Kravitz’s directorial debut is a messy but impressive comic thriller
Let’s get this out of the way – Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut, Blink Twice, very closely recalls a similar directorial debut from 2017, Jordan Peele’s Get Out. “It’s Get Out, but for women,” would be an apt headline. This comparison should be considered a compliment, even if it oversaturates the public discourse about the film. All of this shouldn’t take away from Kravitz’s stylish, thrilling, sometimes messy, but thoroughly entertaining thriller. Blink Twice is an imperfect concoction of thrills, laughs, and sinister themes.
Before it was called Blink Twice, the film’s original title was Pussy Island. Both are great titles; while very appropriate and head-turning, the latter was scrapped for obvious and a few not-so-obvious reasons. The film centers around two friends, Frida (Naomi Ackie) and Jess (Alia Shawkat), who befriend tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) at a fundraiser event and are invited back to his private island for nonstop debauchery with his male entourage, consisting of Vic (Christian Slater), Cody (Simon Rex), Lucas (Levon Hawke), and Tom (Haley Joel Osment). On the island, as days begin to blend together in hallucinogenic bliss, Frida and Jess start to suspect that there are dark intentions at play. Another woman whisked away to the island with Frida and Jess, Sarah (Adria Arjona), becomes increasingly aware of what’s really going on. Arjona and Ackie, in particular, deliver a duet of superb performances. The cast is stacked with talent, including Geena Davis as Slater’s awkward assistant, Stacey, and Kyle MacLachlan as his therapist, Rich. The ensemble of characters, of which each individual is distinctly and purposefully one-dimensional, get just enough screen time for each actor to make a memorable impact. Kravitz and her filmmaking team prove they can handle robust casts and, more importantly, tonal shifts within the narrative.
There are, however, a few messy components along the way. Blink Twice features a strong sound design, which plays an important role in the film’s mood and sense of tension. On occasion, though, the loud effects appear to be a crutch for quick edits. And the dialogue, which begins the film stiff and unrealistic, on par with what you’d expect from an M. Night Shyamalan film, manages to improve as the film progresses, even if it ultimately stays at a surface level. There’s also the matter of narrative logic, which begins to collapse when you think about the plot for too long. Somewhat abruptly, the film’s finale has a few ideas forced via exposition dialogue that would’ve been better off left more subtly communicated, or at least trusted to the audience to decipher. All of these denigrating factors don’t take away from the end result, which is an entertaining thriller with a clear creative vision.
Blink Twice rewards the viewers by employing style, good pacing, and a surprising amount of humor. The darkly comedic moments are natural and numerous, a result of good scene building and character interactions. The film uses an intentional progression of editing styles that matches the unfolding plot twists. It’s a smart move, frustrating at first, but appreciable by the end. There’s a lot to love about Kravitz’s efforts. Even if it doesn’t reach the near-perfect cinematic heights of Get Out, Blink Twice proves that Kravitz has what it takes to deliver cinematic bangers, and even an eventual masterpiece. Blink Twice is an impressive introductory statement.
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Blink Twice opens in theaters on Friday, August 23rd.
