Why Zoë Kravitz’s Blink Twice is a Must-See Thriller You’ll Want to Watch Twice

Directed By: Zoë Kravitz
Release Date: 8/23/24
Rated: R
Starring: Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Kyle MacLachlan, Haley Joel Osment, with Geena Davis and Alia Shawkat

Blink Twice follows Frida, a cocktail waitress with dreams of wealth and fame, who becomes infatuated with Slater King, a billionaire tech mogul she believes could make her dreams come true. She travels with him to his beautiful, remote island, enjoying a life of luxury filled with extravagant parties, gourmet food, designer clothes, and a handsome wealthy man by her side. But everything changes when her friend disappears, and dark truths begin to surface.

Naomi Ackie does a phenomenal job portraying Frida, a down-and-out woman desperately looking to live a life of luxury and fame by any means. At first, she seems like many people—driven by a desire for the good life and success—but Ackie brings a sense of innocence and sweetness to Frida that draws you in and makes you feel especially invested in her journey. She’s prepared to do whatever it takes to achieve her dreams, but when things start getting tough and a bit weird, her mindset shifts.

Channing Tatum as Slater King starts out charming and fun-loving, then gradually transforms into a crazed character. At times, he gave me major Billy and Stu vibes from Scream (1996). I’ve always seen Tatum as a hero or the good guy, so it was fascinating to see him play a character with such an intimidating edge. In many ways, he embodies all the wealthy men you see on social media—the Andrew Tates and so-called alpha males.

The supporting cast is also commendable. It’s not immediately clear who knows what’s going on until we approach the third act. When they’re under the influence, it feels like one big party. As the plot twists and things heat up, everyone truly shines in their roles. Adria Arjona impressed me as a reality TV contestant whose relationship with Frida evolves throughout the movie. Plus, she’s just a badass.

Zoë Kravitz has created a visually stunning film with an artistic shooting style that enhances its psycho-thriller elements. Every turn and new character adds mystique, immersing us in a world where everything seems like a blissful good time—until people start losing track of time and forgetting things. The blur between what’s real and what’s imagined keeps you guessing.

Kravitz excels at crafting intense, terrifying scenes that will take audiences’ breath away. Whether it’s Frida hiding from her pursuer under a table or quietly maneuvering through dark woods, Kravitz zooms in on the eyes of the soon-to-be victims and captures their sweat rolling off in panic. These intense scenes allow us to truly feel the threat they’re up against.

Another standout element is the social commentary in the film. When the female characters make observations, it often feels like they’re speaking directly to the audience, touching on the struggles and injustices women face regularly. After these powerful monologues, the film seamlessly shifts to make you feel like you’re just watching a movie again.

There’s a lot of social commentary throughout the film on topics like wealth, fame, the objectification of women, sexism, and social media influence, which I feel is heavily inspired by Kravitz’s own experiences. The messages are well-conveyed and thought-provoking, sparking great conversations among friends, family, and film lovers—and even making for excellent classroom discussion topics.

I loved the dialogue in Blink Twice—it wasn’t too on-the-nose, and the conversations felt organic and authentic. There’s also a touch of humor, even in the more serious and intense moments, which I appreciated. The music choices are fantastic, with a soundtrack featuring tracks from Beyoncé and Chaka Khan that perfectly fit the various scenes, enhancing both the lavish parties and intense chase sequences.

The set design brilliantly creates an atmosphere that’s beautifully luxurious but also eerie, leaving you questioning whether the people or the island itself are the real threats. There were a few inconsistencies when characters were losing their memories, and some of the party scenes could’ve been shorter, but these minor issues don’t take much away from the film. While there are a couple of questions about the authenticity of the third act, it didn’t detract from the overall experience.

Blink Twice is a blend of Scream and Spell (2020), mixing psychological thriller elements with horror. If you haven’t seen those films, I’d recommend checking them out as well. I highly recommend watching Blink Twice this weekend, and if you enjoy it as much as I did, give it a second viewing to catch all the Easter eggs and hints. Trust me—it’s a good time. With that, I give Blink Twice an 8/10. It’s an impressive debut by Zoë Kravitz, and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next.