'Blink Twice' review: First-time director Zo? Kravitz wows with eye-opening thriller

Aug. 21—It's tricky to talk about "Blink Twice."

The less the viewer knows about the suspenseful thriller, the better.

On the other hand, the stunningly impressive directorial debut of Zo? Kravitz very much DESERVES to be talked about.

In theaters this week, "Blink Twice" is so many things, among them thoroughly entertaining, occasionally quite funny, increasingly horrifying, highly thought-provoking and, ultimately, poignant and powerful.

Also produced and co-written by Kravitz — an actress known for TV series including "Big Little Lies" and films such as "The Batman" — "Blink Twice" is almost sure to draw myriad comparisons to 2017's "Get Out," the similarly extraordinary work of another first-time director, Jordan Peele.

But whereas Peele took a wildly creative approach to examining the dynamic between white and Black, Kravitz focuses her lens on the ugly relationship that — as we've come to understand better in the last few years — can exist between women and powerful men.

In her director's statement for "Blink Twice," Kravitz — the daughter of rock star Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet — talks of being in rooms filled with powerful people her whole life, of understanding what she saw around her more clearly as she grew older and, perhaps most notably, of finding herself "having conversations with women I knew, or sometimes women I didn't know, with only our eyes. A language we are all unfortunately fluent in because it is not safe to speak these thoughts out loud. To do so would be to break the rules of the game."

Along with co-writer E.T. Feigenbaum — who co-wr0te the Hulu series adaptation of "High Fidelity," in which Kravitz starred — Kravitz has crafted a narrative that, as she puts it, wonders what would happen "if Eve WOKE UP and realized the Garden of Eden is uh, kinda (expletive)" and that Adam is a real problem.

In "Blink Twice," Eve is cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) and Adam tech billionaire Slater (Channing Tatum). The Garden of Eden? Slater's private island, purchased as an escape where Slater can undergo therapy and reflect after a professional scandal for which he repeatedly has publicly apologized.

Frida has taken a great interest in Slater, digesting news stories about him and video clips of him before working a private event hosted by his foundation.

During the fundraising gala, she and bestie Jess (Alia Shawkat, "Search Party") slip out of their catering uniforms and into dresses and begin to mingle with the elites. This quickly goes poorly for Frida, but Slater kindly helps her out of an embarrassing situation and takes an interest in her.

We soon see that he likes looking upon her as much as she does upon him.

When he and his cohorts bid farewell to Frida and Jess because it is time for them to escape to the island paradise, Slater circles back to invite them to come along, saying he hopes he's not being too ... well, something. They agree, of course, and after a flight aboard his private jet, are on said theoretical paradise, home to Slater's blood-red compound and staffers who act more than a little strangely.

Eh, it's probably nothing.

Slater's male pals are Vic (Christian Slater, "Mr. Robot"), a bit of a jerk who's constantly taking Polaroid pictures; Tom (Haley Joel Osment, "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile"), who masks his aggressive tendencies with sweetness; Lucas (Levon Hawke, "The Crowded Room"), a largely useless Slater protege; and Cody (Simon Rex, "Red Rocket"), who creates carefully crafted and fanciful meals for the group. The other women in the group are Sarah (Adria Arjona, "HIt Man"), in great shape from having spent several seasons on the show "Hot Survival Babes"; Camilia (Liz Caribel Sierra), a fun-loving type; and Heather (Trew Mullen), a stoner who happily embraces the nickname "Blunt Queen."

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Also orbiting Slater is Stacy (Geena Davis), his sister and assistant, and we don't know quite what to make of her — at least not for a while.

Although we get the titular phrase at the fundraiser when Slater introduces Frida to his therapist (Kyle MacLachlan), "Blink Twice" suggests you should do your best to watch for visual clues as this story unfolds. What is the deal, say, with the perfume Frida finds in her room and uses liberally? And, surely, Jess' constantly missing lighter will be of some significance, right?

While we cannot wait for a second viewing, which may unearth clues we missed early on, know that all becomes painfully clear as the movie goes on, "Blink Twice" pulling back the curtain to the hard truth not all that long after some of its most humorous moments.

Kravitz's shifting of tones is masterful, and she gets great help in this area and overall from collaborators such as cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra, composer Chanda Dancy, production designer Roberto Bonelli and editor Kathryn J. Schubert. "Blink Twice" is consistently to take in audibly, as well as emotionally.

That's thanks also to strong work from leads Ackie ("Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," "End of the F*cking World"), making sure we feel every one of Frida's emotions every step of the way, and Tatum ("Fly Me to the Moon," "Magic Mike"), who gives one of the strongest performances of his career for fiancee Kravitz.

Once you know what is going on and how it is happening in "Blink Twice," can you pick away at the mechanics of it? Probably. However, that would be to miss the point greatly.

Rest assured that while not the film's finest stretch, the conflict-filled final act leads to a nourishing conclusion.

It also gives us a line, delivered perfectly by Tatum, that has stuck with us for days and is likely to hang around for a while longer.

As with so much of "Blink Twice," we're dying to talk about it but really shouldn't.

'Blink Twice'

Where: Theaters.

When: Aug. 23.

Rated: R for strong violent content, sexual assault, drug use and language throughout, and some sexual references.

Runtime: 1 hour, 42 minutes.

Stars (of four): 3.5.

Originally Published: August 21, 2024 at 12:00 p.m.