Influencers Review: Double-Tap to Murder

If you haven’t seen 2022’s Influencer, you’re missing one of the better under-the-radar gems to hit Shudder in recent years. You’re also going to accept a certain amount of unavoidable spoilers if you continue reading. Released with little fanfare but strong word of mouth, co-writer/director Kurtis David Harder‘s thriller about social media, identity theft, and murder in Thailand became a go-to recommendation for anyone who likes modern twists they can’t see coming from three turns away. That it spawned a sequel at all speaks to its cult success—indie horror at this budget level rarely gets a second chapter. That the sequel is actually good? That’s the real surprise.

Have you made your decision about those spoilers I was talking about? (Or come back after watching Influencer?)

OK…here we go!

Influencers finds CW (Cassandra Naud, It’s a Wonderful Knife) living a seemingly idyllic life in the sun-drenched countryside of Southern France with her girlfriend Diane (Lisa Delamar). They’re celebrating their anniversary when they cross paths with Charlotte (Georgina Campbell, Barbarian), a bold British influencer whose curiosity quickly turns intrusive. When CW acts on a violent impulse, the consequences spiral, and Diane begins to suspect that her partner is hiding something dark. Complicating matters further is an old friend from the past who proves just as savvy about the dark side of the internet—having learned from the best.

Harder’s first film took a sharp skewer to influencer culture without being vicious or obvious about it. For the sequel, he turns the tables to reflect on cancel culture and how fame doesn’t guarantee loyalty or authority. It’s a smart evolution that keeps the franchise from repeating itself while deepening its themes about curated personas and digital deception.

The performances remain right on the money, playing just this side of campy fun. Naud slips back into CW like a sleek jacket, parading around gorgeous locales with the same unpredictable energy that made her so watchable the first time. There’s something oddly rootable about her despite—or maybe because of—all the terrible things she does. I loved where Hardertakes Madison (Emily Tennant) in this chapter. She played the Janet Leigh-ish role in the original—our predicted lead who became a victim before surging back for that satisfying finale. Stranding CW on the island felt victorious, but it left Madison with no corroborating witness, so she was written off as staging the whole thing for followers. Now she’s out to avenge her status, but to do that, she needs to find CW.

Campbell makes a worthy adversary as the influencer who threatens to upend CW’s carefully constructed new life. Jonathan Whitesell (Bad Times at the El Royale) and Veronica Long also make an impression as an influencer couple who have the misfortune of crossing paths with both CW and Madison—caught in the crossfire of two predators circling the same territory. But it’s Delamar who emerges as the smart casting choice here; she’s a perfect match for Naud, and watching the electricity between them crackle as Diane grows suspicious is half the fun.

Harder and cinematographer David Schuurman make the most of their locations, filming across Bali, Canada, and France to create the kind of escapist visuals that feel especially welcome during winter months. The beaches are gorgeous, the villas are envy-inducing, and the whole thing plays like a page-turning beach read come to life—which is exactly what the first film offered too. Like the original, the score from Avery Kentis adds the right vibe whether the film is planting its tongue firmly in its cheek or locking into a violent streak. ‘Bullitt,’ that earworm of a track from Elephanz, returns, and once again Harder plays around with the timing of his opening credits beautifully.

If there’s a weakness, it’s the finale. The original stuck its landing with a twist that felt predestined in hindsight but shocking in the moment. This one doesn’t quite find the same satisfaction in its conclusion, though Harder leaves enough threads dangling to suggest that as technology continues to evolve, so might this series. I hope it does.

If you liked the first Influencer, you’ll find plenty to enjoy here. I watched them back to back and they play beautifully as a double feature of betrayal under the sun. Just maybe don’t befriend anyone too charming on your next vacation.