Would it be hell to indulge in nothing but pleasure for days on end? That is the conceit of the ambitious new thriller, “Blink Twice,” opening Aug. 23. But think twice; this stylish directorial debut by Zoë Kravitz — who co-wrote the screenplay with E.T. Feigenbaum (out 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) while working 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 work and no hospitals — just good vibes.
It is an irresistible opportunity, and once on the island, life consists of little more than amusing food, a “tsunami of champagne,” and 1000-thread count sheets to luxuriate in. “Chez King” is sooo much better than Frida and Jess’ crappy apartment with the black mold. There are flowers that grow only on the island, dazzling perfume and drugs for whenever the mood strikes, which, apparently, is often for some of the guests.
But there are also snakes, which one island employee (María Elana Olivares) — identified as “Badass Maid” in the credits — wrangles. The maid also has some ominous encounters with Frida where she is either providing a warning or a threat.
Kravitz keeps shifting the tone of “Blink Twice,” making it hard to tell. The film starts out in hangout mode in an idyllic island setting. Slater has a coterie of friends with him, including Cody (Simon Rex), who prepares dishes such as “pop rocks in a tangerine mojito sorbet,” and his girlfriend, Sarah (Adria Arjona), a former reality TV star from the show “Survivor Babes.” Also attending are Vic (Christian Slater), Tom (Haley Joel Osment), Camilla (Liz Caribel), Lucas (Levon Hawke) and Heather (Trew Mullen). The group laze around in or by the pool, eat and drink, smoke and vape, or schvitz in the sauna. One could get used to this life of leisure — or become bored by it.
“Blink Twice” lulls viewers into tedium as this slow-burn thriller takes too long to unfold. There is no surprise that something is “off,” and not just when Frida wonders how the stains on her dress from dinner are gone later that night, or why she has dirt under her fingernails. (These little puzzles may also be clues). Jess, too, expresses concern that “there is something very wrong with this place,” especially after she is bitten by a snake. What transpires is best left to be revealed, and while it is not unsatisfying, the film does feel a little off.
For starters, it should be darkly amusing. But when Frida asks Slater’s therapist Rich (Kyle MacLachlan) to “blink twice if I’m in danger,” it comes off as forced, not funny. Likewise, a running gag about Slater fussing over a chair is lame as is various characters making a punchline out of the island’s chickens. (Even when the animals are shown to inject a little absurdist humor, it disappoints.) The best comic moments are the deadpan remarks by Stacy (Geena Davis), Slater’s upbeat assistant.
The suspense element of the story also feels underwhelming. A sequence involving Frida sneaking into Slater’s office to see if she can figure out what is troubling about paradise lacks tension. But it does help move the plot forward. Once Frida figures out what is going on, she enlists the help of Sarah (because she has survival skills) to mete out some justice.
The last act of “Blink Twice” compensates for the awkward tonal shifts and paper-thin characters. The film critiques our current “apology culture” where folks — specifically rich white men — can do or say things to excuse their behavior without consequence. Meanwhile, women are questioned when they speak truth to power. (“Blink Twice” can also be read as an unexpectedly timely political allegory as a Black female character has a power struggle with a wealthy white man, but that may be reading too much into this “eat the rich” narrative.)
There are some salient points 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” feels soft when it should be sharper. The bad behavior that takes place on the island is seen mostly in snippets, which lessens their impact. Instead, the emphasis is placed on the nasty violence that occurs. The film would be stronger if viewers were as mad as the characters being victimized. Again, it just feels off.
The central performances keep the film engaging. Naomi Ackie is wonderfully expressive, conveying Frida’s emotions as she must smile through fear and pain. She also has a terrific sequence dancing to Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody.” Both Alia Shawkat and Adria Arjona lend fine support as Jess and Sarah, respectively, and the friendship between these women is more appealing than Frida’s romance with Slater. As the tech billionaire, Channing Tatum is awkwardly charming but also creepy in one potent scene.
But the rest of the supporting cast, specifically, Simon Rex, Christian Slater, and Haley Joel Osment, feel underused. Rex gets a decent sight gag, Slater does little more than snap polaroids, and Osment is mostly seen eating eggs. The film wastes these actor’s comic potential.
The debauchery in “Blink Twice” is meant to be fun then disturbing, but Kravitz’s film tries too hard, and ends up being neither.
