Loner (2025) review – The best British found footage since Host?

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are checking out a found footage indie horror movie from the UK called Loner (2025). If you are a found footage fan, why not check out our list of 50 of the greatest found footage horror movies of all time.

I got the opportunity to check Loner out early as it is currently hitting the festival circuit where it is being very well received. In fact, it scooped up nominations for “Best Performance in a UK Feature”, “Best Director for a UK Feature” and “Best UK Feature” awards at Raindance 2025.

A Rare British Found Footage Horror

Let’s be honest, the UK doesn’t put out a whole ton of found footage horror. When we do, however, they seem to be some of the best movies the genre has to offer. Final Prayer, Exhibit A, Host. Hell, even Richard Mansfield’s ultra low-budget affairs are entirely watchable. Loner is keeping that tradition going. This movie is everything I love about found footage. Minimalist, character driven, and very raw.

“Loner is keeping that tradition going. This movie is everything I love about found footage. Minimalist, character driven, and very raw.”

The story follows an aspiring vlogger as he heads out into the woods for a cabin retreat. Only to find himself in a world of trouble when something ancient awakens and things start to get seriously strange. The majority of our time is spent watching our protagonist as he films himself performing survival related tasks for his vlogging channel.

Things start to go completely wrong, however, when noises in the night hint at something malevolent. From there on out, Loner becomes a story of survival and finding oneself. I know what you are probably thinking and, yes, the concept is fairly familiar. It’s in the execution and character driven story that this movie really shines.

Loner strikes a deft balance between comedy, scares, and drama. Our protagonist, Angus (Charlie Robb), is a bit of a hapless fellow. He has grand aspirations of becoming a popular nature vlogger. But seems to lack the basic skills necessary for the task at hand. He’s clumsy, incapable of completing survival tasks, and pretty easily scared.

Comedy heavy horror fun

His attempts to thrive in the wild (Well, in the pretty damn kitted out glamping pod that is) are met with failure after failure. Angus takes it on the chin, though. He approaches every subsequent misstep with humour and self deprecation. Considering the fact that, for the majority of the film, this is a one man show. You might be surprised at how much you will laugh.

“Charlie Robb does a fantastic job in the lead role. Managing to make our protagonist relatable and easy to like. That’s important because we are going to be seeing a lot of him.”

Sure, there is a clear Ricky Gervais vibe to Angus that might put some people off. But Loner’s first forty minutes are punctuated by some legitimately great comedy character work. Charlie Robb does a fantastic job in the lead role. Managing to make our protagonist relatable and easy to like. That’s important because we are going to be seeing a lot of him.

When the scares kick in, they are exactly the type that you want to see from a found footage horror movie – minimalist. There’s no attempts to go overboard with the special effects, here. It is clear that our directorial duo (Charlie Robb and Douglas Tawn) understand the necessity to show restraint. Especially when it comes to the frights.

Don’t stretch your budget, don’t try to do too much, keep it feasible and to some extent unseen. Let the viewer’s mind fill in the gaps. There was one particular scene utilising the glamping pod’s roof and an unlocked door that I thought was absolutely fantastic. It’s a bit of a “hold your breath” sequence and I loved it.

The story has some vibes of The Ritual that I think a lot of people will enjoy. And much like The Ritual, Loner comes at you with some surprisingly touching story telling that is much deeper than you might expect.

It’s a study into male mental health and loneliness

Loner isn’t just a comedy horror movie. It’s also a study into the male loneliness epidemic and the subject of men’s mental health. The motivating factor for Angus heading into the woods is far deeper than you might expect.

I mean, naturally, he wants to make a career as a vlogger and gain a following. But his real reasons invite questions of how we, as men, handle mental health struggles. And, thanks to the isolation that can come as a by-product of toxic masculinity, who we can turn to in times of need.

“It’s also a study into the male loneliness epidemic and the subject of men’s mental health. The motivating factor for Angus heading into the woods is far deeper than you might expect.”

It actually gets quite touching at times and Robb manages a seemingly effortless flip from comedy to serious drama. The interesting thing about that is how there is always that underlying hint at something deeper. Even when the onscreen action is leaning into comedy or farce. It’s an impressively delicate balance that I think is handled incredibly well. Loner might just make you feel some stuff that you didn’t expect to feel.

There are a few minor issues

I’ve raved a lot, here. There are a few things that some may consider to be downsides that deserve a mention, though. Runtime is a bit on the long side. I think a few scenes could have been tightened up a bit to shave off ten minutes, or so. 100 minutes is a big ask, especially when it comes to found footage horror.

Loner does wear its inspirations on its sleeve on occasion. Some viewers with The Blair Witch Project related PTSD might find it a bit too familiar in parts.

I think the ending will leave a few people feeling a bit confused and, perhaps, even a little short-changed for their time investment. The humour is very British so take that as you will. If you aren’t a fan of found footage, this movie probably won’t change your mind. With that being said, I don’t think any of these issues are a good reason to avoid this movie. I seriously enjoyed it.

Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight

Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

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