Blink Twice Review: Red flags and Stranger Danger

Blink Twice is the directorial debut from Zoë Kravitz that’ll leave you simultaneously stimulated and scared

Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut is a psychological thriller that’ll have your senses simultaneously stimulated and scared. It comedically discusses how trauma is dealt with and accepted, and how we move on from experiences, provoking unwilling self-reflection. 

We meet the first character Frida (Naomi Ackie) on the toilet, on her phone, stalking rich tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum). Her eyes are wide with little mermaid like awe, as she imagines being part of his world. The contrast of the videos she’s watching  and the Pretty Woman esq life she is leading, is evident when her housemate Jess (Alia Shawkat) requests Frida’s half of the rent money.

Frida chooses to use the rent to buy glamorous dresses instead of securing the roof over their heads; a decision that seemingly works in her favour, with the ladies wrangling their way into a gala held by King, meeting the handsome rich man and landing themselves invites to his private party island, where they frolic, freak and eventually fall.

Co-written with E.T. Feigenbaum, Zoë began writing the film in 2017. She had foresight revealing the depravity of the elite who take advantage of ladies under the guise of admiration, sensuality and passion. Zoë’s story telling in this film presents sexual violence as somewhat humorous in its horror, and while the aim may be to take the edge of the seriousness of the subject matter, the world is still reeling from the exposure of the #me too movement and the abusers on “Epstein’s Island” and I’m not sure that humour is the correct way to showcase that women have the smarts, and comradery to fighting back,

The films narrative pace starts off well, you understand that Frida is a woman who wants more from her life, believing that getting involved with a high powered genius will get her there. You appreciate that Frida feels that she has no other choice other than to grab opportunities when they arise and live in the moment, despite the caution of her friend. However, when they arrive on the Island, the fun and games drag on a bit. You’re expecting a murder or two – they tell us that in the trailer, but it takes a bit too long to let you know what the real story is in my opinion. The staff, potentially native to the island, confuse you.

Their presence is eerie, their use of swords, knives, handling of snakes, and the camera shots of their disapproving glares at the party goers, have you wondering if they’ve been grinding an axe or two. You know that King isn’t to be trusted, as his charm is too good to be true, but how does he tie in with the staff, does he do their bidding – sacrifice the waitresses, or vice versa.

But then the killers could be the other guests (who come across as pretentious, entitled, possible sociopaths), forcing the two waitresses to fight for their lives. Zoë cleverly relies on the audience being attuned to bias so that she can blindside you with the real culprits later and you learn that one staff member has been giving Frida warnings from the moment she arrived on the island.

Straight out of the Cinema Reaction

The film questions the concept of female solidarity. Initially you have Frida and Sarah (Adria Ajorna) competing for the attention and affection of Slater but when Frida ‘remembers’, she convinces Sarah that things aren’t as they seem and enlists her help to force the other females on the island into awareness. Their newfound respect for each other doesn’t seem genuine and I felt like Sarah might just stab Frida in the back – literally. However, the ‘ladies as BOSS’ message was a clear one. Women united are masters of their own destiny, they outwit, and are not led by their loins. 

The soundtrack was carefully chosen, and the score helped with achieving the right notes to confirm the films place in the thriller genre. Vivid colour is used to story-tell throughout. It’s simply stunning, all the yellows, blue and greens with vibrant and beautifully placed items convince you that this a place that dreams are made of. The colour red has great significance, the dress, flowers, house, the gift bags and the unsung star of the film – the red armchair. Could it be a representation of the blood to spill and a secret metaphor for womanhood? 

We see plenty of white, sheets, bikini’s, dresses, linen outfits, rooms. Are we thinking purity, cleanliness, life after death? The two colours are paired constantly. At the dinner table the contrast in the two colours is highlighted when Frida drops her bloody steak on her white dress and the rest of the table stare at her, as if she has committed a cardinal sin – they wait for absolution from King before relaxing back into the dinner banter. Frida is later seen in a stain free glowing white dress, which she can’t understand as she has no recollection of changing, but this further establishes the need for perfection and purity on the island.

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Zoë gathered an amazing cast of new and iconic actors. Channing is a disturbingly believable charming narcissist. His gentle playfulness, and long deep connective eye locks were equally romantic and chilling at the same time. His monologue in the third quarter solidified the end of sappy Tatum, signalling a second gen break out performance.

Naomi gave the right amount of sass and wanton. You believed that she knew exactly how to submit and use her vulnerability to climb to the heights she wanted, while secretly sharpening her claws. Shout out to Liz Caribel who plays Camilla, she surprises the audience with an emotion jolting, heartbreaking, expression switch.

Those of us born pre-90’s will remember Christian Slater (Heathers, True Romance) and the badass, dicey character he always played. If you were around in the Twin Peaks (1990) era, you’ll remember how creepy Kyle McLachlan can be. Geena Davis (Beetlejuice, Thelma and Louise), stays close to type; slightly cooky but with a dangerous edge and seeing the boy from “The Sixth Sense” Haley Joel Osment horseplay is the icing on this perfect casts cake.

The end left me with questions. I couldn’t conclude if the end scene was the first-hand experience of the scenes Frida was watching while on the toilet. How did they get off the island? What happened to Sarah?  Who was Frida really to Slater King – he referred to her as being his “best friend” so was this all about? What made him and all the other abusers do what they did? King hints that he may have been a victim himself in his end monologue, but nothing is explored.

I suppose leaving a person wanting more answers is a way to ensure their continued interest. I couldn’t help but feel that justice wasn’t truly served and while the ending was somewhat positive, the message it delivered wasn’t mindful of victims of abuse and what happens to their perpetrators. I feel it did the opposite.

I certainly liked the film, and had the subject matter been slightly different, I may have even loved it. I revisited revisiting the island again, this time accompanying a friend, myself going back for the eye candy, but I noticed when booking my tickets that there was a red trigger warning that popped up and had to be closed so I could continue. The film is R rated so maybe that’s to be expected, but are we willing to forgive Zoë and E.T. for their audacious view of sexual predators and can we forget the trauma the scenes bring. 

Blink Twice is out in Cinemas now