Loner: Underseen and Understated

Kathryn joins Melvin to discuss Loner, an underseen in-world/found-footage, semi-horror, semi-drama film! Loner has more than its gorgeous setting to offer, from it’s slow, contemplative pace to its curiously complex main character, and the two get into that and more in this episode. Tune in now! 

Topics:

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 21-minutes discussing Supergirl’s shockingly terrible opening box-office numbers, if the age of the Spielberg/Lucas-esque adventure blockbuster is over, and the ever-changing landscape of entertainment in 2026. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
• First things first, Loner is more than the average “man lost in woods with camera” movie; the cinematography looks beautiful.
• Wishing there was more horror in this horror movie, but accepting it as the horror-lite psychological drama that it is.
• Melvin confesses that his general bitterness toward “male loneliness epidemic” characters prevented him from enjoying the film as much as he could have, and also finds it convicting.
• Kathryn observed a dichotomy between fantasy and truth, and explores how the film portrayed these things.
• Melvin, however, approaches it a little differently. He compares the film’s portrayal of technology against nature, and how that’s explored through manhood; or patriarchy.
• Melvin, “No person has lived well alone.”
• The ending leaves Melvin a little confused. For Kathryn, the ending seems clearer, albeit still a little strange.
• Did Angus learn the right lesson at the end?

Recommendations:

• Afflicted (2013) (Movie)
• Go To Sleep (2026) (Movie)

Loner is Not Rated. It features Charlie Robb and Kat Johns-Burke. Directed by Charlie Robb and Douglas Tawn. Loner is available here.

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Melvin Benson is the Founder, Editor-In-Chief, and Lead Host of Cinematic Doctrine. Whether it’s a movie, show, game, comic, or novel, it doesn’t matter. As long as it’s rich, he’s ready and willing to give it a try! His hope is to see King Jesus glorified as far as the east is from the west!

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