CAT CAM Needs A Lot More Nug

CAT CAM (Blu-ray)

2026 / 96 min

X4 Pictures

Available at MovieZyng.com

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Considering the name and staff of our website, we had keen interest in Cat Cam. Whereas the recent horror film, Good Boy, was presented from the unique perspective of the family dog (pretty effectively, I might add), this one initially appeared to be cut from similar cloth, only done as found footage from a feline perspective. 

It’s found footage, all right, but hardly the fun, furry flick we were hoping for. Instead, Cat Cam is a dreary Paranormal Activity knock-off with a fraction of the atmosphere…and a fraction of the actual cat we’re led to believe is going to be the main character. 

Nug is the pampered pet of Sammy and Riley (Bry Gallagher & Jiavanni), the latter being particularly obsessive over her. Before heading off for a vacation in Paris, Riley installs cameras all over the house so they can periodically check-in on Nug while they’re gone. Additionally, Sammy’s well-meaning but irresponsible brother, Jay (Cronin Cullin), is hired to pop in each day and see to Nug’s needs, which doesn’t sit too well with Riley, who neither likes nor trusts him.

Nug steals another scene by being Nug.

After the girls have gone, Jay and (maybe?) Nug experience strange occurrences throughout the house, mostly depicted as ominous noises, flickering lights and/or the occasional object inexplicably moving. Almost immediately, Jay suspects ghosts, which alarms Riley and pisses off Sammy when he calls them. The entire movie is presented through the house cameras, and for a majority of the running time, there’s a whole lot of nothing going on.

Initially, Nug is fun to watch, though she doesn’t really engage in any activity other than being a cat. But it isn’t long before she disappears from the movie altogether, leaving Jay as the main protagonist, and most of the actual story exposition is told through him. In between are interminable shots of various rooms where only sound effects and an in-camera message, ‘person detected,’ suggest any kind of supernatural presence. Elsewhere, the performances are serviceable, but the characters - aside from Nug - are largely uninteresting (though Jiavanni’s unhealthy relationship with her cat might be relatable to some viewers).

Cat Cam ends up being a repetitive, predictable and humorless bore. Not enough Nug, not enough ghosts and way too much Jay. The film is devoid of scares or atmosphere, coasting on the novelty of its premise without actually delivering on it. Cat fanciers would have a better time rigging up their own house to see what kitty’s up to when they’re away. For us, this one was a real letdown.