middle of a ride into hell, I feel the premise works, solid effects and performances make this a standout.Catch it on streaming, Shudder has not had something this good and immersive in a long time. If you the option is available, catch it in theatres, this is a great "shared experience", and if you want to support the filmmakers find it on VOD.
Reviewed by 8 / 10

Review for Bodycam

This is a film that I saw at Nightmares Film Festival. I recognized the co-writer/director's name as I saw one of his films in a previous year of this festival titled Z. I read a bit about what this film was about ahead of seeing it and that intrigued me. This was making its Midwest premiere as well.Synopsis: two police officers investigate a domestic dispute and there is an accidental shooting. Not wanting to be crucified by the public, the officers attempt to cover it up - only to uncover that the cameras aren't the only things watching them.We start this in the car of the two officers we're following. Driving is Bryce (Sean Rogerson) and his partner is Jackson (Jaime M. Callica). There are subtle things that we learn here like Bryce is racist. They take the call as being the closest officers to the domestic dispute and he makes a comment about how bad the area is. He then realizes that Jackson's mother lives out this way, so it is close to where he grew up. Bryce does apologize at least.Something here is that this feels inspired by what we hear in the news about places like Portland, OR. There are homeless people milling around. They aren't moving, almost like they're on a drug of sorts. The cops come to the house and the power is off. They call into dispatch, requesting permission to go in when they hear a scream. There is interference. They then explore.Bryce goes downstairs where Jackson goes up. The latter finds a crib with a dog in it. This scares him. He also finds a woman in the closet. In the basement, Bryce finds a hole. The word 'Rise' is written on the wall. He then turns to find a man with something in his arms. He comes toward the officer, freaking him out. It results in Bryce discharging his weapon. Jackson hurries to join his partner and is shocked by what he finds. Jackson wants to call it in, Bryce wants a minute to think. The mother they found freaks out when she sees what happened.Their decision then turns their world into a nightmare. Jackson seeks out his mother, wanting to know what they should do. His sister seems to have gone missing as well. Bryce is married to Michelle (Elizabeth Longshaw). She is pregnant. He calls her, thinking his life might be over. It is from here that they can't escape this house or what they did. They're followed and plagued by a group of homeless people who inform them, they took something from them. Now their lord will take something from back.That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I'll start is that this is filmed in the style found footage. There's a meta element here where Officer Bryce is worried about when his bodycam is reviewed, that he's going to be crucified like the synopsis said. We are watching this in real time as a fly on the wall, to just help set this up a bit more.Now where I want to go is bringing up something I included in my breakdown of what we get. Inspired by news of big cities' homeless populations, the scene features rundown houses and tents along the road. Police corruption is another element. Bryce, a white officer, shot a man in the basement and fears public backlash, believing he'll be scapegoated. While his rash act was a crime driven by fear, public perception often ignores nuances, pushing him into a stereotype. The coverup that he is pitching to his partner makes it worse.His partner is where I want to go next. Officer Jackson is black. He also grew up in this area. He is the rational one. He firmly believes that if we just report the facts, everything will be fine. Since Bryce is so adamant, it pressures Jackson into going along with it. This feels real. It also brings in that commentary about how good cops stand by the brotherhood, which then makes them bad cops. There is camaraderie there. I've been on sports teams so I get it to an extent. People lost their lives here though, so there is that element.Now let's get over to what makes this horror. The great atmosphere, despite the scary, powerless building, leads to Bryce's impulsive actions, his cover-up, and chasing his wife, trapping them. Supernatural elements, possibly a time loop or inescapable events, emerge with a cult in pursuit. The creepy basement hole hints at cosmic, Lovecraftian horror, which is captivating. Not everything fully works, but I'm on board for most of it.I think I'll then shift away from the story and go over to the filmmaking aspects. Police bodycams boost realism and provide accountability. The film's "trippy" aspect comes from the possibility of non-supernatural events occurring in characters' minds. Footage review would enhance realism for me. I won't hold it against what we do get though. While I usually dislike digital footage distortion, it works here, contributing to an eerie atmosphere. The only true gripe is that we get CGI near the end for something. It doesn't look great. I am forgiving though as well.All that is left then are the acting performances. Callica and Rogerson excel as leads, playing morally ambiguous characters. Jackson compromises his ethics to protect his partner, while Bryce, initially villainous, is humanized despite his cover-up. Catherine Lough Haggquist is great as Ally, Officer Jackson's sister. Longshaw softens Bryce. The homeless people are unsettling, evoking the film, Messiah of Evil in how they act. The realistic performances are ideal for this style.In conclusion, this delivers a compelling and unsettling experience, utilizing the found-footage style to immerse viewers in a nightmare of police corruption and supernatural dread. Director Brandon and co-writer Ryan Christensen craft a narrative that deftly blends social commentary with cosmic horror, showcasing strong performances from Callica and Rogerson. While not every element lands perfectly, the film's effective atmosphere, moral ambiguities, and "trippy" realism make it a captivating watch, especially for fans of unique horror.My Rating: 7.5 out of 10.
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