Blink Twice Movie Review

Blink Twice (2024) Movie Review

We’ve seen many actors turn to directing in recent years to great success. Ben Affleck (The Town, Gone Baby Gone, Argo), George Clooney (Goodnight and Goodluck, Confessions of a dangerous Mind, The Ides of March), Great Gerwig (Lady Bird, Little Women, Barbie), Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us, Nope), Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born, Maestro) just to name a few. I was unaware of Zoe Kravitz’s desire to step behind the camera, but her work in front of it has continued to impress me. Kravitz received many nepotism complaints early in her career, with many stating that she only got her start due to her dad’s successful musical career. These criticisms and complaints were quickly put to bed after she showcased her talents in some amazing roles in some fantastic flicks including: ‘The Batman’, ‘Mad Max: Fury Road, ‘Big Little Lies’, ‘Kimi’, Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them’ and its sequel and flexing her comedic chops in ‘Rough Night’. She continues to impress. When it was announced she would be directing her then boyfriend Channing Tatum in a dark comedy thriller ‘Blink Twice’, I was all in.
‘Blink Twice’ is a dark comedy/thriller very much in the tone of films like ‘The Menu’, ‘Triangle of Sadness’ and hit HBO TV series ‘White Lotus’, following an eccentric billionaire, Slater King (played by Channing Tatum) who meets a cocktail waitress Frida (played by Naomie Ackie), at his fundraiser Gala, inviting her and friend Jess (played by Alia Shawkat) to his own private island, with friends and other rich folk. At first, all seems fine and dandy, living the life of luxury, but soon strange occurrences start to happen and all may not be as it seems. The film proved to be a massive hit with critics and audiences alike, certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes at 74% and holding an impressive 70% audience score. In addition to the above names mentioned, the cast is truly stacked with the likes of Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Adjorna, Haley Joel Osment, Liz Caribel, Geena Davis and Kyle MacLaughlan.

‘Blink Twice’ was one of the biggest surprises of the year for me, but viewers be advised, it's not for the faint-hearted. The film deals with some heavy issues and is very similar to a public figure who was recently caught up in a similar scandal, albeit not as heightened or crazy (that we know of). The film balances its heavy themes, with biting satire and blending it with dark comedy, hyper-violence and ultra-realism making for a thoroughly entertaining filmgoing experience. The film never pokes fun of the situation but rather treats the absurdity in a way that adds levity to some of its more serious scenes. 

The isolated Island setting also provided a lot of thrills as like our characters, we also feel trapped in paradise.  The film does well to utilise such a gorgeous setting, to create dread and fear as things become more and more dire. The reason this work so well, can be attributed to the amazing cast. Naomie Ackie as our lead Frida, has to do a lot of heavy lifting. The evolution of her character, becoming a strong, independent women by the films third act is one of the most memorable character arcs in recent years. Channing Tatum’s conniving, and sinister turn as the films antagonist, Billionaire, Slater King, was also quite chilling. He appears so likeable in the films first act, and similar to Frida, goes through one hell of a journey, revealing his sinister, and unforgiving nature by the film’s finale, getting exactly what he deserves in the film’s final moments. The supporting cast here are all fantastic as well, with the likes of Alia Shawkat, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Adjorna, Haley Joel Osment, Liz Caribel, Geena Davis and Kyle MacLaughlan all delivering great supporting performances.  
Overall, ‘Blink Twice’ was a fun thriller, that will leave the audience thinking long after the credits. It delves into some truly disturbing and culturally relevant themes, without ever feeling preachy. It has fun with its heightened premise and provides a lot of great moments along the way. Its talented cast are held together by the wickedly talented Naomie Ackie and Channing Tatum as the films leads. If you’re looking for a fun thriller, then look no further, this one will definitely scratch that itch. Be sure to secure your copy today on DVD or Blu-Ray from Sanity, you won’t want to miss it.

For everything else pop culture, make Sanity your one stop shop, show their tens of thousands of titles on DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K Ultra HD, not to mention their wide range of music, board games, video games, statues, and collectibles and so much more!
2024 promises to be stacked full of great releases, so make sure you sign up to Sanity’s newsletter, so, you don’t miss another major release and for all things movies, music, merchandise, shop Sanity!
 

Long live physical media!
 

Buy  Blink Twice Here!

Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here