Summary
- Kravitz’s directorial debut, Blink Twice, impresses with sharp writing and a thrilling narrative that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
- Tatum delivers a chilling and convincing performance as the mysterious tech billionaire, showcasing a new side of his acting range.
- The film expertly blends dark humor with social commentary, creating a visually stunning and emotionally impactful experience for audiences.
Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut, the dark comedy thriller Blink Twice, has received overwhelmingly positive reviews ahead of its August 23, 2024 wide release date. The film stars Channing Tatum as a mysterious and charming tech billionaire named Slater King who invites a cocktail waitress named Frida (Noami Ackie) to his luxurious private island. What starts out as a dream vacation soon unfolds into a thrilling nightmare as strange things begin to happen in the seemingly idyllic paradise. These odd happenings force Frida to start questioning her reality as she tries to uncover the truth about the island and Slater.
Tatum has starred in dozens of critically acclaimed movies in various genres, such as comedy (21 Jump Street), action (White House Down), and serious drama (Foxcatcher). The acclaimed actor has had an excellent 2024 so far, starring in Apple’s popular space-themed rom-com Fly Me to the Moon alongside Scarlett Johansson and guest appearing in the summer box office hit Deadpool & Wolverine. Tatum’s other recent works include 2023’s Magic Mike’s Last Dance, 2022’s The Lost City, and 2022’s Dog before starring in Kravitz’s feature film debut as both director and screenwriter.
Kravitz is best known for her lead role as Selina Kyle/Catwoman in Matt Reeves’ celebrated 2022 action film The Batman alongside Robert Pattinson. She has also starred in dozens of notable films and television series such as X-Men: First Class, Mad Max: Fury Road, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and Big Little Lies, which will return for a third season in 2025. Kravitz was also the voice of Mary Jane in the hugely popular animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and voiced Catwoman in The LEGO Batman movie. Kravitz only has one other writing credit to her name outside of Blink Twice, which she wrote with High Fidelity collaborator E.T. Feigenbaum.
10 Blink Twice Is Very Impressive For A Directorial Debut
Kravitz shows serious promise as a rising director
Blink Twice is widely celebrated as a major achievement in directing for Kravitz, who is known and celebrated primarily as an actor. Rachel Leishman of The Mary Sue writes in her review of Blink Twice, “Zoë Kravitz made her directorial debut with Blink Twice and has firmly cemented herself as a creative to watch out for. Many know Kravitz for her acting, but her vision for this movie is truly something special, mixed with stellar performances from her all-star cast.” Nadine Whitney of AWFJ.org writes, “Zoë Kravitz has her finger on the pulse with some extremely pertinent contemporary ideas and is using genre cinema to explore them. Keep an eye on Zoë Kravitz, one day she’s going to blow you away.”
9 Blink Twice Is A Sharply-Crafted Physiological Thriller
Kravitz proves a mastery of her high-concept thriller
One of the best aspects of Blink Twice is how sharply written it is at both macro and micro levels. Mae Abdulbaki of Screen Rant writes in her 4.5-star review of Blink Twice, “For a first-time feature filmmaker, Zoë Kravitz has a sharp and clear creative vision, and is able to execute it with immense precision. The psychological thriller is clever, sharp, and intoxicating, even in its eeriest moments.” BJ Colangelo of Slashfilm writes in her 4-star review, “Kravitz wisely front loads this paradise with unmistakable red flags planted directly in the heart of horror tropes. The result is a genuine, jaw-dropping thrill ride, and the biggest surprise film of the year.”
8 Blink Twice Shows An Unseen Side Of Channing Tatum
Tatum plays a charming and convincing villain
Image via MGM
Blink Twice challenges typical funnyman and leading star Channing Tatum in ways that have never been seen before in his previous performances. Sophie Butcher of Empire Magazine writes in her 4-star review of Blink Twice, “Kravitz’s impeccably cool real-life energy seeps into every element. A seriously effective, incisive thriller which establishes Zoë Kravitz as a bold directorial talent, and shows you a side of Channing Tatum that you’ve never seen before. Channing Tatum is, eventually, chilling, swinging between romantic and ruthless.” Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth writes, “Decades of Channing Tatum’s charm have been weaponized into a terrifying performance of despicable behavior. You know the kind of character Channing Tatum is playing upfront, so… once all the masks come off, he is unleashed and utterly terrifying.”
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7 Blink Twice Has Darkly Comedic Humor
Blink Twice is surprisingly funny
Image via MGM
While Blink Twice is certainly a psychological thriller, it also has many dark notes of humor placed naturally throughout its 1-hour 42-minute runtime. Kristy Puchko of Mashable writes in her fresh review of Blink Twice, “Perhaps the greatest surprise of Blink Twice is just how slyly humorous it is. The material gets dark, but Kravitz and her cast lace in an absurdity that keeps us at the edge of our seats, instead of buried behind our hands. The defiant comedy amid the horror here urges us to keep hope alive, even when things look bleak.” Doug Jamieson of The Jam Report writes in his 4-star review, “A tense, disturbing, darkly funny, and twist-filled nail-biter. For a film that deals with some deeply heavy topics, Kravitz smartly drops in plenty of darkly comedic levity to cut the bleakness.”
6 Blink Twice Has An Effective Message Against Elitism
The film has a strong take on eat-the-rich satires
Blink Twice is similar thematically to The Menu, Triangle of Sadness, and Get Out with its social commentary about elitism and patriarchal systems. Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth writes, “Blink Twice unfolds like a cousin to Jordan Peele’s Get Out, justifiably raging against the patriarchy and abuse.” Alistair Ryder of Looper.com writes, “We’re drowning under a sea of “eat the rich” satires in movies, and even the best of them are toothless, with the biggest risk they take at punching up at the 1% being the suggestion that the powerful aren’t quite as smart as they seem.It will likely prove divisive, but “Blink Twice” mostly succeeds due to its scathing nature, taking off the kid gloves that most recent eat-the-rich films have tackled the 1% with.”
5 Blink Twice Has An Outstanding Ensemble Cast
The characters were expertly cast in Blink Twice
One of the most glaring positives about Blink Twice is its outstanding ensemble cast, which includes Tatum, Ackie, Alia Shawkat, Christian Slater, Adria Arjona, Simon Rex, Levon Hawke, Liz Caribel, Kyle MacLachlan, and Haley Joel Osment. Nagier Chambers of Big Gold Belt Media writes, “Zoe Kravitz makes a bold statement with her directorial debut. This film stands alongside ‘Get Out’ & ‘Us,’ delivering a story that sparks deep conversations long after the credits roll. Strong performances all around.” Doug Jamieson of The Jam Report writes, “When Frida and Sarah finally combine forces, Ackie and Arjona become one of the year’s most spectacular pairings. Please cast them in something together again.”
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4 Blink Twice Has A Strong & Satisfying Reveal
Blink Twice doesn’t back down as the film unfolds
Blink Twice takes viewers are an enthralling ride that many critics found to pay off marvelously in the end. Emmanuel Noisette of The Movie Blog writes, “Blink Twice is a shockingly good, wild, and unexpected ride. Zoë Kravitz makes a bold statement with her directorial debut, delivering a film that is as thought-provoking as it is unsettling.” Kyle Logan of Cultured Vultures writes, “We all know something bad is going to happen from the start of Blink Twice… That doesn’t make the majority of the film…any less fun or inviting. Nor does it make the film’s reveal any less impactful.”
3 Blink Twice Is Visually Stunning
Blink Twice employs an intriguing use of color and contrast
Blink Twice employs an intriguing use of color and contrast that makes for a visually stunning and engaging product. Rachel Leishman of The Mary Sue writes. “What fascinates me about Blink Twice is Kravitz’s use of contrasting colors and her ability to capture the audience’s attention by the vibrancy of the island Slater and his friends frequent lulls you into a false sense of security. Every moment of beauty in Blink Twice forces you to examine something else with a magnifying glass and Kravitz really uses her vision to her advantage.” Even a negative review written by Christian Toto of HollywoodInToto.com noted the impressive visuals, writing “Zoë Kravitz stages stunning visuals but comes up empty everywhere else.”
2 Blink Twice Tackles Its Subject Matter Fearlessly
Kravitz boldly aims straight at its touchy topics
Image via MGM
Blink Twice does not beat around the bush when it comes to some of its more heightened subject matter. Cain Noble-Davies of FILMINK writes, “a marvellous psycho-thriller, packed with an amazing cast, astounding film craft, and an approach to dicey topics that (mostly) shows a lot of care and understanding of all the pieces involved.” Mae Abdulbaki of Screen Rant writes, “Beyond the aesthetics and technical elements, Blink Twice has deeply explored themes — including trauma — that’ll reverberate. The experiences the women have in the film are evocative, and Kravitz has a message that hits close to home in its realness and intention; the nuances are embedded so that a second watch would prove beneficial.”
1 Blink Twice Is Wildly Entertaining Throughout
Blink Twice successfully evokes a wide range of emotions
Image via MGM
Ultimately, Blink Twice is simply a highly entertaining watch and evokes a wide range of emotions successfully. Kate Erbland of IndieWire writes, “Despite the heavier implications of Kravitz’s film, the first-time filmmaker maintains an enviable buzz throughout, twinning humor and rage into one biting package. You’ll laugh, you’ll gasp, you’ll have, yes, a very good time.” Matt Neglia of Next Best Picture writes, “This concocted blend of societal commentary and genre makes “Blink Twice” a must-watch for those looking for a good time at the movies with some substance to their storytelling.” Blink Twice looks to be one of the most surprising critical hits of 2024.
Blink Twice 
4.5 RDramaThriller
Directed by Zoë Kravitz, Blink Twice is a drama thriller film, marking her first foray into the world of directing. The film follows a cocktail waitress invited to a tech billionaire’s private resort home to party with them – but after arriving, she begins to discover the dark truth behind the island.
Director Zoe Kravitz Release Date August 23, 2024 Studio(s) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer , Free Association , FilmNation Entertainment , this is important Distributor(s) Amazon MGM Studios , Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Zoe Kravitz , E.T. Feigenbaum Cast Naomi Ackie , Channing Tatum , Alia Shawkat , Christian Slater , Simon Rex , Adria Arjona , Geena Davis , Haley Joel Osment , Kyle MacLachlan Runtime 102 Minutes Main Genre Mystery Expand