The Troll (2025) Review
The Troll (2025) Review
Killa B, a TikTok superstar, thrives on the adoration of millions – until a single cruel comment cuts too deep. Obsession takes hold as she tracks down the anonymous troll, infiltrating his life and destabilising his family. Her descent culminates in a confrontation that lays bare the psychological toll of life in the spotlight.
The Troll stars Brianna Lee (The Professional, A Sea Cliff Story), Katy Frame (Men in Black 3, What Now?), Greg Saridakis, Alena Acker (And Just Like That, Law & Order), Matthew Eyre (Slow Down), Richard Mark Jordan (Tires, The Chair Company), Jake Lesh (The Camper, Made of Stars) and Dominick Cost (Tomorrow’s Bandits).
Selected for the 34th Raindance Film Festival and earning writer-director-star Brianna Lee a nomination for Best Performance in a Debut Feature, The Troll sets out to explore the darker side of internet fame and the psychological toll of living under constant online scrutiny. While the film arrives with timely themes and a strong visual presentation, its execution struggles to deliver the tension and complexity its premise promises.
The Troll is a surprisingly slight tale that labours towards a final revelation many viewers will likely anticipate long before it arrives. For a film running only around an hour excluding credits, the narrative often feels stretched, with the eventual twist lacking the impact required to justify the prolonged build-up.
Performance-wise, the results are mixed. There is occasional overacting, though the cast generally fares better than is often the case in low-budget productions. Lee herself commits fully to the role, and the film benefits from a crisp, polished visual presentation. However, the screenplay never quite persuades us that Killa B is the cultural phenomenon the film insists she is. As a result, the character remains difficult to invest in, and the thriller elements suffer from a notable lack of suspense.
Lee has spoken of her fascination with the unseen violence of the internet and the cruelty directed at those in the public eye. While this is a potentially rich subject, The Troll approaches it in a surprisingly narrow fashion. Online hostility is hardly exclusive to influencers or celebrities; it has become an unfortunate reality of internet culture. Beyond an internal monologue in which Killa B reflects on perceived shortcomings, the character otherwise appears to be enjoying the privileges of her lifestyle. The film asks us to view her as a victim of digital toxicity, but it never fully earns that sympathy, leaving us instead with a protagonist who feels more vacant than vulnerable.
Tonally, the film is equally uncertain. Lee cites Black Swan and Ingrid Goes West as key influences, yet the comparison ultimately highlights what The Troll lacks. Both of those films combine psychological depth with an unsettling examination of identity, obsession, and performance. By contrast, Killa B remains largely on the surface, touching on similar ideas without probing them in any meaningful way.
There is no denying the ambition behind the project, nor Lee’s evident commitment as a filmmaker. However, despite its festival credentials and contemporary subject matter, The Troll never develops the tension, insight, or psychological complexity necessary to elevate it beyond a competent but ultimately superficial thriller.
