Zoë Kravitz Delivers An Outstanding Directorial Debut with the Stand Out Thriller ‘Blink Twice’ How Can A Movie So Disturbing Be So Good?

When I saw the first trailer for “Blink Twice” I thought it was going to be another murder mystery film. The subgenre has been around for quite some time, but there has been an influx of projects centering on the theme like Rian Johnson’s 2019 film “Knives Out,” Apple TV+’s The Afterparty, and Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building. And I’ve loved them all. Zoë Kravitz’ directorial debut in “Blink Twice” though was not what I was expecting even having an idea about the synopsis and a full 24 hours after seeing the film in theaters I was still gob smacked by what I saw. Dare I say this is my favorite film of the year?

Channing Tatum as Slater King and Naomi Ackie as Frida in “Blink Twice.” Photo: MGM

Premiering in theaters on August 23, Kravitz also wrote “Blink Twice” alongside E.T. Feigenbaum. The film stars Channing Tatum as the handsome and charming tech billionaire Slater King. Naomi Ackie plays Frida, a cocktail waitress and aspiring nail technician specializing in animal design nails, who has a fixation on Slater. While working then crashing a fundraising gala for Slater King with her bestie Jess (Alia Shawkat), Frida and Jess get an invite to join Slater and his friends for a vacation on his private island. Slater isn’t the pristine figure he appears to be with the film opening with an apology tour of sorts after he gets canceled for some undisclosed reason. Slater seems to be a man seeking redemption but looks are so deceiving in this film.

Naomi Ackie as Frida and Alia Shawkat as Jess in “Blink Twice.” Photo: MGM

Joining the dream island vacation are Slater’s friends Vic (Christian Slater), Cody (Simon Rex), Tom (Haley Joel Osment), and Lucas (Levon Hawke) and some lady companions Sarah (Adria Arjona), Camilla (Liz Caribel), and Heather (Trew Mullen). Geena Davis also appears in the film as Stacy, Slater’s handler, Kyle MacLachlan as Rich, Slater’s therapist, and Cris Costa as Stan, security for Slater. When watching “Blink Twice” it’s easy to disapprove of many of the decisions Frida and Jess make like going off to a remote location with strangers, relinquishing their cell phones, and drinking heavily and doing drugs in an unfamiliar environment, but you relish in their friendship. Things take a turn in the film when Frida and Jess start losing time, Frida notices dirt under her nails in the morning, and then Jess disappears all together with the other guest not remembering her at all.

(L-R) Levon Hawke as Lucas, Simon Rex as Cody, Liz Caribel as Camilla, Channing Tatum as Slater King, Maria Elena Olivares as Badass Maid, Haley Joel Osment as Tom, Trew Mullen as Heather, Adria Arjona as Sarah, Naomi Ackie as Frida, and Alia Shawkat as Jess in “Blink Twice.” Photo: MGM

Trigger warning. Spoiler warning.

Circumstances occur that allow Frida to remember all the black spots from her vacation. The woman on the island have been drugged to forget that night after night that have been sexual assaulted by the men that they have been sharing meals, lounging by the pool and having drug induced dancing parties with. There was a trigger warning placed in front of the film that sexual violence would be depicted in “Blink Twice.” I saw it but didn’t truly comprehend the magnitude until it was playing out. There was a brief but very effective camera pan of the violence in the film that is so jarring it haunts me to think about. Another stand out moment is an “apology” Slater does in the final act that will make you so uneasy and is testament to Channing’s acting range. I’m so used to seeing him as the dimwitted pretty boy or athletic action star, but Channing was so demented and disturbing giving a stellar performance. It gets pretty violent in the final act but nothing too shocking.

Channing Tatum as Slater King in “Blink Twice.” Photo: MGM

Many of the themes in “Blink Twice” are serious. The idea of how powerful White men abuse their power committing heinous acts because they can and know it’s a high chance, they can get away with it. How cancel culture is selective, leaving some people not really forgiving but just forgetting over time and the assailants aren’t sorry they just get cleverer in hiding their debauchery. And for some, trauma is best to erase then confront. Even with all that Zoë does an outstanding job as director balancing the serious with the silly, the intense tension with unexpected laughs. You’re not about to sit through a depressing film where the women are complete victims though. They get their revenge the best way they can in the situation they are placed in and while the ending was a choice, I’m not sure how else it could have ended without being a total cliché.

Naomi Ackie as Frida and Adria Arjona as Sarah in “Blink Twice.” Photo: MGM

There are a few plot holes like how exactly does Slater become a docile slave to Frida, why didn’t the girls feel the physical trauma to their bodies from being repeatedly assaulted, and what happened to the private island employees – do they leave the island nightly? Overall, I really enjoyed “Blink Twice.” I loved Zoë’s choice to play with colors, creating an idealistic dream with vibrant reds, greens, and whites during the daytime scenes mixed with the interesting, muted tones during the night screens when the female characters are engulfed in a nightmare. The cast was perfect and every performance was top notch. Blink twice and there are some cuts you can miss, but this is a film you won’t want to miss in the theaters.

“Blink Twice” is now playing.

Follow Glambergirlblog.com on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram @Glambergirlblog and subscribe on YouTube at youtube.com/AmberDoverMedia