Review: “Body Cam”- Supernatural Thriller With Timely Social Justice Context (3.5/5 Stars)
The thriller Body Cam opens with news reports of the acquittal of a police officer for the killing of an unarmed black man. As incidents of racial profiling and police brutality continue to make headlines, Body Cam is as relevant a film as ever.
The illustrious and talented Mary J. Blige (Mudbound) stars as Renee Lomito, a Los Angeles police officer still fragile after losing her son in a swimming-pool accident. Investigating the violent death of a colleague during a routine traffic stop, Renee follows clues to a mysterious figure Taneesha Brand, played by Anika Noni Rose (The Princess and the Frog), who appears in found footage at more than one crime scene. Strangely, Renee is the only person able to view this footage – the remains of an unarmed man and victims which are visible at the beginning of the movie – before it disappears.
Body Cam is directed by Malik Vitthal, who helmed the 2014 Netflix drama Imperial Dreams starring John Boyega. The film also stars Nat Wolff (The Fault in Our Stars) as Danny and features Theo Rossi (Luke Cage), David Zayas (Dexter), and Demetrius Grosse (Straight Outta Compton). It is from a spec script written by Richmond Riedel (Shooter) and rewritten by Nic McCarthy and John Ridley (12 Years a Slave).
Initially intended for a theatrical release, the movie debuted June 2 on digital platforms through Paramount Players in association with BET Films. Body Cam is available on-demand.
Body Cam reminds me of Training Day, the 2001 thriller featuring Denzel Washington who portrayed a not-so-good cop. Currently, with all the Black Lives Matter protests going on around the world, this movie is timely as it portrays an example of what should be happening with the investigation into the death of Breonna Taylor, an innocent black woman killed in 2020 by police in her home. This supernatural thriller with a timely social justice context shines a flashlight (used often for lighting effects in the film) on one of our country’s darkest stains. This movie gives you a look into the day-to-day life of a police officer.
I would recommend Body Cam as a weekend adult thriller due to brainteasing, mild violence, and language. The script is not the most striking, and dialogue at times can be confusing. Mary J. Blige does her best with the material given to her. The 49-year-old singer and actress has released the song “Can’t Be Life” from the Body Cam soundtrack.
3.5/5 stars
Watch the trailer below:
The official description reads, “While investigating the bizarre murder of a fellow officer, veteran Renee Lomito (Mary J. Blige) discovers a mysterious figure in their body cam footage. Haunted by visions of the event, she suspects something supernatural is targeting the cops in her unit. Now, in a race against time to find the one person she thinks can stop these killings, Renee uncovers a sinister secret among the police force surrounding the shooting and cover-up of an unarmed youth. Nat Wolff also stars in this intense action thriller.”