BLINK TWICE (2024) Review

Review

As far as cinematic red flags go, there’s none more alarming than an invitation to a private island with an enigmatic billionaire. But that premise is at the centre of Blink Twice (formerly known as Pussy Island), the directorial debut of Zoë Kravitz, actor and Hollywood enigma who won the hearts of comic book fans playing Selina Kyle in The Batman.

Kravitz is no stranger to powerful Hollywood figures. The daughter of singer Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet, the young Kravitz grew up in the limelight and has no doubt experience her fair share of loathsome industry figures and their entourages. Experience which has seemingly perfectly prepared her for this enthralling and incredibly confident feature directorial debut.

Blink Twice stars Naomi Ackie as Frida, a waitress with a passing obsession with tech guru Slater King (Channing Tatum). After skipping her duties, slipping on a cocktail dress and causing a minor incident with a tray of glasses, Frida catches the attention of Slater and the two strike up a quick and fiery friendship. The evening ends with Slater inviting Frida and her bestie Jess (Alia Shawkat) to his private island. The trip includes his crew of old friend Vic (Christian Slater), foodie Cody (Simon Rex), everyman Tom (Haley Joel Osment) and the young Lucas (Levon Hawke). Alongside them comes a gaggle of apparent girlfriends including Sarah (Adria Arjona), Camilla (Liz Caribel) and Heather (Trew Mullen). Also along for the ride is a surprisingly cast Geena Davis as mousey personal assistant Stacy.

The island getaway is a paradise of excesses. The group spends their days in the sun eating, smoking, getting high and just enjoying living off Slater’s endless riches. But underneath is a current of discomfort. An early moment in the film sees Frida watching an interview in which Slater discusses stepping down from the company due to an undisclosed incident. There’s an unease around his character which befits any number of billionaire tech geniuses which grace the headlines of real, everyday news.

Kravitz has a strong vision for Blink Twice which finds the film seeking to plant its flag firmly in the thriller genre. An undercurrent of dark humour in the script, co-written by Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum, a sort of alternate version of Glass Onion for serious cinephiles. That enthusiasm and conviction to telling the story in the best well possible is felt throughout the production. Working with cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra, Kravitz painstakingly creates a world which romanticises Tatum’s Slater. Often filmed from a low angle mirroring Frida’s adoration, he appears with an almost angelic glow from the lighting behind him. It certainly helps the audience to forget the dark turn which is soon to come and ensures we too fall under his charms.

Unlike other films in a similar vein, Blink Twice doesn’t slowly pull back the curtain to reveal its truth. Instead the revelation of what has been happening to the women on the island falls like a hammer. The setup is lengthy, perhaps too long for some, but will lull the uninitiated in to a false sense of security. But when the truth hits it does so like a train running at full speed. There’s no holding back in showing the men as the absolute worst of society with the women their unwilling victims. It’s tough to stomach. To the point the studio has issued a warning ahead of release that the film could be triggering to some members of the audience.

The film pushes the boundaries of its UK 15-rating, depicting much of the violence which befalls Frida and the rest of the women. But it equally revels in their revenge when it finally comes in the third act. The acts are grotesque but they come in a scenario of incredibly heightened emotions. It could be melodramatic. But Kravitz manages to restrain her cast for much of the film. Only really allowing them to let loose in its final moments. Ackie and Arjona are a dynamite combination. Ackie shoulders so much of the film’s narrative, bringing us in to this world and eventually revealing its horrors. But Arjona compliments Ackie, forming a dynamic duo which commands the screen through to their final moments.

Tatum also has chance to shrug off his good guy image. Whilst he may be Kravtiz’s romantic partner in real life. In the world of Blink Twice there’s no escaping who the villain is. Whilst he may be treated overly romantically the performance is saved by Tatum’s callous personality switch.

Blink Twice fancies itself a parable of female empowerment and on the surface it is. Kravitz has all the right building blocks for an incredible directorial debut. If this is a sign of things to come then she has a very bright career ahead. Comparable to films like Promising Young Woman, the message behind Blink Twice is as meaningful today as ever. But with a somewhat heavy handed and graphic approach, it loses some of that impact.

Verdict

Blink Twice is a confident and self-assured feature directorial debut from Zoë Kravitz. Bolstered by a charismatic and capable cast, the film overcomes the inexperience of its director to become a gripping, tense and empowering thriller.

⭐⭐⭐.5