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.
My introduction to Nate Dogg goes back to Dr. Dre’s 1992 debut, The Chronic, and the song “Deeez Nuuuts.” Even then, something about Nate’s voice set him apart from everybody else. He wasn’t just singing on rap records. He was bringing soul, gospel, street knowledge, and West Coast cool into the same space. He set the standard for hook singers in hip-hop, and dare I say, he’s still vastly underrated.
For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to give Stevie Wonder his due as he prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his masterpiece, “Songs in the Key of Life,” on tour. While the easy choice could have been “Knocks Me Off My Feet”—a classic that still resonates fifty years later—I chose “From the Bottom of My Heart,” the second single from his twenty-third studio album, “A Time to Love,” released in 2005.
It’s hard to believe that an iconic singing competition like American Idol has produced only two Black male winners in its more than two-and-a-half-decade history. Jamal Roberts made history last year when he won the show, following Ruben Studdard’s well-deserved victory in Season Two.