Influencers (dir. Kurtis David Harder)

By: Dave Hughes

One of the most surprising horror successes in recent years was 2022’s Influencer. That film followed CW, a chillingly composed sociopath who targeted online personalities and made them confront the vapidity of their appearance. Director Kurtis David Harder’s Influencer was dark, brutal, surprisingly entertaining, and anchored by a script that kept the audience guessing around every turn. Cassandra Naud and Emily Tennant reprise their lead roles alongside Director Harder in Influencers, a sequel that expands the original world and poses the cynical question: is authenticity utterly dead in a culture obsessed with superficial affirmation and approval?

Influencers drops the audience back into CW’s world, where she appears to have settled into a relationship with Diane,a woman who wants nothing to do with social media or its hollow culture. She has survived the events of the first film and seems to have stabilized a bit. CW seems content on the surface, but the audience can sense the darkness that still simmers beneath her calm exterior. During a weekend getaway, CW  crosses paths with a social media influencer played by Georgina Campbell (Barbarian, Black Mirror). The encounter disrupts the fragile peace CW has built and forces her to confront the impulses she tried to bury. As her resentment toward Charlotte grows, those old demons resurface, and the slide back into CW’s violent worldview begins.

What makes Influencers work is how sharply Kurtis David Harder writes the script. Much like the first film, this sequel keeps the audience on their toes about where the story is headed and which turn will land next. The two central women at the core of the film are especially compelling, each written with enough depth that it is easy to understand why viewers might root for both of them. Crucially, the script takes characters established in the first film and still makes them relevant and important while giving additional information about their background. The new supporting characters are also complex reflections of the technology-driven climate, adding to the intrigue of this story.

Naud reprises her role of CW with a performance that is sure to captivate the audience, and she brings such nuance to the character that her charm can almost make one forget the violence and brutality hiding underneath. Another standout is Emily Tennant(Influencer, The Wish Swap) returning as Madison who survived the events of the first film but came out forever changed. 

Influencers has a mystery at its core that connects directly to the events of the first film. It lingers throughout the sequel, keeping the audience slightly off balance and never receives a clear resolution. Theories exist about what could have happened but nothing firm. Other viewers will enjoy the lack of a clear answer, as it creates a high rewatch value. These viewers will want to watch the film multiple times, looking for small clues to try and piece together what really unfolded after the first film concluded.

The film also takes full advantage of its gorgeous locations in Bali and the countryside of France, using picturesque settings to create a striking contrast to the darkness within the story. Much like curated online images, the film’s stunning settings hide a reality that is far darker than they first appear, showing that even the most beautiful places can conceal a dangerous undercurrent.

Target Score: 8/10 Influencers builds on what made the original film successful while expanding its world in stronger, more confident ways. The cast is engaging across the board and the script keeps the audience on edge, always expecting the unexpected.