The internet troll. The keyboard warrior. The caps lock commando. Whatever you call them, we’ve all encountered them. Maybe some of you reading this have done a little trolling yourself, but what is it that makes them tick? Do they really believe everything they write or are they just looking for a reaction? Norwegian photographer Kyrre Lien set out to investigate this ever-expanding community of extreme thinkers in his series The Internet Warriors.

Travelling across the globe for three years interviewing some of the most opinionated commenters he could find, Lien has created a short doc (the interviews have now been compiled into one 21-min film) that is as insightful as it is unsettling. 

Fuelled by research conducted by the Pew Research Centre, Lien’s interviews include a Muslim hating English man (with a Thai wife), a Russian woman frightened by “gay Europe’s” influence, a Pennsylvanian man preparing for Civil War if Hillary Clinton won the election and a Muslim feminist looking to balance all the online negativity towards Islam. They’re certainly a colourful bunch (although some of them certainly wouldn’t want to be described this way).

Documenting what’s often considered as an “ugly” subject, photographer Lien certainly didn’t let the unattractive nature of his film’s focus bleed over into the film’s aesthetic. With many of the establishing shots and interviews set-up like they could be portrait photographs, his experience behind the lens shines through making The Internet Warriors visuals as captivating as its content.

In general, the director does a great job of treating his subjects fairly sympathetically considering their unrestrained and often dangerous beliefs. Never does it feel as if Lien has set-up an interviewee for mockery or ridicule, instead his cinematic observational style (which at times reminded me of the work of Sean Dunne – among others) lets them do what they do best…share their opinions (whether you asked for them or not).

Let us know what you think of the film in the comments below – but be warned if your thoughts aren’t exactly the same as mine, I’ll be sure to let you know…IN ALL CAPS!!!!!!!