INFLUENCERS: A Slick, Sinister Take on Digital Obsession

If you think influencers irritate you, just wait until you see what CW thinks of them.

The 2022 horror thriller Influencer perfectly captured the terrors of the online world while cleverly satirizing the content creator experience. It served as a cautionary tale on the dangers of sharing too much on social media—especially if you attract the wrong follower.

Well, the elusive anti-influencer is back in writer and director Kurtis David Harder‘s sequel, Influencers. Once again, a film that exposes the darkest aspects of digital life, including the envy and hatred it can bring out in people.

Influencers picks up a year or so after the events of the first film, where CW (Cassandra Naud) seems to be living happily with her girlfriend, Diane. The two decide to have a romantic getaway in France to celebrate their anniversary, but when they arrive at their beautiful hotel, the suite CW booked has been given to an influencer.

The couple soon meets said influencer, a woman named Charlotte (Georgina Campbell). She’s very friendly but also somewhat insufferable. Which CW already can’t stand. But when Charlotte begins inserting herself in the couple’s plans, it drives CW back into her old ways.

It’s another fun commentary on influencer life, something writer-director Harder has quite the knack for. This time, the film goes beyond the typical lifestyle creators to take a stab at podcasters and livestreamers. And it doesn’t hold back on mocking the digital personas of today for a story that feels over-the-top yet grounded.

Obviously, the online space has evolved so much since the first film in just a few years, so I loved seeing where Harder directed his focus. Even beyond this sequel, I think there’s so much that can be explored with the various types of “influencers”—even what developments are made in technology—that give this series so much staying power.

Adding to that staying power is how the film restructures itself to not follow the same formula as its predecessor, delivering some unexpected surprises along the way. If you watched the trailer, much of what transpires in this film is kept a mystery, which makes it a really engaging follow-up, as you won’t see what’s coming next. And it also serves as a wonderful continuation of CW’s story, while nicely tying up lose ends from the previous film.

The one thing I was left desiring out of the first film was just a touch more insight into her background. I’m happy with Harder’s decision to show CW in a new light. We’re given more of an idea of who she is, without ruining that air of mystery that makes her a compelling and frightening villain.

There are subtle mentions of her past, but I think we learn most from her relationship with Diane. Which I feel tells us more than if we had seen flashbacks. The film definitely humanizes her more, though not in a way that makes you empathetic to her, but adds a level of nuance to the character that I certainly did not expect.

And it’s also in those moments with CW and Diane that I think the film really impresses with its visual style. The first film certainly had its share of stunning views simply by taking place in Thailand. But I think cinematographer David Schuurman really steps things up for this sequel. There’s one sequence in particular that is filmed and edited quite beautifully; it captivates you. A totally unexpected moment that takes you out of the horrors transpiring to evoke a different feeling for viewers before snapping you back into the chaos.

Influencers does an excellent job of dissecting the culture, playfully mocking a generation of sometimes unbearable folks. It’s not afraid to be a bit outlandish, with the series feeling like a throwback 90s thriller in the best of ways. And it also helps that Naud makes for the perfect love-to-hate villain. She feels so confident in her role as CW and seems even more unrestrained in her performance this time around.

With the series only getting better with each installment, followers should certainly stay subscribed for more tales of influencer vengeance.

You can stream Influencers is currently streaming on Shudder