Multilayered psychological thriller stays fresh 

Blink Twice 

(USA, 2024)  

Directed by Zoë Kravitz 

Review by Iva Apostolova 

Blink Twice is the directorial debut of Hollywood start Zoë Kravitz. The leading male role is taken up by none other than the hunky Channing Tatum, Kravitz’s current romantic partner. In other words, in my books, this was a recipe for disaster. Before seeing the movie on the big screen, I had also skimmed over a couple of reviews which were mostly positive but appealed to the viewer’s understanding: this is a directorial debut, after all, and there will inevitably be holes in the plot. Needless to say, my expectations were rather tame at that point. But to my delightful surprise, the story and its cinematographic execution proved me wrong.  

First, we need to talk about the cast. The lead female role is taken on by the up-and-coming English actress Naomi Ackie who played Whitney Houston in the 2022 Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody. I, for one, was really glad that she was chosen to play the lead role. With her old-fashioned but also cutie-pie charm, she brought a certain unconventional esthetic that I think only complemented the story line. While Channing Tatum needs no introduction, I think viewers will be quite surprised to see him flex different acting chops than his usual leading-man fare. As hard as it is to believe, Tatum actually plays the bad guy, and he manages to pull it off just brilliantly! Geena Davis and Kyle MacLachlan have smaller but perfectly executed roles too, which make the plot so much more convincing.  

So, what is the movie actually about? I think the genre that best fits the movie is psychological thriller. And Kravitz manages to keep the pressure on the viewer until the end, with all the twists and turns that the genre calls for. Without giving too much away, the main theme of the movie is gender-based violence. I think viewers will probably recognize the likenesses of the Weinsteins and the Epsteins in Tatum’s character, but Blink Twice manages to stay above the usual tested and tried tropes when such heavy subjects are broached in front of the camera. On the contrary, it stays creative and fresh, luring the viewer into an ever-complicated web of violence and human depravity. And when I say violence, I do not mean gore. I am talking about bone-chilling calculated desire to inflict both emotional and physical pain on another human being. To my surprise, the movie did not have a preaching bone in its body, which is what makes many of the cinematic stories covering gender-based violence predictable and less engaging. On the contrary, it managed to keep me guessing until the very end. I was impressed by how the director, a newbie at that, succeeded in incorporating without any loose ends, at least none that I could spot, the many participants in the story with their unique voices, as well as vices. At no point during the movie was I confused or unsure why something was happening or questioning the integrity of the narrative. As far as I was concerned, all the cinematic tricks were pretty darn memorable.  

For a multi-layered story such as this one, and a topic so sensitive, personal and immensely difficult to talk about, Kravitz has surely managed to give it a hell of a go!   

Running time:1h 42m 

Rated R 

In select theatres and Prime Video 

Iva Apostolova is associate professor and vice-rector, research and academic, at Saint Paul University and a regular Glebe Report contributor on films and TV.