Blink Twice

Stylish and promising. But fails to deliver. It falls into the emerging niche of "all is not what it seems...twist...white people are bad". Wish is disappointing. The premise has so much potential before trying to engage in some social justice tropes. To the point where the pacing gets thrown off. The first hour is non-eventful and overblown. There's a decent attempt at building an ominous sense of foreboding. But it just fails to deliver in the finale with end result feeling very rushed and underdeveloped.

The film is undoubtedly stylish, beautifully shot with some good performances. But it ultimately falls short.

'Blink Twice' was truly a pleasant surprise, and one of the most entertaining movies of the year.

Zoë Kravitz made her directorial debut with a film she wrote and directed, and she managed to gather a truly stellar cast. Channing Tatum, Christian Slater, The legendary Kyle MacLachlan and many more. Above all, Naomi Ackie manages to carry the film in an amazing way, with a captivating, impressive, and very charismatic performance. Since the movie has so many plot twists, it's difficult to praise the other performances without getting into spoilers, but I can only say that the impressive cast does a really successful job here.

It's truly surprising to think that this is the first film Kravitz has written and directed because it feels like the work of a very experienced and talented screenwriter and director. The movie is made and structured very well, and it seems that during her years as an actress, she learned a lot from the people she worked with, and her debut film is far from looking like the first film of a filmmaker. A very professional job from all angles. If she continues in this direction, I see great achievements in her future.

Although the film is a psychological thriller, Kravitz managed to blend the genre with a lot of humor. There are several moments in the film that will surely shock many viewers, especially with the way they come out of nowhere, and the fact that they are flanked by humorous scenes on both sides is quite unusual, reminiscent of early Guy Ritchie films or even Quentin Tarantino's extreme dark humor.

The film's length is very compact, and I feel that its pacing was just right. Although it took a little too long to "get into things," the tension and mystery are built very effectively throughout the film, keeping the viewer on the edge of their seat, eager to see and know more. Additionally, the very ending of the story feels a bit odd and even slightly rushed, containing two or three holes and points that raise questions ("how and why did this happen if such and such?").

The soundtrack, as minimalist as it is, it adds a lot of atmosphere. Less is more, in this case. Additionally, the sound editing in the film was very impressive and added to the atmosphere of tension that the movie tries to build from the very first moment. The cinematography is also very impressive, and in general, this film feels very high-quality in its technical aspects.

In my opinion, this is one of the most surprising and entertaining films of the past year. I really enjoyed watching it, but it's important to come prepared for a pretty wild film that's completely without restraint. On the one hand, the movie is full of humor, but on the other hand, expect some pretty harsh things to watch. Zoë Kravitz pleasantly surprises with her first film, and I hope that beyond a successful acting career, she will continue in this direction as a director/screenwriter and bring us more original and surprising films like this one.

First off, for a first time director, Zoe Kravitz has done very well. The film keeps everything interesting and goes along at a good pace.

Channing Tatum (being on the poster) is the draw for the audience. Especially, one that without him may not ultimately get a look in. He does a very competent job.

The sexual violence - there is a disclaimer at the start. That disclaimer, from what I saw in another review, is apparently a hint at what you should expect and the reviewer seemed disappointed that the sexual violence wasn't more graphic.

To address the issue, I personally didn't need to see that. For a few reasons, primarily this is NOT a film locking your head in position to confront you with the ugly reality of how sexual violence is perpetrated. We can gather that it's not good. We know.

What this film is primarily about psychological thriller. And we have seen films (not necessary addressing the issue at hand) like this across the decades. Pacey thrillers where you want the goody to outwit the evil baddy. And to that end, this does a very good job. It reveals the plot at a reasonable pace.

I don't want to spoilt the plot so I haven't talked about it. The trailer tells you what you need but ideally go into this not knowing anything.

You may even figure out the ending but even then it produces a twist to it all (albeit one that may counter the issues at hand).

This a metaphor for societies' ills with men who abuse women. And as such, we know in real life the awful things that happen. This film is simply packaging that as a thriller and providing a possible way to mitigate these ills even if the final turn is a little...imo....problematic.

You will enjoy this if you after a good night in and looking for a pacey thriller.

It is a lot better than some other thrillers I have seen recently.

If you're after extreme violence and horror, I suspect you will be disappointed.

Think more "Get Out" than say "Irreversible". Both great films, just different levels of violence.

Anyway, personally, I enjoyed it and it wasn't too overlong.

Zoe Kravitz's directorial debut, is a stylish and vicious social thriller that's got a lot going for it. The movie follows Frida, a young middle class woman invited to a tech billionaire's private island. What starts out as a romantic luxurious getaway quickly turns into a seriously messed-up experience filled with memory loss, mind games, and a whole lot of dark satire.

Kravitz proves she's got skill behind the camera, delivering a movie that looks great and balances humor with some very tense moments. The cast is solid, the dialogue's sharp, and there's plenty of cool visuals that keep you hooked. Kravitz is definitely more than just an actor trying out directing-she's got skills to back it up.

But here's the thing, despite all the style, Blink Twice stumbles under its own weight. The plot tries to tackle way too much in too little time-toxic masculinity, trauma, white privilege, cancel culture-you name it, it's in there. Because of that, the story gets messy, losing some of its impact. The pacing drags with repetitive scenes and foreshadowing that's so on-the-nose it almost spoils itself. By the time the big twist rolls around, you've probably already guessed it, and it doesn't hit as hard as it should. The ending undermines the faux feminist message that left me almost as disappointed as Saltburn. That is only the tip of the thematic issues... but someone more knowledgeable on theory should delve into it deeper.

If you've seen movies like Glass Onion, Triangle of Sadness, The Menu, or Don't Worry Darling, this one's gonna feel familiar. That's both good and bad-it's got a bit of that same vibe but also feels a little stale, even though it starts off strong. Had it come out ten or so years ago it'd be a phenomenon.

Still, Blink Twice isn't without its moments. It's got style, for sure, and Kravitz's dark tone might just help it pick up a cult following. The movie tries to flip into slasher mode in the third act, which sorta works, though as a horror snob I kind of wanted more grit and gore. Horror fans might dig it, but don't expect it to blow you away or come out feeling better.

It's clear that Blink Twice is well-made, but it's also very unpleasant. Watching it, I felt deeply unsettled and incredibly anxious. It effectively drew me into the fantasy alongside the characters. Zoe Kravitz shows she's got a future as a director, and maybe with a bit more focus, a sequel could really deliver. For now, though, Blink Twice is a mixed bag-worth checking out for its style and some cool ideas, but don't go in expecting a masterpiece.

The impressive parts of BLINK TWICE do not add up to a satisfying whole. This is a visually appealing film filled with solid performances by accomplished actors. It also is a weird film devoid of thrills, tension, frights, or emotions. Though the performances are good, the characters are undefined. Without improving on them, the script cribs from GLASS ONION, THE MENU, and other limited location thrillers.

When tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It's paradise. Wild nights blend into sun-soaked days and everyone's having a great time. Nobody wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. Something is wrong with this place. She'll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive.