Directed and co-written by Zoë Kravitz, BLINK TWICE (2024) is a psychological thriller (though at least horror adjacent if not also horror) about a woman invited by a billionaire to his private island, where his guests spend their time in endless partying and self-exploration, only to discover something far more sinister is going on. While its feminist message is paper thin and it takes a while before things get bad, I enjoyed its restless energy, little moments of humor, and oddball characters and cast.
When billionaire tech mogul Slater King (Channing Tatum) hosts an event signaling his return after disappearing for a while following some horrible harassment allegations, server Frida (Naomi Ackie) and her friend Jess (Alia Shawkat) infiltrate the after party so Frida could flirt with him. He invites her to his private island, where he and his friends spend their days enjoying life to the fullest. The only problem is strange memory lapses and other little clues that things aren’t what they seem. When Jess disappears but the other women doesn’t seem to remember her, Frida becomes increasingly aware that something is dreadfully wrong, leading up to a violent final act.
The themes of the rich doing whatever they want without real consequences because they’re rich and exploiting others are present, if not explored much. The story takes a simpler path of seeding the idea that things aren’t what they seem and letting it cook until it explodes. Honestly, the story is fine, not great, not terrible, and it at least feels familiar. Where the movie shines is in the sometimes frantic and always restless energy it has in its pacing, acting, cinematography, and little comedic moments.
Overall, I had a lot of fun with BLINK TWICE, which offers up a simple story creatively told.
The feminist commentary in the film was present throughout its plot. I disagree with calling it “paper thin.” The foreshadowing this film had was excellent, imo. For Frida to criticize her friend Jess for going back to a toxic ex was a great way to foreshadow Frida’s repressed memory of Slater abusing her the previous year. The cinematography was awesome because it positioned us with the character’s experience in a way that wasn’t judgey or too sympathetic. The story unfolded in front of us in real time the same way our active protagonist was witnessing it. Granted, all of these mechanisms happen in any decent film but what made Blink Twice different was its voice. It was sassy and sharp.