The idea to use horror as an entry point to critique societal issues is a tactic that has been utilized almost as long as the genre has been around. When done well, it can become a transcendent experience that stirs a real conversation between people, like the recent Best Picture nominee Get Out. When the execution is fumbled, you end up with something that works neither as a horror movie or a noteworthy contribution to the issue in question. Unfortunately for the new horror film Body Cam, the results fall closer to the latter camp. In our current climate of protests against police brutality, the film makes for a bit of an uncomfortable attempt at bringing a paranormal angle to a subject that is already so frightening.
Mary J. Blige stars as Renee Lomito-Smith, a police officer who has recently returned to duty following a family tragedy and suspension for striking a racist citizen. Renee hopes to ease back into the job after many months away as she is assigned a new, inexperienced partner, Danny Holledge (Nat Wolff). Tensions are high around the country as the news of another police shooting of an unarmed black man blankets the media coverage. When Renee and Danny get called to check on a fellow officer who has become unresponsive, they can tell that something bad has happened. The patrol car has been abandoned and there is blood all over the scene. Renee gets a brief, broken glimpse of the dash-cam footage that defies logic, as the officer is plucked out of frame during a routine stop by some unknown force. When they eventually happen upon the body, the scene is more gruesome than anything they could have expected. Despite Renee’s assertion of the footage she saw, investigators question her clear-headedness as the dash and body-com footage is too damaged to view. Renee feels she must take it upon herself to get to the bottom of what truly happened.
The resulting investigation leads her down a path that attempts to critique our current environment of police brutality and lack of accountability. These are topics worth exploring until we get to a time where it is no longer an issue, but using it as a justification for a vengeful spirit just feels a bit clumsy. The horror sequences are not particularly scary or tense. There are large chunks of the film where all tension goes out the window in a bout of erratic pacing. Although it is an R-rated film, the goriness is nothing we have not seen in hundreds of PG-13 horror films. The director does a fine job of crafting the film, but a standard, forgettable film dressed up to be something more important culturally still remains a lackluster film. The performances are interesting enough from Blige and Wolff, but nothing seems to coalesce into anything truly noteworthy. It is admirable to try to elevate your film with insightful social commentary, but Body Cam just misses the mark.
Video Quality
Body Cam comes to DVD with a 480P transfer that is solid for the format. Skin tones are natural and showcase some fine detail on faces. Close-up shots reveal more minute details than long shots when it comes to textural elements such as clothing or hair. Black levels are relatively strong considering the resolution, but there is still a good amount of crush and missing detail during this overwhelmingly dark movie. A Blu-Ray release would benefit this film quite a bit, but this DVD looks as good as the format will allow.
Audio Quality
The DVD comes with a Dolby Digital 5.1 track that sounds pretty excellent. There are many sudden moments of intense sound from terrifying moments that fill the room. The film makes good use of panning effects to convey a sense of place. Environmental sounds such as rainfall and wind come through well in the side and rear speakers. Dialogue is crisp and clear without being clipped by the score or various sound effects. Gunshots and spirit attacks give the low end a pretty nifty workout. Overall, this track does a fantastic job representing the film.
Special Features
There are no special features present on this disc.
Final Thoughts
Body Cam tackles the idea of denouncing police brutality with good intentions, but it never fully reaches that satisfying blend of social commentary and horror movie. The film itself is technically well-crafted and the performances are good for those who are fans of the talent involved. The DVD offers a solid A/V presentation for the format.
Body Cam is currently available to purchase on Digital and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the DVD.
Disclaimer: Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
