SXSW 2026 Review: Monitor Turns Content Moderation Into a Chilling Digital-Age Horror

 Brittany O’Grady leads a team of content moderators facing something far more sinister than disturbing online videos in Monitor.

The SXSW Midnighters section has always been a playground for bold genre filmmaking, and this year audiences were introduced to Monitor, the debut feature from filmmakers Matt Black and Ryan Polly.

The film expands on a short the duo created roughly eight years ago under the same title, giving them the opportunity to build out the concept into a full-length feature. What emerges is a supernatural thriller that blends modern internet culture with classic horror storytelling.

The premise centers on a group of online content moderators whose job is to watch and filter disturbing material uploaded to the internet. It is a concept that taps into a very real reality of the digital age. These workers spend their days reviewing the kinds of videos most people would never want to see, acting as a barrier between the public and some of the darker corners of the internet.

The story follows Maggie, played by Brittany O’Grady, who works alongside a team of moderators that includes Faye (Ines Høysæter Asserson), Sariq (Viveik Karla), Gunner (Gunner Willis), Claudia (Sara Alexander), Hazel (Camila Bejarano Wahlgren), and their boss Isaac (Taz Skylar).

During a routine shift, Maggie becomes unsettled by a video clip that crosses her screen. While the rest of the team initially views the footage as just another strange piece of internet content, Maggie becomes convinced that something about it is not right. From that moment forward, the team begins to realize that the job they thought they understood may involve dangers far beyond disturbing online videos.

What works best in Monitor is the cast. The ensemble performs extremely well together and creates a believable workplace dynamic that helps ground the story. Brittany O’Grady delivers a strong and focused lead performance, while Gunner Willis, Viveik Karla, Ines Høysæter Asserson, Sara Alexander, Camila Bejarano Wahlgren, and Taz Skylar all contribute memorable moments that keep the group interactions engaging.

The film also proves effective when it comes to building tension. Black and Polly rely on classic horror techniques, including jump scares, unsettling imagery, and moments that allow the audience’s imagination to fill in the blanks. The result is a fast-paced experience that leans heavily into audience reactions.

It should also be noted that the film makes heavy use of visual effects such as strobe lighting and flashing imagery. The filmmakers include a warning at the beginning of the film for viewers sensitive to those elements. For audiences comfortable with that style, however, the film delivers several memorable and frightening sequences.

From a genre perspective, Monitor taps into a type of horror that has not been explored as heavily as other subgenres. The film takes familiar supernatural elements and filters them through the lens of modern digital culture, using the environment of content moderation as a way to explore how technology can intersect with fear.

Where the film feels slightly underdeveloped is in some of its story details. There are moments where the mythology behind the events feels like it could have been explored further, and some character threads feel like they could have been expanded. Still, these elements never become overwhelming enough to pull viewers completely out of the experience.

For a debut feature, the film shows a lot of promise. Black and Polly demonstrate a clear understanding of how to construct tension and how to use classic horror tools to keep audiences engaged. The film embraces the mechanics of the genre while introducing a concept that feels timely in an era where online content has become such a dominant part of everyday life.

Monitor ultimately stands as an entertaining first feature that showcases two filmmakers with strong instincts for horror storytelling. With further development of their ideas and characters, Black and Polly could very well become exciting voices in the genre moving forward.

Score: 3/5