Film Review - Blink Twice
Zoë Kravitz's directorial debut features strong performances and stylish visuals, shot through with topical subversive satire
Part psychological thriller, part horror, with just the right amount of dark humour, Blink Twice is a startling, splendidly gripping debut from director Zoë Kravitz. Once the mystery is revealed, the grip arguably slackens a little. But strong performances, subversive themes, and excellent visuals indicate Kravitz has a bright future behind the camera.
I’m wary of spoilers, but treading carefully, the plot set-up involves nail-artist Frida (Naomi Ackie) and her best friend Jess (Alia Shawkat). An encounter with cancelled billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) — who has blithered the usual eye-rolling public apology platitudes — results in an invitation to his private island. Along for the trip are other women, including reality TV star Sarah (the wonderful Adria Arjona, recently seen in Hit Man), who proves something of a rival to Frida for Slater’s affections. The trip promises a tropical paradise with sunbathing, swimming pools, haute cuisine, drugs, booze, partying, and so forth. What could possibly go wrong?
Slater is now in therapy (with Kyle MacLachlan’s agreeably unsettling therapist), so perhaps that’s why Frida and Jess aren’t wary of him. The rest of the company seems harmless enough, including Slater’s chef Cody (Simon Rex), a few business associates, and annoying tech bros (among them Christian Slater, Haley Joel Osment, and Levon Hawke). But despite being somewhat in denial, Frida begins to sense something a bit Ira Levin about their seemingly perfect surroundings. And yes, one is reminded of The Stepford Wives (1975), Rosemary’s Baby (1968), and various other tales of this sort, as well as Jordan Peele’s Get Out (2017).
In addition to crafting a fine screenplay with co-writer ET Feigenbaumm, Kravitz makes stylish use of her deftly claustrophobic central location: A red-walled settlement surrounded by a tropical forest. Close-ups of flowers, perfume bottles, and snakes seem important, but why? Who is that sinister woman who calls Frida “Red Rabbit”? What is the significance of all those red gift bags that Slater’s assistant Stacy (Geena Davis) keeps dropping everywhere? And why does the film suddenly cut to night shots of the young women in flowing white dresses running across a lawn at night for reasons they seem unable to explain?
All of this is aided and abetted by cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra, whose opulent imagery arrests the attention from the opening shot of a frog gradually coming into focus. Said amphibian is important, but obviously, I’m not going to say why. I just wish the lengthy full-frame trigger warning caption Amazon MGM felt the need to stick at the start paid us the same courtesy, as it contains significant thematic spoilers. Why was this caption deemed necessary? Surely, people can research the film easily enough online, if they’re concerned that they might be disturbed? Failing that, the rating itself (R in the US, 15 in the UK) ought to act as a trigger warning of sorts. I recommend looking away during the caption, to remain unspoiled.
It’s worth adding the performances are terrific, the sound effects appropriately unsettling, and there are some finely judged needle drops. Even though the big reveal and especially the finale requires a significant suspension of disbelief, it is undeniably disturbing. It can be read as an allegory of certain real events and people (I won’t say what and who, again for fear of spoilers), but it also works on its own terms. I particularly enjoyed the satirical elements, including the skewing of social media apologies and the inherent disapproval of billionaires with dodgy islands. On the evidence of this (and real life, more importantly), I’m starting to think no one should be allowed to own an island.
In summary, if you like your psychological horror-thrillers served with a side order of topical satire, Blink Twice certainly comes with my recommendation. It is fearlessly distressing, when necessary, but also features a strong vein of dark humour that proves deftly subversive. A must-see for fans of the genre.
(Originally published at Medium.)
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I saw the film yesterday. I really enjoyed it. As you said it was well directed with excellent acting.