'Blink Twice' Review: A Cunning Channing Tatum Shines in First-Time Director Zoë Kravitz’s Stylish Debut
See High Fidelity (the Hulu show) fans? There was finally a silver lining: Zoë Kravitz met writer E.T Feigenbaum and worked on a feature screenplay for her first directorial debut together.
Photos courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios.
R: Strong violent content, sexual assault, drug use and language throughout, and some sexual references
Runtime: 1 Hr and 43 Minutes
Production Companies: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Free Association, this is important, Bold Choices
Distributor: Amazon MGM Studios
Director: Zoë Kravitz
Writer: Zoë Kravitz, E.T. Feigenbaum
Cast: Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Kyle MacLachlan, Haley Joel Osment, Geena Davis, Alia Shawkat
Release Date: August 22, 2024
Aspiring nail stylist Frida (Naomi Ackie) is a fangirl, if not a simp, for controversial tech mogul billionaire, Slater King (Channing Tatum). At a fundraising party where she's working as a cocktail waitress alongside her best friend and roommate Jess (Alia Shawkat), she takes advantage of the opportunity to shoot her shot with King. Frida, lacking any luster and completely clumsy – like a Disney sitcom protagonist – frequently makes a fool of herself. However, it works out, as King is so enamored with her that he extends an invitation to join him and his crew – chef best friend Cody (Simon Rex), photographer right-hand man Vic (Christian Slater), crypto entrepreneur Lucas (Levon Hawke), Tom (Haley Joel Osment), competition reality star Sarah (Adria Arjona), assistant Stacy (Geena Davis), and yes-girls Heather (Trew Mullen) and Camilla (Liz Caribel) – on his remote island for a vacation. At first, it seems like a dream come true with everyone engaging in frivolous activities. However, as the days begin to overlap and Frida finds herself unable to recall certain events, she must unravel the mystery surrounding this perilous island and devise an escape plan.
Blink Twice is the latest thriller focusing on upper-class people on a remote island in recent memory, following Triangle of Sadness, The Menu, and Glass Onion – meaning we already know bad vibes and a dour mystery are afoot the moment we set foot on the island. Frida's desire to be part of King’s world by any means necessary is one of the major distinctions that sets Blink Twice apart from the rest of the recent, similar fare. She’s vocal about wanting a taste of success while having goo-goo eyes for Slater King. She reeks of "I can fix him" despite his polarizing actions. She's like one of those Chris Brown or Johnny Depp fans who simply don't care about their abuse of power, as long as they get their time to smash. Naomi Ackie renders Frida well by essentially having no game. She's a smitten, awkward fool around King, stumbling over her feet and throwing whatever morals she has out the window just to have a moment in his spotlight. Even when shit begins to hit the fan, Frida keeps her cards and motives close, earning some of the big swings during its final reel.
In her first showcase as a filmmaker, Zoë Kravitz succeeds in building a slow-burning, unsettling atmosphere while balancing a darkly comedic, relentlessly funny backbone. Her lens captures a disorienting fever dream dysphoria that stings at the back of your mind while the scenery is sunkissed with toxic positivity. Slater King's constant check-ins with his guests, asking "Are you having a good time?" at any given moment, along with his friends' one-note jubilant personalities add to the discomfort. That notion is furthered by rhythmic, fast-paced editing. Kravitz puts you in the dark with Frida, as she often awakes with alarming bruises and markings. Even the "blink or you'll miss it" title card drop adds to the flair.
When the film reveals its true intentions as a feminist rage piece, there’s a great revelation reaction moment. It's the perfect combination of dark comedic tone and fucked-up themes. The script takes a clever subversive approach, while also propping up Adria Arjona to a significant role, providing another impressive performance by the actress. With Blink Twice and Richard Linklater's Hit Man, 2024 is Arjona's Big Brat Summer. She showcases her excellent skill set with vibrancy and fierceness in every movie she’s been in. Put her in all the movies!
The film's most significant strength is the effortlessly charming Channing Tatum in the most diabolical role of his whole career. It's like Kravitz was leaving her mark, revealing a sinister side of him we've never witnessed before while saying, “That’s my man. That’s my man. Nobody gonna get my man ‘cause that’s my man.” He’s the primary source of discomfort, akin to a cult leader. He captivates us with his hypnotic charm, only to utilize it for a terrifying display he pulls off so well. Plus, as always, Mr. WooImBouttaMakeANameForMyself is hilarious, even at his most evil.
Blink Twice devotes considerable time to establishing numerous factors that contribute to its mystery. However, its major revelations bring the subtext of its original title (which I will not reveal) into plain text, and the film falls apart. Writers E.T. Feigenbaum and Kravitz attempt to start a conversation regarding trauma and its link to memory, while also juggling the sins of men and their hollow apologies in a post #MeToo era. When the two themes are forced to align, it results in an unsatisfactory and chaotic conclusion. Some of the symbolism amounts to nothing meaningful. Feigenbaum and Kravitz bite off more than they can chew with some convoluted "gotcha" details to Frida and Slater's dynamic.
Blink Twice has a strong supporting cast of character actors who are swept under the rug. It has Simon Rex, Christian Slater, Haley Joel Osment, Liz Caribel (so good to see after her debut in God's Time), and Geena Davis, and they're not used to their full potential. At least Geena Davis has a consistently hilarious gag. Glass Onion and even a single set like The Menu made good use of their vast ensemble and deconstructed all the rich person archetypes to their strength for great jokes and distinctive characters. Blink Twice, not so much.
The solid thriller Blink Twice showcases the strengths of first-time director Zöe Kravitz and a sinister turn from Channing Tatum, despite the familiar classist plot being too frazzled for its own good.
Rating: 3/5 | 66%
