‘Blink Twice’ review: Intense thrills and sharp social commentary make for exciting cinema

Naomi Ackie stars as Frida in director Zoë Kravitz’s BLINK TWICE, an Amazon MGM Studios film.

The best psychological thrillers not only involve the story’s events playing tricks on the main character’s mind but also on the audience watching the film unfold. As the protagonist questions their reality and feelings, the audience tries to figure out where the story is going. The second-guessing and doubt are part of the fun—and the fear. With Blink Twice, Zoë Kravitz leans into both aspects in her filmmaker debut. It’s a horror film with intense thrills, sharp social commentary, and biting dark humor that masterfully plays on the protagonist and audience’s senses—and biases. It’s a film that rightfully comes with an official trigger warning, but it’s worth the sometimes uncomfortable watch.

Directed and co-written by Kravitz, Blink Twice follows working-class best friends Frida and Jess. During a catering gig, the young women are able to chat up billionaire tech mogul Slater King. Slater is a man who has had some recent controversy—the details of which the film deliberately keeps vague—and is attempting to put forth an image of himself that will regain public sympathy. As Frida and Slater flirt, the girls are invited to his private island with his other rich friends for fun and debauchery.

Fun times and luxury seem to be the order of the day, but not everything is as it appears on the mysterious island. As events unfold, danger lurks as Frida and Jess desperately try to piece together the gaps in their memories that entirely prevent them from remembering each passing day.

To be clear, there is a significant twist and reveal in Blink Twice that this critic will attempt not to disclose. With that said, what makes the film so well done is that the quality of the movie doesn’t rely on the reveal alone. Sometimes, mystery movies can feel like a slog, and everything leading up to the “big twist” moment seems like filler rather than vital to the story. Fortunately, that isn’t the case with Blink Twice. Kravitz lays an interesting groundwork with themes that the audience can chew on before getting to the main course of the significant reveal.

Society’s habit of idolizing the wealthy and elite gets raked over the coals. Frida is a working girl who seems enamored by the rich, handsome, and rebellious Slater King. Yet, she hardly knows the man. She only knows of the internet stories and public relations campaigns run on his behalf. In Frida’s eyes, Slater is a symbol of success and genius. Interestingly enough, Frida is talented in her own right—and perhaps a harder worker than Slater and his wealthy friends combined—but she can’t see her worth because she’s been imbued with the idea that because she doesn’t have money, then she is inherently less worthy and talented than her more affluent counterparts.

Frida’s lack of confidence seems symbolic of the propaganda in society, which has many working people often believing that the wealthy one percent, who own 99% of the wealth, are somehow “worthy” of that power. We are made to think that the reason they own the means of production has more to do with their supposed intellect than their privilege and the hoarding of resources they’ve engaged in for centuries.

Blink Twice puts the ridiculousness of the wealthy’s over-indulgence on full display. While Frida engages in it like a fairytale come true, we, the audience, are given small cues telling us that something is off about this seemingly perfect picture—not just for the story’s sake but generally regarding how the wealthy are allowed to behave.

This is also done regarding sexism, a theme at the film’s heart. It’s tackled not only in the more overt way—in which men are afforded certain privileges in a society that has patriarchal norms pushed as the default—but also when it comes to the ways internalized sexism can affect how women behave toward other women. While that can be a lot to take on, Blink Twice manages to address it all in a way that feels natural to the story’s progression.

Some will claim the script goes too on the nose with its messaging or that the “wokeness” detracts from the thriller elements. That criticism should be seen for what it is—disingenuous. That’s because far too often, when a film dares not to ignore the ailments of our society—such as wealth inequality, racism, sexism, etc.—it is often dismissed by those who would rather not have a magnifying glass placed upon certain forms of discrimination that they benefit from. Touching on socio-political topics in a thriller or horror movie shouldn’t be considered an automatic negative. Some of the best classic films have done just that, and Blink Twice follows that tradition with unapologetic boldness.

By intertwining these elements into the film, Kravitz takes what could be seen as an exciting yet formulaic thriller and heightens the horror with relevant themes that will hit many viewers close to home.

Naomi Ackie, as Frida, gives a harrowing performance that balances vulnerability and resilience. She is our eyes and ears throughout the film, and although not always the most reliable protagonist, Ackie makes the audience want to root for Frida. Channing Tatum, as Slater King, turns in one of his best performances as the complex tech mogul who has more going on than meets the eye. The cast is packed with great performers who help bring the story to life.

First-time director Kravitz ensures her vision shines through brightly. Each shot of the film brings together elements of horror, dark humor, and beauty. She does this in both subtle and bold ways. It was refreshing to see a director not fall into the stereotypical male gaze framing of the female form. The skin was allowed to have pores, thighs were allowed to jiggle, and overall, the women characters were allowed to look like themselves instead of airbrushed versions of who they are. Kravitz doesn’t shy away from the blood and gore, which feels like a symbolic contrast to the pristine island setting.

Some elements will make viewers uncomfortable, and rightly so. But that doesn’t mean Blink Twice isn’t an enjoyable watch. Heavy subject matter is tackled, but Kravitz does so honestly and skillfully while keeping it highly entertaining.

Blink Twice is currently playing in theaters. The trailer can be seen here.

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CONTRIBUTOR

Chauncey K. Robinson

Chauncey K. Robinson is an award winning journalist and film critic. Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, she has a strong love for storytelling and history. She believes narrative greatly influences the way we see the world, which is why she's all about dissecting and analyzing stories and culture to help inform and empower the people.