Kurtis David Harder’s “Influencers” doesn’t just pick up where “Influencer” left off—it leaps forward, shifting the series’ tone from psychological unease to an exhilarating globe-trotting pursuit. The sequel moves away from the tight, claustrophobic tension of the first film, expanding its canvas to include locations such as Paris, the South of France, Bali, and Vancouver. Harder confidently embraces this bold shift.
The film opens with CW seemingly enjoying a fairytale vacation with her new girlfriend, Diane. With sun-kissed castles and charming French villages, everything feels a little too perfect, which is precisely the point. When an influencer named Charlotte enters the picture, CW’s jealousy ignites, and the peaceful façade begins to crumble. Harder captures these moments with the aesthetics of a travel advertisement, all while hinting at underlying turmoil.
Madison serves as the emotional anchor of the story. A year after being publicly labeled as the architect of the previous film’s horrors, she struggles to rebuild her life. Emily Tennant offers a deeper performance this time, imbuing Madison with a quiet strength that grounds the narrative. Her suspicion that CW might still be alive prompts her reluctant investigation, leading her to retrace the killer’s footsteps and re-enter a world she thought she had escaped.
The addition of Jacob, a pro-Trump streamer, and his girlfriend Ariana expands the film’s perspective. Their presence is anything but subtle, but subtlety is not Harder’s aim. They symbolize another facet of online influence—grifters and culture warriors who treat clout as currency. Their storyline adds an unexpected layer, revealing how the modern digital landscape has evolved since the original film’s release.
The sequel boldly engages with themes of AI and deepfakes, transforming CW—an identity thief by trade—into a character worried about losing her own image to emerging technology. This concept is one of the film’s most intriguing elements.
Not every twist is effective, and some narrative leaps may require the audience’s generosity. However, the film’s visual ambition, dark humor, and willingness to expand its mythology make *Influencers* a sequel with purpose. It does not rely on the success of the first film; instead, it ventures outward, experimenting with tone and scope while maintaining its critique of clout culture.
By the time Madison and CW finally confront each other again, the film truly earns its full-circle moment—and it leaves the door open for a potential follow-up that could explore even broader horizons.
Final Grade: B
“Influencers” is available to stream on Shudder today.
This week’s Second Listen Sunday pick takes us back to 2006 to revisit “So Amazin’,” the third album from Christina Milian. Arriving in stores on April 19 of that year, the project was produced largely by Cool & Dre, sans one song, and saw the singer earn writing credits on nine of the album’s songs.
For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I want to showcase love for Rahsaan Patterson and his album track “Can We Wait a Minute” from his self-titled debut album, released in 1997.
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I wanted to take a trip back to 2000 and show some love to the R&B duo K-Ci & JoJo and their third album, “X,” which was released in stores on December 5, just in time for a holiday stocking stuffer. Arguably, the group suffered from the sophomore slump with their second album, as only two singles were successful.