This is a narrative a lot of people can get behind, but unfortunately it seems to be flying under the radar since releasing on POV Horror, Trashy Horror Movies and Movie & TV Channel. Hell, the only reason I know it exists is because Bryan Enright plays one of the lead characters. I’ve been acquainted with the rising star ever since I visited the set of his first film, Cuddlez, all the way up to his breakout role in 2021’s Hideout. I was anxious to see what he brought to the table in Camera X: To Kill a Pedophile, and needless to say I was not disappointed. I’m also going to refer to the movie solely as Camera X because, well, I’m a lazy pos. From Average Superstar Films and Planet X Filmworks, Camera X is uncomfortable, unsettling and uncompromising – but, again, it’s a story that the general public can really cheer for while making the participants on The Epstein List shake in their boots.
Camera X is written and directed by Loren W. Lepre. It was produced by Lepre along with Jonathan Flaa and Doug Perfido. It features cinematography by Tom Scholl and editing by Bryan Enright. Lead cast members include Loren W. Lepre, Bryan Enright, Sushii Xhyvette Holder, Rosaria Eraso and Dennis Newman. The film follows a small group of friends and their camera crew as they embark on the quest to literally kill a pedophile. You see, their small town in Pennsylvania is being rocked by a series of rapes and murders – and our supposed heroes believe they know who’s behind the mask. All subjects of sexual abuse themselves (the written characters, that is), they become fed up with the police’s lack of interest in the case and take matters into their own hands. It’s all told through found footage or documentary style filmmaking, giving it a slightly more realistic approach.
As I stated above, the plot of Camera X is a story that people can really sink their teeth into. Sadly, a lot of folks know someone who was molested as a child or raped as an adult, so even though there’s a physical villain in the movie, sexual assault is really the culprit that needs to be stopped. It becomes more than just a recurring theme in Camera X. It becomes this dark cloud that hangs over the whole story even though you can’t physically see it. And, Hell, who doesn’t love a good ol’ story about revenge. I know as a society we’re not supposed to root for murdering anyone, but we are talking about a pedophile here – which is often viewed as the worst of the worst for obvious reasons. Camera X has one of the most clean-cut motives in horror film history and it’s one that makes sense. However, rolling out that motive wasn’t always a smooth ride.
Camera X is… missing something, and I’m not too sure what that something is. Maybe a proper scoring? I understand why there’s no score, because it was shot documentary style, but score is a crucial element of filmmaking and without it sometimes the emotional elements don’t resonate as much as they’re supposed to. Maybe it’s the rough cuts and the moments that linger 5+ seconds longer than they need to which makes me, or the audience, focus on moving on to the next scene instead of living for the moment. Maybe it’s that certain acting performances are better than others and that also takes you out of the moment. Sometimes it feels like the actors are just reciting the script instead of feeling what they’re supposed to be saying. No emotional depth for the content, I guess. Bryan Enright, Sushii Xhyvette Holder and Dennis Newman were my favorite performers from the small but dedicated cast.
Despite the pitfalls I mentioned above, I actually enjoyed my viewing of Camera X on POV Horror. It has two big plot twists and extra kills that I definitely wasn’t expecting. And, again, this movie will have massive appeal to a wide audience. I’m a slut for a good found footage feature and overall Camera X did not let me down. Good job. Final Score: 6 out of 10.
