Influencer review.
A top shelf antagonist highlights a very good thriller. Shudder breaks back into the win column with Influencer.
New movie reviews will not contain spoilers.
Influencer
Directed by Kurtis David Harder
Written by Tesh Guttikonda and Kurtis David Harder
Starring Cassandra Naud, Sara Canning, Emily Tennant, Rory J Saper, Paul Spurrier and Justin Sams
Influencer Review
I don’t know how many times I have to say it…don’t make new friends as an adult. Speak No Evil recently went out of its way to teach this lesson. Influencer is here to remind you. It may be because I almost only watch horror movies…but I’m pretty certain that any adult trying to become your friend wants you dead and will go to great lengths to make it happen. Adults need to believe their children when they tell them something is under the bed and stop going out for drinks with the person you just met who seems nice enough. No good can come from it.
Not making new friends as an adult is the main thing you should take away from this review of Influencer…but it isn’t the only lesson that can be learned. Like last year’s great Shudder release Sissy, Influencer touches a bit on the phoniness of internet personalities. While the examination of the fake influencer persona is presented right from the start…it actually has something even more interesting to say about that by the end. It’s an aspect we can’t dive into in a non-spoiler review…but Influencer takes the concept not knowing the real person behind the picture in an exciting direction. It recognizes that it works in more ways than simply “life isn’t as happy and perfect as they present it”.
That aspect of Influencer plays out in the background. The focus of the film is on its antagonist. The movie delivers us into their lap in an interesting narrative way. We begin by following Madison (Emily Tennant) as she crafts her internet story while in Thailand. Her boyfriend has blown off the trip and Madison is, as expected, not the ultra-positive and happy person that she presents online. Enter CW (Cassandra Naud), the stranger who seems nice enough and offers to show Madison around.
About twenty minutes into Influencer, I noted how quickly the story was progressing. Madison’s entire backstory and character have been laid out. CW has been introduced; their friendship forged. There was a storyline reason explaining why Madison hasn’t left Thailand (missing passport…seen as recently as Infinity Pool). 26 minutes into Influencer I understood why things were moving so fast. Madison isn’t the lead of the movie. CW is.
CW takes Madison to a remote, lifeless island…and leaves her there to die. Then the opening credits roll. It’s a cool idea. Everything we’ve watched has been a prologue. The real movie was about to begin. Influencer pulls a clever narrative trick by switching perspectives to CW. It allows us to see what happens to Madison…and then, when CW chooses her next target, allows us to see how she operates. CW, of course, stole the passport. If there was any doubt, we see her do the same to Jessica (Sara Canning). We are on the other side of the grift now.
Before diving into Jessica’s life…we see CW take over Madison’s fake online persona for a bit. This keeps Madison “alive” and gives loved one’s an explanation as to why she hasn’t returned home. Stealing the identity also allows CW to access her finances and swipe a bundle. Then we’re on to the next mark. CW is so polished and practiced at this con. She does horrible things without batting an eye…with almost no resistance. That is until Madison’s boyfriend comes to Thailand to surprise her. The unexpected arrival complicates things for CW and puts viewers into an interesting position. We aren’t rooting for CW…but the tension of the film is whether she will get caught.
It all works because Cassandra Naud is such a compelling villain. Her CW is charismatic and charming. Instantly likable and relatable. She’s also a cold-blooded monster. Before the opening credits she blankly and emotionlessly tells Madison what she is going to do to her. Madison laughs it off as a scary campfire story. I’d imagine she wasn’t laughing when she woke up the next morning. The point was that CW didn’t care if Madison believed her. Because she was in full control. During her attempt to infiltrate Jessica’s life the way she had Madison’s…CW’s control is what is threatened. And Influencer becomes a lot of fun.
Scare Value
Influencer gives us a fascinating villain and then wisely sets all of our focus on her. Cassandra Naud runs the show as CW. Influencer provides an antagonist that you love to hate. We follow this antagonist due to Influencer’s creative narrative choices. It has an interesting comment on the final girl as well…but that’s a story for another time. Perhaps…Scare Value Awards time.
3.5/5
Influencer Link
Streaming on Shudder
Influencer Trailer
If you enjoyed this review of Influencer, check out Bride of the Killer Pinata
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