Influencer (18)

Dir: Kurtis David Harder

The social media thriller is well structured but does not get the most out if its smart and original premise.

The latest ‘Shudder Original’ release asks the question – do you know who follows you on social media? In a world where celebrities and influencers can reach millions of people at the push of a button, it is impossible to know.

There have been a handful of horror movies that have dealt with the power of social media, covering the flaws that these platforms possess. Examples include the paranormal found footage Unfriended (2014), which has a central theme of cyber-bullying, and Spree (2020) which touched upon the extremes people go to in order to become viral. Influencer plays out more of a thriller than a horror, although to those who are social influencers, I am sure the premise here is terrifying.

The film opens up with an over-head shot of a secluded beach, as the camera slowly pushes in, we start to see a body, face down, completely motionless. We then jump back a few weeks and this is when we first meet our titular influencer Madison (Emily Tennant). She is on holiday in the picturesque setting of Thailand, where she is capturing every waking moment for her large online audience. In order to keep her follower count high, she is acting as if she is having the time of her life. In reality, she is lonely and frustrated after her boyfriend Ryan (Rory J. Saper) bailed on the holiday at the last minute.

She spends her time alone around the luxurious resort, taking pictures by the pool, having drinks and of her food, without seeming to enjoy any second of the time she is there. While alone at the bar she is approached by your stereotypical movie creep – a fat, middle-aged, wealthy man. He offers to show her around the island since they are both travelling alone, the prospect of which clearly makes Madison look uncomfortable. She is saved however, by CW, another solo traveller, played here by Cassandra Naud, who is the standout of the relatively unknown cast.

Madison becomes friends with CW, who shows her around the island and even lets Madison stay at her house after Madison’s passport and belongings are stolen from her room. This is where things start to take a dark turn as the film’s premise is set up and we get our opening credits – 27 minutes in to its 90 minute run time.

Although there is nothing overly shocking that follows, in a way that may disappoint those looking for big twists or acts of violence, the film still keeps you engaged and has some good high-tension moments.

The film plays out in three distinct acts, all of which are brought together by Cassandra Naud’s character. There are themes present in the film to do with the power social media possesses and the vulnerability that can bring when used against you. The film also touches on unsightly truths around relationships and friendships in the modern digital age. It explores how people can say one thing over social media, then say something completely different in person. These themes do not quite manage to poke through the film’s surface however, making it feel thin in its exploration of the central themes.

We also do not get enough from our core cast, they all do their part on screen with some solid but not outstanding performances, but there is very little in terms of their character or motivation once the film hits the second act.

All being said, it is a relatively thrilling, low-budget horror with some decent performances and is a vast improvement from the last film Harder directed which was the very poor Saw spin-off Spiral. However, Influencer will ultimately leave you wanting more.

Influencer is available to stream on Shudder.