Blink Twice review: Zoë Kravitz delivers impressive directorial debut in twisted thriller

22 August 2024, 18:10

Blink Twice may seem to be more of a rom-com than thriller at first.

It’s funny, light and it’s easy to be swept up in the paradise on screen. But there is also a sense of dread from the off – and it never seems to go. It’s unnerving. And as events begin to unravel, the darker tone quickly takes over.

The film follows cocktail waitress Frida as she catches the eye of tech billionaire Slater King and joins him for the dream holiday on his private island with a group of his friends.

She brings her own best friend, Jess, along and they have a great time soaking up the sun and drinking the night away. But strange things begin to happen, and it isn’t long before Frida starts to question her reality.

When it comes to life or death, she realises it’s time she start finding out the truth behind what is going on.

Blink Twice is an impressive feature debut from Zoë Kravitz, who does well at delivering the intensity and eeriness of the story in both her writing and directing on the project.

It’s clear that she has taken inspiration from the likes of Jordan Peele’s Get Out - and the stylish approach to the thriller pays off.

She elicits a chilling performance from Channing Tatum as Slater King while Naomi Ackie remains the stand-out in her performance as Frida – a woman gripped by both fear and fury as her survival instincts kick in.

The film deals with some heavy topics throughout, looking at the vicious circle that comes with trauma, particularly for women, and the idea of forgetting being “a gift”.

It results in some haunting performances from the ensemble cast, a savage yet satisfying ending and disturbing scenes that will stay with you long after the film comes to an end.

Blink Twice is far from an easy watch, but it's not meant to be. It’s meant to make you feel uncomfortable. To make you shuffle in your seat. To make you glance away when the horror reaches its peak.

It's a credit to Kravitz that she has been able to masterfully deliver such a suspenseful rollercoaster in her feature directorial debut.

4/5