The Troll

Writer and director Brianna Lee stars as social media influencer Bethany in psychological thriller The Troll. Going by the username Killa B, Bethany is a viral sensation with a thriving music career and legions of dedicated followers. However, there’s something sinister underneath the star’s bubble-gum smile. When she spots a comment from an anonymous troll (Greg Saridakis) that cuts a little too close to home, she decides to enact twisted retribution by hunting him down and systematically destroying his life. Part commentary on modern beauty standards, part social media satire, Lee (who also serves as editor and producer) delivers a viciously fun feature debut with a gleeful camp twist.

Lee is spectacular as the deranged TikTok star. Despite presenting herself as friendly and humble to maintain her scandal-free persona, Bethany is quick to drop her well-rehearsed smile when the cameras aren’t on her. Lee effortlessly switches between a wide range of emotions throughout the feature that underscores her remarkable acting talents while reinforcing the character’s volatile behaviour. No scene does this better than when Bethany makes convincing calls to the police before watching them arrive with chilling satisfaction.

The Troll fits neatly among beauty-focused horrors like The Substance and The Neon Demon, as well as social media thrillers such as Influencer and Spree. Instead of exploring these themes with stomach-churning body horror, Lee tackles concepts of obsession and fame with a playful wink and a scenery-chewing principal played by John Canning. The filmmaker likewise leans into the feature’s low-budget production to enhance its camp tone by using canned audio for unseen audiences and deploying some overdramatic sound effects. While some of the editing choices can be a little rough, it’s not enough to derail a narrative that continues to find new ways of escalating. Although a lack of violence takes some of the bite out of Bethany’s big moment, an unexpectedly wicked twist will leave audiences grinning in delight.

The Troll is a magnificent feature debut from Lee, who gives a killer performance as the psychotic influencer. The film finds its footing within a growing subgenre of horror by putting its own spin on established themes to deliver an irresistibly charming genre romp.