Rating: 2.5/5
Synopsis:
Zoe Kravitz makes her directorial debut with “Blink Twice”, a psychological thriller that will certainly garner discussion. Her story follows Frida, a cocktail waitress looking to catch a break. She meets tech billionaire Slater King, who has recently undergone therapy for some bad public behavior. King invites Frida and her friend on a vacation to his private island. There, a group of strangers all live lavishly without consequence. But Frida realizes something strange is happening. As she pieces together the mystery, she realizes the island is home to a deeper secret. Can she figure a way out before it’s too late?
Positives:
For a first time effort, Zoe Kravitz handles a complex story pretty well. There are many layers and mysteries woven into the plot. As they are unveiled, there are some clever techniques she disguises the larger ideas with throughout the runtime. There is skill being displayed as a first time filmmaker which makes me curious about her efforts in the genre moving forward. She has wrangled up a veteran cast that is more than up to the task. Outside of Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie headlining the film, Christian Slater, Geena Davis, Kyle MacLachan, Haley Joel Osment, and Adria Arjona all give solid performances. Each character provides a different element to the group dynamic as they party on this island. This is especially true as the secrets are revealed towards the end of the film.
There’s also some technical aspects worth highlighting. Kravitz edits the film in such a way that can be confusing to the viewer, but not in a frustrating way. It moreso makes us curious as to what that quick cut meant or how these strange behaviors are going to tie together later. The story also explores some very controversial subject matter that could make certain viewers uncomfortable. I think Kravitz handles it in such a way that maintains the story’s mystique while addressing it with conviction. Although the film fumbles these ideas towards the conclusion, it is still an admirable effort.
Negatives:
Although the creative and technical aspects are worth highlighting, “Blink Twice” didn’t come together for me. From the beginning, I found the setup and premise rushed. We aren’t given much insight into the two leading characters and their connection to Slater King is glossed over quickly. I also feel like King’s exposition was clunky and underdeveloped. I didn’t mind the rest of the characters’ backstory being vague due to the nature of the story, but I wish Frida had better characterization. This is especially true for her motivation on meeting with Slater King. The story nicely builds intrigue until a sequence in the middle of the film. Without spoiling, this scene is extremely clunky as it relies on some unbelievable character realizations as to what’s going on. The way they piece things together is very strange. I had to stretch believability in order to accept what was going on. It just wasn’t convincing as to how these characters started piecing the mystery together.
I personally found the darker mystery to be predictable. We are given some clues early on during the visit that are almost too on the nose and obvious. Due to the similarities of Epstein Island and the hints that are left for the viewers, none of the reveals felt surprising. But the third act is really where the film loses me. As the horrible nature of what is going on is exposed, there has to be a satisfying payoff. But the ending almost undoes itself. There is a scene where Slater gives a monologue about his personal journey that didn’t register as hard as it should have. It actually felt pretty silly. Kravitz fumbles the film’s conclusion unfortunately, leading to the final ideas being obvious and underwhelming. It’s hard to explain some of these thoughts further without spoiling so I will leave it at that.
Conclusion:
“Blink Twice” is an ambitious and admirable directorial debut for Zoe Kravitz. There are some important and uncomfortable topics presented in the film which are explored in a unique way. Although the ideas don’t come together by the end, there are still some admirable technical elements. If the story hid its cards better and had a better way of constructing the reveal then it would have been very strong. Execution is the problem here, filled with too many ideas to tie together properly. Kravitz displays some skill behind the camera but hopefully her next effort keeps the story more streamlined.
