MOVIE OF THE WEEK: 8/23/24: BLINK TWICE

"A free to an island owned by a billionaire just HAS to be a good time with no consequences, right? RIGHT?!" Frida (Naomi Ackie, left) and Sarah (Adria Arjona, right) star in a scene from co-writer/director Zoë Kravitz’s BLINK TWICE, an Amazon MGM Studios film. © 2024 Amazon MGM Studios. All Rights Reserved.

 WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Alia Shawkat, Adria Arjona, Simon Rexx, Haley Joel Osment, Liz Caribel, Trew Mulden, Christian Slater and Levon Hawke with Geena Davis and Kyle McLachlan

DIRECTOR: Zöe Kravitz

THE BACK STORY: Frida (Naomi Ackie) and Jess (Alia Shawkat) are roommates in the big city who want more out of the life they share in their dingy, rundown apartment. That's why when they get a chance to work a big event for King-Tech CEO Slater King (Channing Tatum), they jump at the chance to hobnob with power players like King. So, when Naomi charms her way into an invite to King's private island retreat alongside survival show reality TV star Sarah (Adria Arjona) her would-be boyfriend Cody, (Simon Rex), the upbeat Camilla (Liz Caribel), Paris Hilton-like marijuana enthusiast Heather (Trew Mulden), struggling to diet Tom (Haley Joel Osment) and Lucas (Levon Hawke). 

Everything is exactly as Frida and Jess could dream of at first with food, booze and drugs flowing heavily against an island paradise, their clothes, lodging and even perfume provided for free of charge. But after several nights of partying, Frida notices something is amiss: Jess is nowhere to be found, the only trace of her existence being the lighter she brought with her that has been used to light enough blunts to make Cypress Hill and Snoop Dogg in their respective primes jealous. And once she starts to slowly piece together an idea of what is really going on, Frida realizes that the question she jokingly asked Rich (Kyle McLachlan) back at the gala – "Blink twice if I'm in trouble" – has a much deadlier answer than she ever expected.

THE REVIEW: A throwback 1970s-style "final girl" style movie set against an Epstein Island-like setting but from a more feminist touch sounds like a timely and interesting enough premise for a film in 2024. Unfortunately, watching BLINK TWICE is more work than cinematic experience due to mundane pacing, flat characters and a film that, while pretty to look at, fails to captivate your attention until everything is on fire. 

Based on the film's trailers, one could argue there are three big selling points attempting to compel audiences to see BLINK TWICE: (1) Channing Tatum is playing a man who seems to have secrets; (2) the aforementioned setting and (3) it being Zöe Kravitz's directorial debut (she also co-wrote the screenplay with E.T. Feigenbaum). 

In response to point number one, Tatum delivers a FAR more interesting performance in another film out now currently dominating the box office as Slater King – save for one very specific, intense sequence – is just bland. Not because Tatum plays him bland, but simply because the character is largely just on screen in existence for a large majority of the film. He is given a little back story that offers some clues, once things start picking up around the 40 minute mark, as to why he is the way he is before culminating at the film's apex ... Unfortunately, he's about as nondescript as a character as the all white linens everyone on his island is wearing. Either Tatum wasn't given much to do with his character or he chose not to do much to make the film's climax more climax-y, but it just doesn't work.

On point number two, islands are inherently interesting for thrillers, be they ones that house monsters like Kong and Godzilla, simply have people that are "lost" or even those that fear getting "old." But while the island looks good on screen, it feels sorely underutilized as a setting for a (potentially) better film. On point number three, BLINK TWICE feels a lot like Michael B. Jordan's first turn behind the lens on CREED III: It proves she knows how a movie can be made, but it fails to serve as compelling evidence of any nuance or artistic storytelling choices that are distinct to her vision. (At least Jordan's debut had that extended, dreamlike sequence going for it.) There are hints of a signature touch here and there, but save for a young fan base grasping onto it, the film will likely be met by many audiences with a "ehhh" response. 

It's fine, but there's not much that's really memorable, exciting or dare I say even compelling to make anyone want to watch BLINK TWICE more than once – intriguing, potentially-but-not-really-island be damned.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):