Die Influencers Die is a metal fueled gore-fest that makes a statement about social media. It shows manipulation in an industry that reveres influence and reach rather than actual talent and the emphasis placed on how many followers you have. A dark concept that is topical and true presented in a blood-soaked, metal-wrapped package.

Die Influencers Die takes on a “Dark Mirror Vibe” by featuring social media stars and their rise to fame, and in the process commenting on the societal hazards of influencers. The spoofing nature of the film takes the stereotypical influencer types and places them in the middle of content creation gone wrong. Believing the advice, “If you don’t have a lot of followers, you’re nothing…if you don’t have at least half a million followers you won’t get gigs”, the fame chasers we see push themselves to dangerous extremes for the almighty “like and subscribe”. As these influencers explore an old movie studio at the request of the supreme influencer Stue Harrington (Frankie Pozos as Frankie Rivers), they encounter the bloodthirsty model-turned-murderous-clown Moxie (Tabitha Stevens) as she is guided by the otherworldly psychopomp Luciferous (Lizzy Borden). 

The entire movie rocks an 80’s metal exploitation vibe and I love it. Thrash metal and death metal fans will be pleased to see the likes of Lizzy Borden, The Black Dahlia Murder, and Allegaeon appear on the soundtrack. The fast-paced chaotic music adds to the violent and chaotic scenes…especially the death scenes. Not for the faint of heart, but definitely for the fans of goopy gore. It doesn’t get any more metal than ripping someone apart with your bare hands…and we see this several times in the film.

Die Influencers Die has strong points, but it is not without flaws. The storyline itself lacked some clarity and strength, leaving me to fill in some character details and stories that would have been great to see on the screen. Moxie was a killer (literally), her carnivorous clown was a pleasure to watch and while I am sure this was intentional, her lack of dialogue was a little disappointing. I would have loved some cheesy violent one-liners. I mean…this is an exploitation film after all so it almost feels like a requirement. Luciferous’s makeup fits the overall feel of the film, but it felt a little under-done. Like a less intense Eric-Draven a la The Crow. With such a deliciously creepy and otherworldly character it might have been nice to see something a little more supernatural and a little less Hot Topic. 

The film ends on an odd note. Don’t misunderstand me here…the concept was GREAT and the statement being made acts as a great close to the ongoing commentary about social media influence. The execution of the concept was shaky and didn’t make enough sense, which meant that it didn’t pack the punch that I know it could have

Overall the film was very visually engaging and anyone who is a fan of exploitation, gore, topical spoofs, and metal should give this movie a go. Be prepared to suspend some disbelief, accept some oddities and cheesiness, and fill in some blanks. As long as you are ready to do that, you’ll get a kick out of Die Influencers Die. The film is available now on Video on Demand streaming platforms. 

6 out of 10