Social media, what a minefield. Seems like you have to be mindful of every word you type. If someone doesn't agree with you, take cover and prepare for the explosions. Social media, also, is storage for skeletons as well. We've seen plenty of examples of powerful people experiencing the consequences of words formerly spoken. Whether it was James Gunn losing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 or Hartly Sawyer recently getting fired from The Flash. Actions do have consequences.

In this case, however,  it's a higher profile because there are celebrities involved. Recently, we did an episode on the toxicity in fandom. We've seen the effect of keyboard warriors through the realms of different fandoms and their effects. Whether that has been Kelly Tran quitting Twitter over the backlash of Star Wars: the Last Jedi. Various death threats and sexual harassment messages that have slid into the DMs of multiple Twitch streamers.

That’s not even covering some of the smaller examples of bullying that go underway each and every day. How much can one person truly take before they hit a mental breakdown? Whether it is a big profile celebrity or an average person. We are all people and eventually, we can be pushed too far. In the Dutch film, The Columinst, that very concept is examined through its 86 minute run time. The film depicts a journalist (Katja Herbers), on the verge of her first book, and fighting against cyberbullying by turning to serial killing. I love the concepts that the film explores. Perhaps the strongest weapon in its arsenal is its social commentary. 

Still, even a decade into the social media age, we don't fully understand the effects of what Twitter and Facebook have on our brains. Herbers does a marvelous job of bringing that strange addiction to life. She is constantly consumed with what people are saying about her. Her performance through addiction, murder, and the calm between ease and intensity. She is nothing short of incredible in this movie. Her performance boasts one of the best performances of the year. There's no question about how good she is. 

The Columinst is incredibly smart but it's only when it wants to be. The placement of rival author turned lover, Steven Death (Bram van der Kelen) is well calculated and smart addition to the cast. Keen and Herbers have fantastic chemistry and are among the strongest weapons of the film. There comes a very specific moment within the film that hosts a murder montage. This is where Herbers basically hits her all-time high with serial killing. While accompanied by light-hearted music, this is the exact moment where the strength of the film begins to slip like sand through fingers, embracing the tropes of the horror genre. The entirety of its final act is littered with predictable and cliche moments with poor character decisions and motivation. 

Overall, The Columinst isn't as glamorous as it strives to be. The leading actors in Katja Herbers & Bram van der Kelen have intriguing arcs and beautiful chemistry. The placement of Kelen in the grand scheme of things is nothing short of brilliant. The filmmakers make incredible use of his character throughout. Herbers, on her merit, carries the movie with superb grace. Walking the line between calm, hurt, and calculated with unreal vibrance is wondrous. There is a point where the film chases after horror tropes & predictable character motivations - making the movie a caricature of its former self. The Columnist has strong ideas, great acting, and a solid foundation for social commentary. However, in the end it sacrifices for the sake of shock rather than valuable character decisions. 

Rorschach Rating:

If you or someone you know is reading this right now and you are struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message or tweet to us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!

Victims and Villains is written Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey (and produced by), Caless Davis, Dan Rockwood, & Brandon Miller. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. This post was edited by Erica Burkey. The Columinst is property of Dutch Features. We do not own nor claim any rights. !

You can now support us on Patreon. Help us get mental health resources into schools and get exclusive content at the same time. Click here to join today!