I was a huge fan of Rob Savage’s lockdown-set and shot horror Host .
Naturally, then, I couldn’t wait to watch his second feature-length directorial effort - but I sort of wish I hadn’t.
Dashcam follows American Annie Hardy - a right-wing internet personality who live streams from her car, making musical content using her viewers’ comments as lyrics - as she embarks on a nightmarish road trip in London.
The film is shot on mobile phones and contains a scrolling commentary from Annie’s live stream and it’s often quite hard to follow, and focus on, what is going on - especially during the darker latter sequences.
Dashcam is one of the first movies I’ve seen to incorporate COVID and while this adds realism, I’m not sure I want to be reminded of everything we all went through during lockdown.
Annie is an anti-vaxxer but no matter what your views on that are, she is a hugely annoying protagonist. Her repetitive songs, the way she treats everyone - even her friends - and her blasé attitude make her impossible to root for.
This is Hardy’s first proper acting role and if her aim was to come across as unbearable and a nasty piece of work then maybe the Oscars should come calling.
In fact, Dashcam doesn’t feature any likeable characters at all, which is a real rarity in film or television.
I like to think I have a high tolerance for squeamish moments - particularly, as a horror buff, gore - but there were two or three scenes in Savage’s sophomore effort that I genuinely had to turn away from as it’s not just blood that flows.
What saves his flick from being a complete waste of time, however, is the mystery of the situation Annie stumbles into, and a few unsettling shots involving Angela Enahoro’s gaunt, seemingly deathly ill Angela .
Otherwise, Dashcam is visually frustrating, at times nauseating, filmmaking with a so-called heroine you’ll be desperate to see get her comeuppance.
● Do you enjoy movies filmed on mobile phones or handheld cameras? Has the found-footage flick had its day?
Pop me an email at ian.bunting@reachplc.com and I will pass on your comments – and any movie or TV show recommendations you have – to your fellow readers.
● Dashcam is available to own or rent on Sky Store.
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