Blink Twice, 2024.
Directed by Zoe Kravitz.
Starring Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Kyle MacLachlan, Haley Joel Osment, Geena Davis, Alia Shawkat, Levon Thurman-Hawke, Trew Mullen, Saul Williams, Liz Caribel Sierra, Cris Costa, and Julian Sedgwick.
SYNOPSIS:
When tech billionaire Slater King meets cocktail waitress Frida at his fundraising gala, he invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. As strange things start to happen, Frida questions her reality.
In Blink Twice, Channing Tatum’s tech billionaire Slater King is an abuser of some type. That’s not a spoiler; it is publicly available information that cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) finds online in preparation for working one of his fundraiser galas, where the now “canceled” individual delivers apology speeches while assuring that his philanthropy is not performative. Most importantly, he has supposedly reformed, moving away to a private island and running a farm with some private peace, although he still brings in friends and vacationers, throwing large parties, seemingly on a more controlled and tame scale with no abuse.
Why anyone would willingly take a destination vacation to the island of not only a known abuser but one where all electronic devices are confiscated upon arrival is certainly one mystery here. Perhaps director Zoe Kravitz (making her directorial debut, writing alongside E.T. Feigenbaum) is making a point about society’s naivety in giving reformed abusers the benefit of the doubt, especially if the situation in question seems like a temporary paradise. Maybe it’s to send the message that women should believe men are who they show themselves to be, shortening that leash for forgiveness. On the island, Frida also openly admits that it simply feels nice to be seen (already a Black woman living in a racially charged America, one can imagine how crushing it feels explicitly being told to make herself invisible at work.)
In some respects, the setup here does feel contrived. Nevertheless, Frida finds herself charmed by Slater while working that previously mentioned event, almost specifically targeted as if he senses her vulnerabilities and frustrations with her current life and that she could use a vacation alongside her best friend Jess (Alia Shawkat.) Once on the island and given some cultlike white clothing and gift bags, and following briefly getting acquainted with Slater’s friends and other guests (played by an ensemble of familiar, likable, and reliable faces ranging from Hit Man revelation Adria Arjona, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Geena Davis, Haley Joel Osment, and others), the “good times” begin.
Kathryn J. Schubert’s sharp editing is up to the task of muddling the passage of time and a loss of remembering recent events. It could be the drugs and the drinking causing the women to have blind spots in their memory, or there is potentially something much more sinister at play. Given that Blink Twice unfolds like a cousin to Jordan Peele’s Get Out, a version justifiably raging against the patriarchy and abuse, the comparisons are inevitable. Somehow, this film manages some brilliant bits of dark humor, bursting and cutting through an ominous score from Chanda Dancy. The island and its massive manor, complete with a humongous dining room, outdoor pools, and spacious bedrooms, are also all inviting enough to keep the visitors from requesting to go home, which they technically are told they can do anytime. They don’t necessarily remember anything horrific or traumatic happening, so they push down their concerns and stay.
Again, there is something unshakably uncomfortable about this place and the people, coming out in short bursts, such as Haley Joel Osment’s Cody suddenly erupting at the dinner table about relationship woes. The casting of Simon Rex alone is enough to give suspicion, especially for anyone who witnessed his deeply problematic Red Rocket character. Meanwhile, Adria Arjona’s Sarah frequently talks about her success appearing on Survivor, so maybe there is at least one character here capable of defending themselves from harm. A thought that just came to mind: the character was specifically chosen to join the island for her resourcefulness as part of some twisted gender power-play for control. Christian Slater’s Vic is also missing a finger for some reason that could be related to this place. All of the clues and revelations don’t necessarily come together cleanly, but the general explanation is effectively heinous.
You know the kind of character Channing Tatum is playing upfront, so all that needs to be said is that once all the masks come off (or the women realize what’s happening), he is unleashed and utterly terrifying. Decades of charm have been weaponized into a performance of truly despicable behavior, convincingly conveyed with some layers underneath his abuse that somewhat feel rushed and not completely thought out, but also enough to put something extra into the character.
These men are dangerous, and once violence breaks out, all bets are off regarding who lives and dies. Naturally, this adds suspense beyond the trauma underneath the surface, allowing Blink Twice to get nasty and pulpy. Some of the surprises are fairly obvious, but that also might be by design and doesn’t take away from viewers being alarmed and worried for these characters and feeling the tension. It takes a while to get going, but past a certain point, you won’t want to blink.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
