Cam
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
The last film being reviewed for this year’s horror review collection for the month of October is a film I’m glad to write about, and I feel like it has stuck with those of you who asked for it as much as it did with me. Cam is easily one of the most sickeningly frightening films in recent memory, likely because of the vulnerability of its story. Isa Mazzei tells a clever terror tale for the twenty-first century in the form of camgirl Alice, who already faces the fetishization and misogyny of society through her line of work. Enter the main plot: a girl who looks just like Alice is reeling in her usual clients, and she is losing popularity and a majority of her income (the camming industry is competitive enough as it is). Who could this mystery woman be? I’ll leave that for you to find out.
Otherwise, Cam is a genuinely scary picture, mainly because of its sensitive angle. It’s astonishing how much fear is conveyed with minimal casting, setting, effects, and other resources. This is what independent horror is all about: finding ways for the movie magic to take place with as little as possible. While the narrative is a little limited (and I could only have hoped for even more of a build-up and some more depth), Cam still does what it aims to do well: terrify audiences and provide a feminist angle that can enlighten viewers as well. Cam is delicate — yet stern — with its subject matter, as to not exploit the female characters but to allow their stories to shine instead. Feeling some very real gazes and scrutiny within this candid horror concept (one that really makes one aware of themselves on multiple levels) is a whole different kind of ball game of fear. It makes Cam a horror film stand out, not just in terms of quality (I can think of a few modern horrors that are stronger, but many worse ones as well), but as a memorable experience.
Cam is a vulnerable horror experience that feels exceptionally chilling.
With all that is being said about society and the female experience, Cam is for sure a unique entry in the horror canon. The social horror is in, mainly because many artists are tired of having to fight to tell their experiences, and they find horror to be an effective medium that actually gets paid attention to. I’m thinking of The Host and Get Out, for instance. Cam fits in nicely within this category: a horrifying experience that has so much to say, and it connects with you because of how it says its commentary. You feel a part of the terror, and you are left with the remnants of what Cam is getting across. Cam gets into your memory bank and won’t escape; maybe not through its chills, but through its message for sure. The stunning neon visuals and eerie atmosphere are almost secondary (but they’re effective as well). All in all Cam is smart and effective as a social horror film, and a different approach to a genre whose cliches have been done to death.
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.