A bubbly content creator attracts a stalker in “The Influencer Project,” a found-footage horror movie that wants for both depth and dread. The movie supposes that Chiara King (playing a version of herself) has scored a sponsored trip to Copenhagen. A social media personality who specializes in haunted house videos, Chiara visits Danish sites and promotes brands, all the while escorted by a film crew documenting her travels.
The blandly agreeable mood turns ominous once Chiara starts receiving menacing messages from an account called King Slayer. As her trip wears on, the shadowy figure trails her around Copenhagen, sending surveillance photos and death threats.
Directed by Mike Nybroe, “The Influencer Project” reaches a genuine insight when it draws a parallel between Chiara’s harassment and her horror content niche, in which she livestreams from spooky buildings for entertainment. Firing back at King Slayer online, Chiara discovers that putting her fear and danger on display — be it real or simulated — is an efficient way to grow her following.
The movie pairs that revelation with thoughts on the exploitation of influencers for profit, and the point that people don’t have to be virtual to mask their true selves.
These are worthy ideas, but in their chaotic cascade, they feel muddled. Worse, “The Influencer Project” eventually devolves into a rote haunted house gauntlet, deploying Chiara to one spooky space after another and then inviting her to flee for her life. If the derivative quality of these scenes is meant as an additional comment on uninspired influencer content, kudos to the movie for making me never want to log on again.
The Influencer Project Rated R for online hostility, physical violence and suicide. Running time: 1 hour 35 minutes. In theaters.
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