As a gamer who has spent countless hours immersed in various virtual worlds, I must say that Zoe Kravitz’s directorial debut, “Blink Twice,” felt like stepping into a new level of cinematic experience. The film’s unique blend of suspense, class commentary, and intricate character development was a refreshing departure from the usual run-of-the-mill productions.
Lately, my friends and I have been discussing an issue with contemporary romantic comedies: they often feature affluent protagonists. In contrast to the working-class leads of movies like “Moonstruck”, today’s romantic comedy heroes and heroines, such as those in “Ticket to Paradise” or “Anyone but You”, are typically wealthy enough to travel anywhere they desire at a moment’s notice. As we pondered over this trend, someone suggested that it might be linked to the economic struggles of our time. In late capitalism, financial security is becoming increasingly elusive for young adults. The idea of jetting off to Australia spontaneously is now a modern romantic dream, rather than finding your soulmate in a local bookstore.
At first, Zoe Kravitz’s directorial debut, “Blink Twice” (co-written with E.T. Feigenbaum), challenges the conventional norm of today’s romantic comedies. Typically, a working-class character being transported to a wealthy island filled with billionaires could be a flimsy plot for a forgettable Netflix rom-com. However, in this case, it sets an ominous tone right from the start. The extravagant homes are portrayed as unusual, even triggering uneasy feelings. Wealth is not glamorized as something desirable, as it often is in many modern romantic comedies. Instead, it serves as a symbol of moral decay in “Blink Twice“, laying the foundation for the ensuing darkness.
Waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie), alongside her friend Jess (Alia Shawkat), is serving cocktails at an exclusive gathering organized for billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum). Amidst a flurry of accusations about his inappropriate behavior, King took a brief hiatus from public life. Now he’s back in the spotlight at events like this, trying to convey that he has reformed. According to his own account, King now resides peacefully on a secluded island with his closest companions. Additionally, it seems that Frida has caught King’s attention after she and Jess secretly attended this party as “guests”, and King has taken a liking to her.
Initially, it may appear that King’s affection for Frida is one-sided, but then an unusual thought strikes him – why not invite both Frida and Jess to his exclusive island? Before long, the pair embark on a trip to a tropical haven, which also happens to be home to personalities such as Sarah (Adria Arjona), King’s close friends Vic (Christian Slater) and Cody (Simon Rex), and others. The atmosphere is somewhat unsettling yet entertaining…that is, until strange occurrences start piling up. To make matters worse, people who were once familiar on the island begin to vanish. Frida becomes increasingly curious about what’s going on and is resolved to uncover the truth, even as she encounters numerous challenges in this peculiar high-society “paradise”.
As I journeyed through the captivating world of Blink Twice, it brought back memories of Frank Perry’s 1968 masterpiece, Burt Lancaster’s The Swimmer. Both titles are bathed in sunshine, filled with pool dips, and feature a protagonist who meets people but finds no aid along the way.
As a gamer, I find that “The Swimmer” immerses me in a dreamlike world filled with surreal imagery to make the unusual feel almost normal. On the other hand, “Blink Twice” uses a more enigmatic visual and narrative style, similar to opening a mystery box. The scenes aren’t overly stylized or impressionistic; instead, they are intentionally stripped of context, creating an unsettling atmosphere. This is achieved through the strategic emphasis on everyday sounds, like hearing a lipstick being pulled out or umbrellas plunking into drinks. This artistic approach effectively transforms ordinary events, such as Frida meeting Cody with chickens, into ominous situations. The soundscape of “Blink Twice” conditioned me to associate unease with even the most common sounds, like clinking glasses or knives slicing fruit. Consequently, even simple actions, like a man handling poultry, become tinged with a sense of foreboding.
Despite maintaining a suspenseful atmosphere initially, the script and visuals in Blink Twice eventually prioritize explaining complex internal lore over hinting at danger. The focus on providing answers over suggestion weakens the unsettling nature of King’s island. Ambiguity about the island’s mechanics would have enhanced the production. Unfortunately, Frida’s personal journey gets overshadowed by numerous plot twists and turns, making her internal desires less significant in the overall narrative. This diminishes the impact of the third act significantly. What’s most disappointing is that the story concentrates too much on King’s psychological aspects while neglecting Frida’s development.
Occasionally, “Blink Twice” resembles both “The Swimmer” and contemporary M. Night Shyamalan films in terms of production quality, maintaining a level of suspense, yet faltering with conclusions. The loftier thematic aspirations of “Blink Twice,” compared to, say, Shyamalan’s “Knock at the Cabin,” make its flaws even more painful. The ambition is commendable, but it falls short in delivering a satisfying ending. Regrettably, much like how excessive exposition in “Old” spoils the overall experience, the final scene of “Blink Twice” undermines its class critique. This neat conclusion may have pleased Amazon executives, but it concludes things on a lackluster note instead.
In a delightful shift of topic, let me express my admiration for the actors who are doing an outstanding job. Ackie, in particular, is exceptional in her lead role. Her eyes and facial expressions convey fear so vividly, even when she’s required to maintain a cheerful facade before the King. It’s equally impressive to see the captivating chemistry Ackie shares with different actors, notably Arjona and Shawkat. The rapport between Ackie and Shawkat, in particular, gives a profoundly human touch to early scenes depicting Frida’s working-class life. All the performers keep you hooked, with Arjona delivering another remarkable performance this summer following her work in Hit Man. She’s clearly moved on from her days in Morbius!
The outstanding production design by Robert Bonelli is as captivating as any top-notch performance of “Blink Twice”. The vivid use of bold red and blue tones permeates every aspect, from the characters’ masks to the walls and even plastic bags on this island. This careful selection of “pleasing” colors serves a dual purpose: it makes them hard to ignore yet manages to evoke an unsettling ambiance that is hard to shake off.
The individual components of “Blink Twice” are explosive in their impact. Yet, as a complete film, it fails to deliver the expected punch that one would expect from the sum of its parts. It’s unclear whether this is due to the controversial ending, rougher aspects like uneven editing or an abrupt “I’M THAT GIRL” soundtrack placement, or even Kyle MacLachlan’s appearance reminiscent of David Lynch’s superior works. However, Zoe Kravitz’s directorial debut showcases some impressive filmmaking skills. Despite its inconsistencies and ambitious nature, it’s difficult to write off this movie entirely…and at least “Blink Twice” tackles the corruption of billionaires more thoughtfully than many contemporary romantic comedies I could mention!
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2024-08-24 18:15