Parents' Guide to Body Cam

Malik Vitthal's first studio film isn't technically good, but some elements are impressive, and it's definitely gripping. The story is ultimately predictable, but the journey will keep you guessing. Your brain is thrown off of what you've come to expect. Doubt about the police force is ignited from the get-go: Are they unfairly treated by the community, or is the community unfairly treated by the cops? The rhythmic beat of windshield wipers as a score is a smart way to understand the visceral nervousness of potential danger that a police officer feels with every traffic stop. You'll have settled into watching a crime drama unfold by the time it turns into a scary movie, and then your brain will react: All bets are off! A creepy shadow skates through moments that scream "impending doom." It can't be human -- or can it? And with Renee still recovering from a tragedy when she's re-traumatized, you silently wonder whether the stress is too great: Is she an unreliable narrator?

This isn't a film meant to be watched silently. Rather, Body Cam is a shout-at-the-screen experience: "Watch out!" "Look behind you!" "Don't go in the BASEMENT!" And that may be where the genre mashup doesn't quite work. In a slasher film, we're used to teenagers doing dumb things that will inevitably lead to their death. But Renee isn't dumb: She's a cop, she's smart, and she should know better. In one sense, the story plays into a fearlessness on her part, but there are quite a few leaps we have to take, and that ends up feeling like bad writing. While Blige has a solid acting resume and was magnificent in Mudbound, this is the first movie she's carried alone -- and it exposes her acting weaknesses. As a singer, she should know that audiences like a range, not just one note. Bottom line? Body Cam could definitely be better, but by the end sequences, you won't be shouting at the screen in fear, but more likely with satisfaction. It's the kind of movie where you turn to the person next to you and say, "That movie wasn't good ... but it was GOOD!"