Blink Twice (2024) for Tense Thrills and Searing Social Commentary
Title: Blink Twice
First Non-Festival Release: August 21, 2024 (Theatrical Release)
Director: Zoë Kravitz
Writer: Zoë Kravitz, E.T. Feigenbaum
Runtime: 102 Minutes
Starring: Naomi Ackle, Channing Tatum, Alia Shawkat
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
When a celebrity does something bad, it’s easy for the collective consciousness of society to blink and miss it thanks to clever marketing and vigilant rebranding. Is it really fair to judge a person based on the words of another, especially when it seems like they’re doing so much good? Blink Twice explores the concept of justice in the internet age with its take on the effectiveness of cancel culture.
Frida (Naomi Ackle) and Jess (Alia Shawkat) are working as servers for a fancy catering company when they receive the offer of a lifetime from one of their clients. Troubled billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) offers them a chance to escape the mundane by flying to his private island for some relaxation. Harboring a long-time crush on Slater, Frida jumps at the chance, dragging Jess along. The trip starts out great until one day Jess disappears, leading Frida to uncover the terrifying secret behind the island paradise.
Decidedly dark and topical, Blink Twice is a searing indictment on the abuse of power women face in society.
Unfurling the mystery slowly, Blink Twice ensures the audience remains in the dark as Frida while foreshadowing plenty of the twisted events that take place on the far-off island. The whirlwind of hard drugs, good food, and better company sweep Frida and Jess off their feet. Who wouldn’t fall in love with a place like this? Unfortunately, the memory lapses of their late-night rituals and mysterious bruises escapes them. These clues, and other well placed Easter eggs, hint that there is something far more nefarious happening than a couple of bad trips, especially as the days blur together and their return trip home is never solidified.
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Taking on the culture of male entitlement surrounding women, Blink Twice dissects the insidious nature of sexual misconduct and how it festers in these sorts of environments. In a boy’s only space, plenty of different archetypes emerge among men who refuse to stand up for women. Sleazy sycophants who cling to those more connected than them and then flaunt it, failures in their own right desperately trying to cling to relevance and gain power at any cost, and even easily susceptible younger men who get in over their head and choose to do harm anyway are among the few that find themselves fully participating in Slater King’s island of horrors. The point isn’t to draw parallels to any specific man but to show how varying shades of awful can all be guilty of the same thing. In fact, their complicity makes them guilty no matter how far they have partaken in the rape and hypnotism of these women.
Thankfully, the focus isn’t entirely on just the pitfalls of male complicity but also on the positives of female camaraderie. Once Frida has woken up to the horrors of the island and understands how to do the same for others, she hatches a plan to get the remaining women on her side. By looking out for each other, the women are effectively helping themselves too. Any one of them going up against the island bros would fail due to sheer numbers alone. Together, they invite a chance. This celebration of working together and looking out for one another is similar to how Kravitz posits women can do the same in the real world.
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Featuring an excellent ensemble cast, Blink Twice comes to life thanks to its incredible performers. Leading actors Naomi Ackle and Channing Tatum play their respective roles beautifully. Ackle shines onscreen as the bright-eyed heroine who is horrified to learn the secret behind her celebrity crush. The subtle nuances Ackle implements in her face and voice to not let on showcases how in touch she is with her character. Tatum is quite the opposite. Playing straight until the curtains reveal his truth, his successful entrepreneur facade crumbles under the weight of his truth: that he is a traumatized yet incredibly more-so traumatizing person. The rest of the cast, Haley Joel Osment, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, and Levon Hawke are especially adept as the bumbling yet committed groupies of Slater. Adria Arjona meets Ackle’s energy, as does Alia Shawkat in her limited screentime. Liz Caribel and Trew Mullen do well in their small, comedic supporting roles, giving levity in appropriate moments.
A hard but necessary watch for many, Blink Twice is a daring and confident debut from Zoë Kravitz. Stylish, fast-paced, and altogether captivating, Blink Twice balances necessary social commentary with A-tier thrills. Its excellent cast and beautiful set allow the horrors of paradise to settle in plenty of unnerving ways. Ackle and Tatum steal the show with their stunning performances giving credence to the cunning nature of both their characters. Make sure you Blink Twice and never forget this dangerous firestarter of a film.
Overall Score? 8/10
