"Influencers" not only tops its predecessor; it sets up an even bigger finale in a potential trilogy concluding chapter (fingers crossed)

 

As engrossing and original as 2022's thriller Influencer was, this sequel - which not only adds an extra S at the end of the title - surpasses it in tension and body count (to say nothing of the blood soaked finale). Back is the mysterious Catherine Weaver (Cassandra Naud), a sociopath who steals identities of famous influencers and monetizes off their accounts. To say the story is of a timely nature is an understatement; to state that it's as exciting as any thriller in 2025 is just as accurate.

Writer/director Kurtis David Harder once again takes us across glorious global attractions (France and Bali), and incorporates the modern social media obsession to an exciting effect. Catherine isn't just a bad guy with highly questionable morals: she is also, in a way, someone whose life most of us would like to live, if only we dared to turn off our conscience and morality meter from time to time. 

The final act in Influencers, staged at a luxurious house with a glossy swimming pool, surpassed even my wildest expectations. Hopefully it is a set up for a yet another chapter to encapsulate this engrossing trilogy. I, for one, can not wait.

☆☆☆1/2