[Review]: The Troll

Killa B (Brianna Lee) and her Troll

The rapid development and ever changing landscape of social media has truly birthed some monsters, ranging from horrifically entitled social media influencers, to online faceless bullies who are relentless in attempting to tear down anyone in the public eye. These online terrors have provided the horror genre with plenty of subject fodder, producing movies such as Influencer (2022) and its sequel Influencers (2025), Sissy (2022), and Unfriended (2014). Now Brianna Lee’s The Troll (which had its World Premiere at this year's Raindance Film Festival) takes on social media horror with a revenge spin, as superstar influencer Killa B (played by Brianna Lee) becomes fed up with the trolls that plague her platform.

Killa B is a TikTok star with hundreds of adoring fans, yet when one comment from an online troll throws her day and her self-confidence into a state of disarray, she decides to exact revenge on the troll, stalking him and his family until she can destroy his life in order to restore her peace and self-esteem.

Brianna Lee as Killa B

When utilizing social media as a theme for a horror/thriller movie, it's important for there to be a strong narration and raison d’etre, and unfortunately The Troll fails to be anything other than a watered down version of influencer horrors that have come before. It feels like the film is almost fearful to fully lean into the mania of its influencer star, whereas if Killa B’s character had devolved into a full on Lola Stone-esque (The Loved Ones) psychopath, it may have tipped The Troll into being a more compelling examination of just how bizarre the influencer lifestyle is. 

Richard Mark Jordan as Jamie, the troll

One positive of The Troll however is its ability to cause the audience to question their own opinions on influencer culture and the problem of trolls. With its sympathetic view to both the person in front of the phone camera, and the person behind the computer screen, viewers are forced to consider both points of view. Despite this, The Troll never fully hits its stride and instead flounders in the sea of influencer horrors with much stronger ideas and voices. 

1.5 Screams out of 5