By Seb Jenkins August 21, 2024
Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie are titans of suspense in this psychological thriller, but the real star of the show is directorial debutant, Zoe Kravitz.
Famed for her modelling and acting work, Zoe Kravitz has now jumped behind the camera and delivered a directorial debut to die for with Blink Twice. A babbling brook of suspense that ever-threatens to cascade into something far more violent, Kravitz manages to flow with the psychological thriller current without crashing on the rocks of cliché. With the sinister style of Get Out and the wicked humour of Ready or Not, Blink Twice has seamlessly slipped into the realm of unmissable 2024 cinema. Blink and you’ll miss it!
Synopsis
Nail artist Frida (Naomi Ackie) is infatuated with infamous tech mogul Slater King (Channing Tatum) – despite his post-MeToo apology for a vague workplace scandal. When Frida and raucous best friend Jess (Alia Shawkat) are handed a chance encounter with the man himself while working as waiters at the most blindingly white and sanitized Hollywood party ever seen, they take it with both hands. After sparking up a rapport with the suffocatingly charismatic Slater, the girls jump at the chance to accompany him and his friends on a retreat to his island of solitude. No phones. The same clothes every day. No discernible way home. Cue the classic line – everything is not as it seems. Never mind Blink Twice, what about Think Twice?!
Review
Naomi Ackie gives a titanic performance as Frida, nailing the polarising swings from wry humour to chilling screams. Channing Tatum is both chilling and full of charisma in equal measure, to the point that it might just be his best-ever performance – and certainly his most unsettling. A special mention should also go to Adria Arjona and her characterisation of Sarah. First introduced as a bitter rival for Slater King’s affection – and multi-season reality star of a bikini-clad survivor show - Sarah soon becomes a comrade in arms for Frida. The on-screen chemistry between Ackie and Arjona provides both some of the funniest and most memorable moments of the film. Teamed with such a sharp script – it’s a winning formula worthy of its own perfume line.
It's worth noting at this point that the original title for the film was 'Pussy Island' – all the subtlety of James Bond villain meets Cocaine Bear. I think settling on Blink Twice was probably a good idea. And when the film title flashes up on screen for all of 0.5 seconds, you can’t help but sit forward in your seat and agree, like a child chugging up toward their first-ever rollercoaster drop. This is going to be amazing!
Thrillers like Blink Twice often hinge on the first 20 minutes. Of course, audiences want all the drama and suspense and gore, but can you actually make us root for your main character? Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum manage to inject so much life and personality into Frida and Jess from the outset, weaving a tapestry of believable friendship dovetailed with genuine chemistry. This is essential for the audience to really experience every gut clench and gasp that Blink Twice has to offer.
The film almost feels like a sparring match designed to keep you on your toes. A spike in volume from a simple clap. An injection of humour to leave you feeling vulnerable to attack.
A sudden cut to give you whiplash. Blink Twice knows when to let things linger for suspense, but it also has an eye for the knockout punch.
Twice by name and twice by nature – Kravitz does an expert job at crafting a film you simply have to watch more than once. Every character has a message behind them and every shot is handpicked for a specific reason, something you can’t truly appreciate until the twists and turns and lurches roll to credits. Blink Twice is a genuinely entertaining 100 minutes of theatre, but also has plenty to say on the matters of MeToo, female oppression, male accountability, and abuse.
Zoe Kravitz has burst onto the directorial scene with something to say and a damn cool way of saying it. We shouldn’t have expected anything less, but wow are we crying out for more!
Star Rating
Blink Twice releases in cinemas August 23
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