Lately, it has become a cliché for indie horror films to revolve around social media influencers. *Deadstream*, *#AMFAD: All My Friends Are Dead*, *A Breed Apart*, and the aptly titled *Influencer* are just a few examples. More often than not, these films fall flat because they lack a message beyond pointing out the obvious: that some people will do crazy things just to get clicks.
*The Influencer Project* is different. Real-life influencer Chiara King plays a fictionalized version of herself. She possesses the ego typical of someone with millions of followers interested in her every daily move. Chiara is paid to travel to Copenhagen and create ten posts promoting tourism in the country; a documentary crew accompanies her. Shortly after arriving, she begins receiving unsettling direct messages from a stranger calling himself "King Slayer." His messages threaten to kill her if she doesn't "stop talking." At first, she and her team dismiss it as nonsense, but King Slayer makes it clear that he is stalking her wherever she goes.
Director: Mike Nybroe
Writers: Anders Jon, Mike Nybroe, Lars Andreas Pedersen
Stars: Gemma Karlsen, Eos Karlsson, Chiara King
That is the hook that makes *The Influencer Project* work. The film flips the basic premise of social media influencing—the desire to attract as much attention as possible—on its head. By being so exposed online, Chiara becomes an easy target. She documents her every move herself, allowing King Slayer to stalk her with ease. Director Mike Nybroe—who also plays the documentary director—capitalizes on the dangers of living like an open book online before an audience of total strangers.
The tension builds around this concept; the best example is an almost Hitchcockian scene in which King Slayer starts a live stream of Chiara while she is in a public place, implying that he is nearby. She discovers the live stream and suffers a panic attack, while the documentary crew desperately tries to pinpoint the subject's filming location. It is a superbly staged sequence. Another tense scene shows Chiara reviewing the footage shot by the crew, hoping to catch an image of her stalker at the very moment he was taking a photo of her.
In its final act, the film shifts toward more conventional horror: a bloody confrontation featuring jump scares and shocking plot twists. Although somewhat implausible, the beauty of the genre lies precisely in its ability to bend reality. Moreover, the film’s concept is highly inventive, allowing the story to reach a powerful conclusion. The ending offers a fresh twist on the idea of social media being used as a weapon.
Chiara King brings authenticity to her role, lending the film a crucial sense of realism. Meanwhile, King Slayer—with his unsettling mask—is truly terrifying. They make a compelling duo. *The Influencer Project* is impeccably crafted, maintains suspense throughout, and is smarter than one might expect.
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