Blink Twice presents Trouble in Paradise – San Francisco Bay Times

By Gary Kramer–

Would it be hell to spend days just indulging in pleasure? That's the idea behind ambitious new thriller Blink Twice, which hits theaters August 23, 2024. But think again; this stylish directorial debut from Zoë Kravitz – who co-wrote the screenplay with ET Feigenbaum (the openly gay Bruce Cohen produced) – blurs the line between seductive and sinister – with mixed results.

Best friends and roommates Frida (Naomi Ackie) and Jess (bisexual Alia Shawkat) hope to meet billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) at a big event for his company Kingtech. When Frida catches Slater's eye, he invites her and Jess to his private island, where there are no phones, no jobs, no hospitals – just good vibes.

It's an irresistible opportunity, and once you're on the island, life is little more than delicious food, a “tsunami of champagne” and 1000-thread count sheets to luxuriate in. Chez King is sooo much better than Frida and Jess's shabby apartment with black mold. There are flowers that only grow on the island, heady perfume and drugs if you feel like it, which seems to be often for some guests.

But there are also snakes, which an island employee (María Elana Olivares) – referred to in the credits as the “Badass Maid” – has to deal with. The maid also has some ominous encounters with Frida, in which she issues either a warning or a threat.

Kravitz changes the tone of Blink Twice so constantly that it's hard to tell. The film begins in hangout mode on an idyllic island setting. Slater has a circle of friends along, including Cody (Simon Rex), who prepares dishes like “Pop Rocks in a tangerine mojito sorbet,” and his girlfriend Sarah (Adria Arjona), a former reality TV star from the show Survivor Babes. Also present are Vic (Christian Slater), Tom (Haley Joel Osment), Camilla (Liz Caribel), Lucas (Levon Hawke), and Heather (Trew Mullen). The group lounges in or around the pool, eating and drinking, smoking and vaping, or sweating in the sauna. You could get used to this life of leisure, or you could get bored of it.

Blink Twice bores viewers because this slow-paced thriller takes too long to unfold. It's no surprise that something is “off,” and not just when Frida wonders how the dinner stains on her dress disappeared later that night or why she has dirt under her fingernails. (These little mysteries can also be clues.) Jess also voices her concern that “there's something very wrong with this place,” especially after she's bitten by a snake. What transpires is best left open, and while the film isn't unsatisfying, it does feel a little odd.

First of all, it's supposed to be darkly amusing. But when Frida asks Slater's therapist Rich (Kyle MacLachlan) to “blink twice when I'm in danger,” it feels forced and not funny. Likewise, a running gag about Slater getting worked up about a chair is lame, as are various characters making a punchline out of the island's chickens. (Even when the animals are shown to contribute some absurd humor, it's disappointing.) The best comic moments are the dry remarks of Stacy (Geena Davis), Slater's upbeat assistant.

The suspense factor of the story is also not convincing. A scene where Frida sneaks into Slater's office to find out what the problem with paradise is is not very suspenseful. But it does help move the plot forward. When Frida finds out what is going on, she enlists Sarah's help (because she has survival skills) to ensure justice.

Blink Twice's final act makes up for its awkward tonal shifts and paper-thin characters. The film critiques our current “apology culture,” in which people – particularly rich white men – can do or say things to excuse their behavior without fear of repercussions, while simultaneously questioning women when they speak truth to power.

There are some valid points made about how our culture prefers to be distracted from reality (or avoid it altogether), and the themes of sisterhood and how women should behave and be treated in society are appreciated. But overall, Blink Twice comes across as soft when it should be sharper. The bad behavior that takes place on the island is mostly seen in snippets, which dulls its impact. Instead, the focus is placed on the nasty violence that occurs. The film would be stronger if viewers were as angry as the victims. Again, it just feels wrong.

The main cast keeps the film engaging. Naomi Ackie is wonderfully expressive in conveying Frida's emotions as she smiles despite fear and pain. She also has a great dance sequence to Chaka Khan's “Ain't Nobody.” Both Alia Shawkat and Adria Arjona provide excellent support as Jess and Sarah, and the friendship between these women is more engaging than Frida's romance with Slater. As the tech billionaire, Channing Tatum is oddly charming but also creepy in a powerful scene.

But the rest of the supporting cast, especially Simon Rex, Christian Slater and Haley Joel Osment, feel underused. Rex gets one decent visual gag, Slater does little more than take Polaroids and Osment is mostly seen eating eggs. The film wastes the comedic potential of these actors.

The excesses in Blink Twice are meant to be funny rather than disturbing, but they're ultimately neither, as Kravitz's film tries too hard.

© 2024 Gary M. Kramer

Gary M. Kramer is the author of Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews and co-editor of Directory of World Cinema: Argentina. He teaches Short Attention Span Cinema at Bryn Mawr Film Institute and is the moderator of Cinema Salon, a weekly film discussion group. Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer

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Published on August 22, 2024