There’s been a lot of buzz leading up to the release of Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut Blink Twice on the 2024 movie schedule, whether it’s the changing of its original NSFW title or Kravitz finally making her red carpet debut with fiancé Channing Tatum, who stars in the movie. But now the behind-the-scenes work is done and the focus can turn to the project itself. Critics have seen Blink Twice, and they say despite some faults, this is a fun watch and a great first effort from Kravitz.
The film stars Naomi Ackie as Frida, a cocktail waitress who snags an invite for her and her friend to join tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) for a big party on his private island. The too-good-to-be-true getaway turns into exactly that. In the CinemaBlend review of Blink Twice, our own Jessica Rawden says Zoë Kravitz’s vision is super fun and chock full of leading lady energy. Rawden rates the movie 4 stars out of 5, praising Tatum and Ackie’s performances. She writes:
When I walked out of the theater, I actually thought to myself, ‘This is my favorite movie so far this year.’ Is it ultimately the best movie I've seen so far this year? No, and I think that’s an important distinction – but no one who grabs some popcorn and gets their butts into a theater seat this month is going to be disappointed. Kravitz should be proud of this first directorial effort, and I’m so enthusiastic about whatever comes next.
Travis Hopson of Punch Drunk Critics rates it 3 out of 5 stars, saying Zoë Kravitz’s career is off to a good start with a film that shoots for the moon and just barely misses the mark. Despite its imperfections, Blink Twice is still edgy and provocative, Hopson says, writing:
It’s all pure pleasure and not much depth, which makes sense given the context but also can be infuriatingly flat. As Slater’s truth comes to light and Frida realizes what is really going on, Kravitz gets too cute by half. In short, there are plotholes and questions galore that go unanswered, as if the plot hadn’t been thought all of the way through in favor of creating a mood and making a statement.
Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times agrees the rookie director takes a big swing in her debut and says she sticks the landing far more often than not. Roeper praises the skillful way she blends satire with horror in Blink Twice, citing the film’s striking visuals and smart dialogue. The critic gives the movie 3.5 stars out of 4 and says:
Other than one fairly deep plot hole, the gonzo storyline actually makes sense, although the twists come so fast and furious at the end that we need to take a beat to sort it all out as the credits roll. Blink Twice makes great use of the terrific cast, with Ackie and Arjona delivering particularly powerful work and Channing turning his natural charm sideways. With this first film, Zoë Kravitz serves notice she is a true talent who is coming for us, and I mean that in the best possible way. I cannot wait to see what she does next.
Aaron Neuwirth of We Live Entertainment gives the upcoming horror-thriller an 8 out of 10 User Rating, calling it effectively gripping and darkly humorous. Not having a definitive understanding of all that took place over the 102-minute runtime doesn’t take away from Neuwirth’s appreciation of the film. The critic continues:
Blink Twice may seem like an unassuming little horror flick about some antics on an island that become more horrific as the days wear on, but it’s more than that. Even when noting that it’s also a social thriller, it feels like I’m shortchanging what it’s after. There are for sure significant motivations behind Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut stemming from gender disparity, white privilege, the ‘#MeToo’ era, and more. However, I enjoyed how this movie embraces the idea of the audience attempting to be a step ahead by adding additional layers. There’s also plenty of scrappy spirit and sly dark comedy to make for an entertaining ride that doesn’t mind getting brutal.
Sophie Butcher of Empire says Blink Twice is a seriously effective, incisive thriller that both establishes Zoë Kravitz as a bold directorial talent, and shows us a side of Channing Tatum that we’ve never seen. The critic rates it 4 out of 5 stars, writing:
The way Kravitz unspools the horrifying reality of what’s happening on the island feels heavily Get Out-inspired. She utilises flashbacks, fast cuts and spikes in sound and visuals to overwhelm your senses, leaving you tense and hyper-vigilant. The over-arching narrative becomes quite predictable early on — but Kravitz’s direction, and the smart, neat script by Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum, keep things surprising. The film doesn’t shy away from graphic scenes, particularly in the bloody final act, but always holds just enough back to stop it feeling exploitative.
The critics agree this is an impressive — though not perfect — first effort from the director, and many voiced that they can’t wait to see what Zoë Kravitz does next. Overall the good seems to far outweigh the bad, as Blink Twice holds a 76% on Rotten Tomatoes from 72 critics as of this writing. The movie hits theaters on Friday, August 23.
