Many nods go out to Zoë Kravitz for her writing and directorial debut on the big screen. She has been a well-known actress in major films like The Batmanand Mad Max: Fury Road. The grittiness of this film was inspired by the aforementioned films, more so from Mad Max: Fury Road. Blink Twice was some kind of hybrid part of so many films, some Saltburn, Knives Out 2and Mad Max: Fury Road, to name a few. However, its themes mimicked some real-world problems.
Sparks fly when tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) at his fundraising gala. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun-soaked days, and everyone has a great time. Nobody wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. Something is wrong with this place. It is up to her to uncover the sinister secrets that transcend belief and reality.
“Blink Twice’s score was memorable, very much on the level of Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things.”
The story was paced consistently without spoiling too much, adding slow beats to break up the rush or suspense momentarily. The symbolism was really cool the deeper someone thinks about it. Blink Twice played with some irony because there are little hints specifying that the things that could be harmful are actually safer than the things that would seem obviously safe. This had to be a credit to Kravitz’s abstract vision of toxic relationships.
Blink Twice’s score was memorable, very much on the level of Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things. It contained surrealist vibes, almost playful and ominous, like the opening theme of HBO’s The White Lotus. Every detail amplified this feeling for a movie that played on its hallucinatory trip. Warning: Do not watch this movie drunk or high! The number of flashing lights from the old-style Polaroid was jarringly glaring, forcing audiences to blink.
The cinematography was special too; most of the movie has tight or close-up shots. This added to the claustrophobic feeling, especially as the protagonist begins to feel more uneasy. The faces of the island staff smiling and staring without saying anything was like something out of Jordan Peele’s Get Out.
The set decoration and production were smartly crafted, stressing the allure of the colour red like it was pointing out literal red flags. The costuming mirrored the same vibesand reminded me of all the women inMad Max: Fury Roadwho were forced to wear all-white—I’m not sure if that was meant as a symbol of subserviency in that film. The all-white clothes inBlink Twicewere very symbolic of their ability to be both patriarchal and a symbol of unity for women.
Most importantly, the acting from the cast was superb across the board. Some of them could have gone overboard and become psychotic, but maybe they had to rein it in enough for the leads to shine. With a fairly stacked cast, this ensemble was sharp and witty for its 1 hour and 42 minutes of runtime. Scenes linger for dramatic effect, with nail-biting intention—at most, maybe three minutes’ worth of slow pan-out shots could have been cut.
Tatum continues to make a name for himself this year. From being a NASA director in Fly Me to the Moon, donning the iconic Cajun-accented Marvel mutant Remy LeBeau “le diable blanc,” aka The Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine, to the charming tech billionaire Slater. He understood his character’s objective, which was done fairly well for the plot. However, lead actress Ackie shone brighter by selling the scares and psychedelic feelings throughout the movie.
“Thematically, Blink Twice was surprisingly a female empowerment film by the time the credits rolled.”
It was a rare occurrence to see Simon Rex and Christian Slater of late, which could be their return to the big screen. They were not playing any over-the-top versions of themselves. The standout of the supporting cast was Adria Arjona’s Sarah. She was just a standout character as Ackie, who has seen the lows ofMorbiusandFather of the Bridebut landed great roles on theStar WarsseriesAndorand Netflix’sHit Man. In the back half ofBlink Twice,every time Arjona opens her mouth, adding so much tension to the scenes.
Thematically, Blink Twice was surprisingly a female empowerment film by the time the credits rolled. The movie could have cut out the final scene because it really emphasized the theme and appeared to drive home the power of females. This is a great thing in media and for audiences, but the storyline felt cheapened for it. Where the protagonist ended up by the end of the film was enough for audiences to connect the dots and the general overarching story was wrapped up, for the most part.
Blink Twice landed its dark comedy and thrilling elements; it was a breath of fresh air for the genre. While it was trying a little hard to be on the level of Get Out, it fell a little short of the movie’s gimmick. It was great for implementing important feminist elements like those in Barbie with a backdrop similar to Ready or Not. Kravitz delivered a visually trippy and menacing environment that reeked of Epstein Island. This one will keep audiences sweating beads on their foreheads, send chills up everyone’s bones, and leave their minds completely effed up.
