• Release year: 2025
• Director: Brandon Christensen.
• Producers: Chris Ball, Brandon Christensen, and Kurtis David Harder.
• Screenplay by: Brandon Christensen and Ryan Christensen.
• Cinematography by: Clayton Moore.
• Music supervisor: Justin A. Martell.

Shotgun Commentary: the lesson that began with Serpico (1973) is now taken to the gory extreme.

Review

Bodycam is a found footage-ish horror film that brings up the epidemic of police brutality and incompetence. More specifically, it shows a beautiful yet terrifying reality in which policemen are forced to face the consequences of their misdeeds and are actually punished for them.

The story begins with a mobile unit formed by police officers Bryce (Sean Rogerson) and Jackson (Jaime M. Callica). They are called in to investigate a domestic dispute in a slum—their words, not mine—and find out a strange scene. There is a dead dog and a bloody woman upstairs and a man with a strange bundle in the basement. Tensions are high, and the whole affair ends with Price killing the man, the bundle—which turns out to be a baby—and the woman. ‘Cause if you are going to abuse the badge, you might as well do it all the way through, amirite?

Throughout the whole ordeal, Jackson keeps trying to make Bryce see reason and call it in as the accident that it was—the first two deaths, that is. Sadly for them, Bryce is too scared of facing the consequences of his actions. Instead, he makes all the wrong decisions, which leads them on a downward spiral of desperation, fear, and death. To be honest, it is quite fun.

Smells like pig spirit

Coming from a person who is lucky enough to have never had any beef with any policeman, there is still something satisfying about such a widely corrupt workforce facing consequences. Even if those are gory, supernatural, and sometimes a bit iffy. Tragically, in real life, policemen commit atrocities all around with minimal to no consequences whatsoever.

From the infamous racism of the US police to the multiple cases of rapes perpetrated by policemen in my own home country, police corruption is very real. And if having those who are supposed to protect you being your tormentors was not bad enough, an astonishing lack of consequences serves as the cherry on top. As such, it is safe to say that a fair number of people will find this film quite cathartic.

Wild combos

Although the feature is not based on the video game Bodycam (2024), it does have a video game feel. This is due to the first POV that all bodycams are naturally positioned in. Similarly to The Convenience Store (2026), the film combines the third-person and first-person POVs. Not only does this provide an easier immersion for audiences, but it also brings the film closer to more interactive mediums such as video games.

Now, there is one particular point about the film that one might find… hard to accept. The whole cultish/social rebellion vibe of the beginning suddenly turns into a supernatural phenomenon. What could’ve been a social critique through the hunter-is-hunted trope becomes instead a strange Cthulhu cult that’s more interested in having their little Slenderman octopus happy than in whatever happened to the victims that are murdered at the beginning of the film. That being said, this critic is as much a fan of a social critique as she is of a completely reality-unrelated story. So you will read no complaints here.

All in all, Bodycam is a fascinating story that touches both home and abroad by combining a very real epidemic with a supernatural threat. It has jumpscares, gore, weird symbols, and even weirder people. So everything you could possibly want from a cult-themed horror movie. Psychedelic special effects included!

Bodycam is out now on SHUDDER and AMC+. Thank you for early access.

Advice to take from this movie:

• Hiding a mess only leads to its growth.
• If you get out of a dangerous place. DON’T GO BACK IN.
• As an adult, you are expected to be consequent about your actions… just saying.

What’s your take? Have you watched Bodycam? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message on my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀