Bodycam (2025) Film Review – You Took Something from Us [Nightmares Film Festival 2025]

Posted on by Jim Cox

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Bodycam is a 2025 Canadian found footage horror film written and directed by Brandon Christensen, with additional writing from Ryan Christensen. Brandon is best known as the writer/director behind films such as Still/Born (2017), Superhost (2021), as well as The Puppetman (2023), and Night of the Reaper (2025), with Ryan attached as a writer.

Two police officers investigate a domestic dispute, culminating in an accidental shooting. Unwilling to face public backlash, the officers try to cover it up – only to discover that they are being watched by more than just cameras.

Plunging the audience into the action fairly quickly, Bodycam sets focus on its main premise with little delay. After a (very) brief introduction to our protagonists, it swiftly moves into escalating its narrative, fraught with elements of the supernatural. Yet despite its brevity, this introduction effectively establishes character elements through natural dialogue between the pair, supporting the strong sense of world-building via dialogue and visual storytelling present throughout. The establishment of the story’s occult components is notably gradual, heightening its impact as it’s slowly drip-fed to the audience. Yet, this measured approach culminates in an impressively grandiose transcendental story full of unforeseen twists.

Primarily employing a “set-and-forget” style of filming from the titular body cameras worn by both officers, the bodycam footage adds considerable energy to the film. The first-person perspective not only creates a kinetic and fluid visual experience but also immerses viewers in a more intimate narrative–feeling more immediate and personal than a traditional fourth-wall approach. Additionally, the use of two perspectives (alongside some dashcam footage) allows characters to be fully visualised through cuts from different angles, making them feel more connected to the story than mere disembodied voices.

Featuring predominantly naturalistic ambient sound, Bodycam utilises this to increase its tense atmosphere. Growing industrial drones, which fluctuate in intensity, serve to underscore the supernatural elements forcefully. The film employs music at key moments, but these are integrated within the narrative and relate directly to the story.

With a relatively large cast for a found footage horror, Bodycam features numerous characters and extras within its self-contained narrative. The standout performances come from our protagonists, Bryce and Johnson, played by Sean Rogerson and Jaime M. Callica, respectively. Their dialogue establishes a strong bond between the partners, further reinforced by the gradual disconnection as Bryce reveals a side of himself his partner and friend have never seen. The group of extras, portraying the tweakers, present a significant obstacle; while not much of a threat alone, their sheer numbers markedly increase the threat they pose.

A compelling descent into occult rituals and supernatural terrors, Bodycam is a sleek and intricately crafted piece of found footage cinema that excels in narrative tension and unsettling atmosphere. With its engaging story, spectacular visual effects, and excellent performances, the film is ideal for fans of both found footage and supernatural horror.

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We watched Bodycam (2025) at this year’s Nightmares Film Festival 2025

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