The Webcam Claustrophobia Works

Read Time:5 Minute, 39 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Don't Log Off
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Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 1h 35m
Director(s): Brandon Baer, Garrett Baer
Writer(s): Brandon Baer, Garrett Baer
Cast: Ariel Winter, Brielle Barbusca, Luke Benward, Sterling Beaumon, Jack Griffo, Kara Royster, Ashley Argota, Khylin Rhambo, Kenny Ridwan, Nick Lehmann, Stephen Spencer, Katie Maringer
Where to Watch: in select theaters July 11, 2025, available to rent or purchase on VOD July 15

RAVING REVIEW: In a subgenre that’s been dragged through a sea of low-budget imitators, DON’T LOG OFF manages to do something few COVID-era webcam thrillers have pulled off: it works. Tense, cleverly structured, and balanced, it doesn’t rely on gimmicks—it commits to its format and trusts the strength of its cast and concept to carry the weight. And for the most part, it succeeds.

Set almost entirely over a group video call, the film assembles a group of characters reconnecting for what appears to be a casual birthday celebration, only for things to unravel into something far darker. There’s a natural sense of camaraderie in the early scenes. Still, it’s the discomfort—the lingering silences, the half-glimpsed reactions, the way one person’s panic can snowball into a collective dread—that gives this film its edge. The camera never leaves the screen, but the horror creeps in.

What makes DON’T LOG OFF stand out is how it embraces what it can’t show. Rather than overexposing the audience to every threat, it thrives on the uncertainty. It's not about loud jump scares or visual spectacle—this is a story that blurs the line between horror and thriller, leaning into paranoia and fractured trust. The fear here is rooted in isolation, in the horrifying realization that even surrounded by friends on a screen, you're still deeply alone when it matters most.

Much of the success comes from the ensemble cast, who each play an important role in the film's delicate tension. Ariel Winter is likely the most recognizable face, but the film resists turning her into the default lead. Luke Benward’s performance as Adam keeps things steady while Jack Griffo’s intensity as Jacob brings moments of raw volatility. Brielle Barbusca adds an edge to the group dynamic as Sam, while Sterling Beaumon’s Justin becomes one of the film’s more affecting presences. Ashley Argota Torres, Kara Royster, Kenny Ridwan, Khylin Rhambo, and Nick Lehmann round out the group, all contributing performances that feel natural and unforced—no small feat in a format where overacting can quickly derail tension.

There’s something admirable about how the film lets its actors build character without traditional exposition. We're never spoon-fed their backstories or given dramatic monologues. Instead, little details slip through in glances, remarks, or the sudden shift in tone when someone mentions a name they shouldn’t have. The horror isn’t just external—it’s rooted in secrets, unresolved tension, and the digital barrier that can’t quite mask how well these people don’t know each other anymore.

Co-directors and writers Brandon Baer and Garrett Baer maintain a tight pace and keep the tension simmering. It’s a challenging task to maintain dread through a visual perspective on a screen, but the film smartly utilizes its limitations to its advantage. The screen becomes a minefield of distractions—someone texting off-camera, the sudden lag of a feed, or the unease that comes with someone going quiet for just a little too long. There are moments where you’ll catch yourself scanning the frame, waiting for something—anything—even the slightest move. And when it finally does, the payoff isn’t cheap or overblown. It’s earned.

Still, despite its overall strength, the film is not without flaws. The climax might play it a little too safe, and some character arcs feel unresolved or underdeveloped by the end. There’s also a point near the third act where the tension plateaus before picking up again, which slightly softens the impact of its conclusion. But even with those bumps, the experience as a whole remains powerful.

One of the smartest things DON’T LOG OFF does is understand what kind of story it’s telling—and how the medium enhances the message. It doesn’t pretend to be bigger than its concept. Instead, it leans into the intimacy, the discomfort of watching friends fall apart from behind a screen. It’s a horror film that isn’t desperate to scare you every minute, but confident enough to let your imagination do some of the heavy lifting.

It’s easy to be skeptical of webcam horror in 2025. Most of us are burnt out on the format after a wave of pandemic-themed storytelling. But DON’T LOG OFF earns its place in the conversation—not by reinventing the format, but by showing that, with the right cast, direction, and commitment to tone, it’s still possible to make it feel fresh. It’s not perfect, but for a film this confined and collaborative, that might be part of the charm. It knows what it is, and more importantly, it knows what it doesn’t need to be. This is one video call worth answering.

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[photo courtesy of EPIC PICTURES, DREAD, LOG IN, BRICK LANE ENTERTAINMENT, CONVOKE MEDIA, STERLING SILVER PICTURES]

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