In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, horror buffs got a breath of fresh air when a relatively small film was released. Host blew everyone’s minds with a simple premise and the clever use of a device that seemed to dominate households worldwide during that time. Newcomer Rob Savage had found a vulnerability in how we'd changed our lives due to the virus, and made a horror film using that channel. The results speak for themselves.
Everything pointed towards a carte blanche for his next work. Of course, he was going to do whatever he wanted because studios and producers were inevitably drawn to the next idea. Using a similar team, he set out to make his next film, a real movie that would seem meatier and longer than Host, which was understandably bound by time constraints and the pandemic. It did not go as planned.
Dashcam Is a Real Movie, Just Not Real Good
When Dashcam was announced, and audiences saw that it followed the same subgenre of Host (dubbed 'screenlife' films, which take place exclusively through digital mediums like Zoom), we were instantly excited. We were not going to get an uninspired sequel made in a relatively short time, and Savage would bring us another original idea. Audiences would be there no matter what, and festivals would drool at the chance of showing the next Savage joint.
What Savage and writers Gemma Hurley and Jed Shepherd didn’t foresee was the unexpected reaction to Dashcam’s lead, Annie Hardy. People either loved her in the film, or despised it because of her. In the end, her presence felt like a huge deal compared to the quality of the film itself, which was forgotten quickly compared to the noteworthy horror films of 2022.
Setting the Tone in Found Footage
Found footage films are well known for having either lousy or genius first acts. Their narrative isn’t traditional, and they’re put together with supposedly random cuts of footage. Composing a story out of that can’t be easy. This is obvious to anyone who understands the genre and is willing to let go of pretenses. Sometimes it’s tiresome, and sometimes it goes by in a flash. Fortunately.
In Dashcam, we’re introduced to the most obnoxious character in found footage history. That’s the spirit of the first act, which feels like an endurance test for something much stronger that comes after. Insufferable characters in dramas are bearable, but in horror, they’re just intolerable and painful to watch. Who hasn’t been in a theater watching a horror movie and people start groaning at the presence of a character, as if wishing for them to die?
Annie is a horrible introduction to a film that’s 76 minutes long and definitely takes too long to take its first step into horror territory. It doesn’t prepare us with something good and yes, a preconception is built quickly.
Is There a Place for Comedy in Found Footage?
Horror comedy movies have become more common in recent years, but it's a difficult thing to pull off; when they’re done well, they get celebrated. It’s a mixture of two genres that isn’t as natural as most people think. Certainly not everyone does a great job out of it.
However, adding a third element in the form of found footage is definitely riskier. You are basically ridiculing a more realistic take on something that’s fictional by design. Keeping it simple means that you have to have a plot that holds by itself and performers in tune with a director’s advice. Deadstream is a good example of things not taken seriously but executed by someone who knows his limits and has no desire of staying above a simple haunted house plot.
In Dashcam, Annie’s attitude towards the horror element feels fake most of the time. It’s not that she’s a bad actress. It’s just that she insists on staying funny when the world is crumbling. Horror fans may laugh at some point, but when the third act feels so out of control, there’s nothing to do but wait for it to end. Dashcam is seldom enjoyable under the standards of horror.
Dashcam's Bold Decision Was Awkwardly Celebrated By Few
Dashcam was poorly received by most. From audiences to critics, they felt connected to Savage’s indisputable talent for scares and his great use of practical effects. But in every conversation the “Annie” factor would show up, and it would put a shadow over what essentially was a solid horror movie. Most people were distracted by the unnecessary presence of an invasive comedic actor who definitely went overboard with her tone.
This is just sad. Dashcam deserved better, much better. When Hardy isn’t distracting it’s a good horror story set in a night of absolute chaos and terror with supernatural elements that Savage knows very well how to administer. But ultimately it was his decision to do this, and with great power comes great responsibility. The question is: did he learn from this? Or does he trust himself enough to repeat such a questionable direction?
Dashcam is available to stream on Hulu