“Are you having a good time?” That's the question that Blink Twice asks in its tagline, with this psychological thriller looking to leave moviegoers entertained from start to finish. Having an enticing premise, with a slew of alluring trailers, this Amazon MGM Studios distributed film certainly shows potential, with the ulterior motives within its plot begging to be explored. The only question left is whether it will live up to all this potential, and if we'll find ourselves having a good time.
The film follows Frieda (Naomi Ackie), a cocktail waitress infatuated with tech billionaire Slater King (ChanningTatum), scrolling through his social media to learn tidbits about his daily life. Whilst working at one of his fundraising galas, her dreams slowly start to become reality, with the suave businessman inviting her to join him and his friends for a once in a lifetime holiday on his private island. This lavish party life soon proves too good to be true, as when strange stuff starts to happen, Frida must uncover what is actually happening on this island or risk certain fatality.
Zoë Kravitz makes her directorial debut, with The Batman actress also co-writing the script with E.T. Feigenbaum. Originally planning on calling the film Pussy Island, the duo had clear intentions of delivering a product intended to shock. What we get from the film's 102 minute runtime is a narrative that achieves this and more, with its remote island setting and cult-like thropes resulting in some disturbing moments. Though we've seen these various plot points in the past, with the film lacking any form of originality, it does try to stand out on its own, with there being a stylish look to this glamorous island.
The film spends the majority of its opening act setting the tone of this thriller, introducing us to its key players and their individual desires. Though Kravitz spends a chunk of time on this, it proves pivotal to the plot, allowing viewers to understand our billionaire's past, hinting at the sinister twists in store for Frieda. What follows, however, is a rather sluggish sequence of events, with the party life quickly becoming repetitive and unproductive. Granted there are some fun moments, with the dialogue being at times witty, but it's overall stunted progression proves detrimental to proceedings.
The casting of Naomi Ackie as Frieda proves a delight, with the actress bringing a stoic nature to the character. Being introduced almost like a giddy schoolgirl, Freida quickly evolves into a sceptical visitor to King's exotic island, with Ackie portraying these emotions wonderfully. Whether it's the low-key romantic moments shared with Tatum or reflecting over events with Freida's friend Jess (Alia Shawkat), the actress manages to add a layer of despair to proceedings. This all continues to build as the plot thickens, with there being a fabulous balance of fear and courage.
At its core the film becomes a power struggle between men and women, with it quickly developing vibes of Jeffrey Epstein’s notorious island. As a direct result of this we see the natural supports that form between women, with complete strangers bonding over a common goal. All this is where the supporting cast come in, with Christian Slater (Vic), Haley Joe Osment (Tom) and Simon Rex (Cody) all helping to sell the extravagant party life. On the flip side of this we see an unlikely sisterhood form between Ackie and Adria Arjona (Sarah), with the duo finding strength in numbers.
Channing Tatum takes on the role of tech billionaire, Slater King, with the actor once again proving that his talents shine brightest in these more serious roles. From his character's introduction to the credits rolling, the actor projects an enveloping aura, all whilst having a sinister temperament lurking in the shadows. As the narrative unfolds, Tatum embraces King's wicked side, managing to go from menace to charming on the turn of a dime. This is all bolstered by the actor's natural charm and magnetism, with the character's popularity turning him into the nucleus of this ensemble cast.
Things continue to intensify as the film moves into its final act, with the more disturbing aspects of its narrative coming to a crescendo. What comes from this is quite possibly the most captivating moments of the film, with the dialogue and emotion shared between Ackie and Tattum being awe inspiring to say the least. Despite this, there are some puzzling aspects about how the film ends, with certain twists and turns coming across far-fetched and at times rather stupid. Nevertheless, things do end on a general strong note, leaving viewers with a couple of head scratchers.
Verdict
Blink Twice is a stylish thriller that, despite its big ideas, fails to reach the psychological heights that Zoë Kravitz was clearly aspiring for. Having an intriguing premise and its fair share of intricate twists, the film had the potential to captivate. It unfortunately falls victim to incredibly poor pacing issues, becoming rather repetitive in the process. In doing so it fails to spend time on fleshing out its bigger set-pieces, with too many pivotal moments becoming somewhat of an afterthought.
5/10
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