
Warner Bros.
Being the child of a superstar of Lenny Kravitz’ caliber undoubtedly places substantial expectations on one’s shoulders, but Zoë Kravitz has long since shown her merit as an artist in her own right, continuously going from strength to strength, and with Blink Twice she steps behind the camera to tell a story that is as visually alluring as it is thematically unpleasant.
From the onset, it is clear that Kravitz has things to say, especially when considering the original title for the film was Pussy Island, the implications of which are hardly lost on anyone with an ounce of cultural awareness.
Here, we follow Naomi Ackie’s Frida as she is invited to join Channing Tatum’s tech billionaire Slater King on his private island, where they are joined by other powerful men and beautiful women, the archetypes of which teeter close to being almost too on the nose.
At first enthralled by the luxurious, carefree existence she gets a taste of on Slater’s island, Frida soon begins to sense something is horribly wrong, suffering from bouts of amnesia and haunted by eerie visions that suggest her unease is merited.
As she tries to figure out what is happening, the question of the validity of her concerns inevitably arises, both from the other island guests and Frida herself, the purposeful and unintentional gaslighting both overwhelming Frida to the point where her sanity starts to come apart at the seams, but through all the confusion, the question remains; what is actually happening on this island?
Boasting stunning visuals, the island is depicted as a paradise of sorts, but as tends to be the case with paradises, snakes of both the figurative and literal variety often lurk beneath surface, something the film is upfront about from the moment the group step foot on the island.
The tension mounts as the sense of mystery is maintained throughout the majority of the film, creating a dizzying narrative arc that culminates in a reveal that the viewer will either embrace or dismiss the message of as a matter of subjectivity.
Ackie delivers a delicate performance that is simultaneously vulnerable and empowering, her character arc holding the viewer’s investment throughout with its sincerity and fragility.
Similarly, Tatum also shows his range here, utilizing his inherent charm to lure Frida – and, by proxy, the audience – into following him, only to seem increasingly sinister as the truth of his intentions and what is happening on the island is slowly brought to light.
Blink Twice will not be to everyone’s liking, as some will undoubtedly consider it pandering to certain demographics, however, that is arguably the point, and a bold one at that.
As much as some people will insist that entertainment and politics should be kept separate, everything is ultimately political, and with Blink Twice, Kravitz has helmed a directorial debut that oozes artistic competence and a zest to utilize the film medium to provide uncompromising commentary on difficult subjects, all of which bodes well for her future directorial efforts.
Verdict: 8 out of 10.


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