Don’t Log Off Dials Into Pandemic-Era Dread with Solid Screams and Digital Chaos - Review
- Travis Brown
- Jul 15
- 2 min read
We’re still living in the shadow of the pandemic—maybe not in masks and lockdowns, but in stories that keep trying to make sense of what we went through. And in Don’t Log Off, the Baer Brothers (Brandon & Garrett) throw their hat into the COVID-era horror subgenre with a webcam slasher mystery that feels like Host meets Unfriended, with some Sick-style DNA bleeding through the frame.
The setup is instantly recognizable: a surprise virtual birthday party goes left when the guest of honor disappears mid-Zoom. What follows is a slow unraveling of digital dread as each party guest begins experiencing their own slice of horror. Is it a prank? A glitch? Or is something actually coming for them?
Kara Royster plays Katie, the planner of the party, and she anchors the emotional tone well—trying to hold the chaos together while something out there starts picking off her friends. The missing birthday girl, Sam (Brielle Barbusca), lingers over the film like a ghost—her absence shaping the tension as the group digs deeper. Rounding out the ensemble: Khylin Rhambo, Luke Benward, Jack Griffo, Sterling Beaumon, and Ashley Argota, each playing variations of That Friend™—supportive, skeptical, clueless, panicked.
Where Don’t Log Off succeeds is in its use of minimalist tools with maximal effort. The filmmakers clearly leaned into the constraints of the format, opting not to overdo the VFX or lean on cheap tricks. Instead, they focus on atmosphere, screen-based misdirection, and character tension—evoking just enough of that lockdown-era anxiety to stir up something uncomfortable.
There are moments where it all feels too familiar—online urban legends, disappearing bodies, glitchy clues, and that “wait… are we being watched?” chill—but the cast’s energy and chemistry keeps the story moving. And thematically, the film taps into something real: how badly we all tried to preserve normalcy when everything was broken. Birthdays, weddings, funerals—they all went virtual, and Don’t Log Off uses that as emotional kindling for its horror fire.
That said, Kevin Williamson’s Sick still stands as the pandemic-era gold standard, weaving infection paranoia and slasher tropes together with razor-sharp precision. Don’t Log Off doesn’t hit those heights, but it earns its spot in the conversation—especially for fans of DIY horror, ensemble-driven thrillers, and screenlife storytelling that doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Final Verdict:
★★½ out of 5 stars.
A smart, scrappy entry into the pandemic horror canon that won’t blow your mind, but might surprise you with its sincerity and low-budget bite.
Don’t Log Off opens in limited theaters July 11 and hits streaming platforms July 15.
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