We Need To Talk About “Blink Twice” (SPOILERS)

hey guys today I want to talk about Blink twice this is the first feature film from Zoe Kravitz uh it's starring chatting Tatum as Slater King an Ecentric billionaire who invites a group of women to his privately owned Island and as these women start to kind of hang out on the island they realize something isn't right and they might be getting manipulated and gaset into something that is much darker than they originally anticipated uh if that premise interests you at all I think you'll really have a good time with this movie I want to talk about my in-depth thoughts spoiler-free and spoiler full of this film I want to talk about the unfortunate discourse that has come as a result of this film and why I kind of want to defend the film and encourage people to see it so as I mentioned the film kind of follows this group of friends that are invited to this billionaires estate this private island and as they are there they start to feel like oh this feels a bit culty this feels a bit strange we're told what to wear what to do we're also waking up with really fuzzy memory we can't really remember what's going on we wake up with weird marks on our bodies what is going on on this island and the film really kicks into gear really gets into Thriller territory where our main character Freda realizes that her friend is missing and not only is she missing but the group of women around her can't even seem to remember that her friend was ever here and ever existed it's like they never met her and for a second you feel like it might be going for like a f Club sort of twist like she imagined her friend was there there but as the film kind of goes on you realize what's really going on I really liked this movie it's not perfect it's a bit tonally confused I think some people are going to be thrown off by kind of the dark comedy Vibe of this film but I really appreciate it and I thought when it took a turn into straight up Thriller territory I was really enthralled and I appreciated the gut punch that this movie delivers um I thought the casting was excellent I thought Channing Tatum was genuinely a fantastic villain I've seen a lot of Articles talk about the idea that Channing Tatum might be miscast in this role and I have to 100% disagree there is a scene he has given towards the end of this film where he starts kind of forcing an apology he starts saying sorry for something in a very like I'm sorry sort of way you know those apologies where it's actually trying to like make the other person feel bad and I thought it was Pitch Perfect I also think he has such a great commanding physical presence for comedy and also intim that when he is going toe-to-toe with the women on the island there is a general sense of fear and kind of intimidation that is really effectively captured by chenning Tatum he doesn't need to say a lot to be intimidating and be really off-putting so yeah I thought it was excellent casting for chenning Tatum but on top of that this cast is absolutely stacked a highlight of the cast is actually Adria ajona who starred in Netflix's Hitman earlier this year she is fantastic ftic she's threedimensional you get a really good sense of who she is from the jump I think also freda's friend is excellent I thought freda's performance our main character was initially a bit funny but due to plot reasons that come up later that's actually Justified and once you find out what's really going on in this movie I actually thought her performance was really excellent kind of retroactively if that makes sense so it's one of those movies where everything comes together towards the end and then as you're looking back on it you go a that explains a lot so initially I thought her character felt a bit thin I felt her performance was a bit strange almost a bit ethereal but by the end of the movie you find out that is very much the point but yeah I thought the the set design was excellent in this movie it it felt like a mix of mid Samar and saltburn in sort of the best way possible I thought it was visually stunning for a lot of sections I thought the way the camera focuses on certain things to draw your eyeline was genuinely quite excellent and well done for a first time director I think Zoe rabbits is absolutely smashing it and I also thought the sound design was fantastic there's a lot of emphasis on drinks and alcohol and drugs and I found the way the sound design kind of highlighted who's drinking where someone talking on the table is really well done there's specifically a scene where a woman is trying to talk to her friend and her boyfriend/ partner is opening a bottle of wine while she's talking and you'll seen her facial expressions react to that sound and get more and more annoyed by the fact that he's almost trying to disrupt her conversation and the sound design is just excellent like it's actually cutting through the conversation make it hard for us to hear what she's saying I know this isn't like groundbreaking film making but it's really refreshing to see a film that actually you know has put a lot of effort into the sound design and the visuals also the soundtrack is fantastic there are multiple party scenes where they play like very noticeable and recognizable songs and later on you see these scenes in different contexts and they play those songs again so it gives you a really good sense of where these events took place in the story you're following also the way this is filmed the cinematography is is genuinely astounding at different points these these party sequences where they're all drugged or dancing to kind of like appeal to these men or because they're being held hostage by these men and they're trying to distract these men these scenes are excellent they're very either seductive or very kind of like fly on the wall or they're shot in a way that makes you feel very vulnerable and scared depending on the tonality of that scene so in some scenes these women are dancing and having fun and in other scenes they're dancing to fight for their lives and based on what they're going for the camera work kind of matches there were these incredible tracking shots that are following our entire cast of characters having a good time having fun partying but then later on in the movie when these characters are running for their lives the same camera work is utilized I think it just does an excellent job of putting us in place of these Char now I can't talk about this film and its discourse without getting into plot spoilers so be warned I think this movie is a solid seven to an8 out of 10 I think if you go into it knowing it is going to be a fairly adult Thriller I think you'll have a really good time obviously bear in mind the maturity rating of this film going into it but yeah I think it's really excellent I love that this film was initially titled [ __ ] Island I think that's just such a great great title and they ended up landing on blink twice and I really love this interview with Zoe Kravitz where she outlined why she called it blink twice I am so obsess of the fact that this was originally called [ __ ] islands and I'm like Imagine The Branding it would be icon yeah tell me how did we end up with blink twice well it's a line that she says in the film but I actually feel like it is the right title for the film I think it actually focuses focuses the core of what this movie is about which is really you know having to express how you feel without saying the words you know the the term blink twice if you need help because you're you're like help me and the fact that women have to do that in general is terrible and I feel like it's something that is so normalized that we don't even really think about it too much she basically goes on to say the idea that the reason it's called blink twice is because women often in these sort of like high stake situations with men need to learn to non-verbally communicate either with the men or with each other to get out of these awful situations and that's why blink twice kind of works as a really effective title and I really like that but I also think [ __ ] island is an excellent title if you look at it from the male characters POV the male characters in this movie are revealed to be misogynistic chauvinistic predators and I think the idea that they would call this island [ __ ] Island as kind of a nickname where they drag these women to and kind of you know take advantage of them is a really effective idea and commentary it's not subtle it's about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the teeth but I think in terms of the way this movie is presented and how unsettle the movie is as a whole intentionally I think that title works but I like the title they landed on now we need to get into plot details spoilers so tap out if you don't want this film spoiled going into this movie I unfortunately read an article that said this was basically get out for the me too era get out was a film directed by Jordan Peele that was very kind of comedic but also dark as it went on and that comedy sort of left and the kind of horror Thriller aspects really solidified as you started to realize that that movie was a horror Thriller about racism this is a film that initially is presented as a somewhat comedy sort of and then as it goes on you slowly start to realize it's a horror Thriller specifically about manipulation misogyny and kind of RW culture right that is essentially what the movie is going for but I think the comparison the heavy comparisons that are coming out comparing it to get out are really unfortunate I think Zoe Kravitz's first film FM deserves to stand on its own two feet I think there is so much passion and energy put into the script I also think this movie is going for a lighter tone despite the really dark subject matter it starts exploring in the last chunk of the movie you know this movie is also really focusing on female relationships and the way women work together to get out of these sort of situations and to me this movie feels like an allegory for the typical experience of women going out to nightclubs and trying not to get spiked and taken advantage of and the way women need to work together and watch each other's backs to make sure that these men don't take advantage of them it's taken to its most horrifying conclusion right in this movie it's not just a night out at a bar where you need to watch your drinks it's a whole kind of like cult-like Vibe where all the men are banding together to basically drug women and take advantage of them for multiple weeks on end before returning them back to society with no memory of what they've done just to kind of invite them to the island again there were a few twists here I really liked how the initial twist was presented so throughout the movie you see that there are snakes on the island and the kind of like maids of the island are tasked with killing these snakes and essentially one character eventually comes into contact with snake venom and that snake venom actually unlocks memories of what has been happening to them what these men have been doing to them and they find out that essentially this island is where women get taken to be taken advantage of by men and then return back to society just to have it happen all again so so I really like the secondary twist here the idea that this isn't even their first time round is absolutely horrifying so initially you're presented with this first Twist of the abuse that's going on and it's awful and it's properly horrific and I think the way it's presented is really dark is really horrifying but I don't think it pushes it so far to the point where it becomes a completely unwatchable Nightmare and sacrifices the early chunks of the movie's tone and kind of the light hearted nature I know that it is really hard to kind of pull off these movies that kind of Jump Around in tone this much but I think the parts that are trying to be taken seriously and really kind of examine this stuff are done really well and I think the tone Shift Works by the time you get there you've had this sinking feeling in your stomach for a while and this kind of flashback doesn't feel like a really juvenile shock value twist that other films could have made it feel like instead it feels like this really un fortunate but inevitable kind of conclusion that you felt like was coming for like 30 minutes if that makes sense so I think if this was like a male director or a really careless director could have felt really exploitative and really shock valy and really tasteless but in my opinion the way Zoe kbits chose to kind of frame this was really well done and yes obviously got its point across it is really uncomfortable and you feel the air in the theater kind of shift but I think as the movie goes on and it tries to go back to having some laughs when Adria Jon's character and Freda are trying to figure out how to basically get venom into the other women on the island so they can have memory of what happened it makes for some really Darkly comedic set pieces also when Adria orona and Freda are discussing what are we even going to say to the police help I think my friend's been killed even though no one here remembers her being here but you need to come anyway like hilarious set pieces despite how dark what's really going on on the island is also I think Channing Tatum as a villain is excellent here the idea that he not only is bringing random women to this island to abuse and then kind of like put back in society but instead he gets this weird thrill of doing it to the same people over and over again is such a dark and fascinating Concept in my opinion and it's a villain where you really want to know what makes him tick and and why he is the way he is uh you find out throughout the movie that he has some trauma that happened to him that he doesn't like to talk about he prefers to forget about it and that's why he kind of drugs these women and makes them forget it's a very kind of like hurt people hurt people it's about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the teeth but I find what they bring out of these characters really quite fascinating also there's a point where Freda eventually gets in contact with the snake venom and starts to remember everything that Channing Tatum and these men on the island have been doing to her the way she's essentially being this object for men to take advantage of and abuse and then Channing Tatum says to her when she's fighting back when she's trying to escape like oh you really put up a good fight this time you know you know normally when you start fighting back it's really easy to catch you but you really gave me a good run for my money this time and it says a lot about these men on the island because not only do they enjoy taking these women to use like objects and take advantage of but they also seem to enjoy the chase enjoy getting back control enjoy the fact that they women think they can actually get off the island and start fighting back and throw up a really good fight and they enjoy dragging them back and revealing what they've been doing to them it paints a really awful picture of the men on the island and I really appreciate that Zoe krabber was willing to kind of steer that head on into dark territory and really give them no redeeming qualities it's an intelligent script cuz Zoe Kravitz really gives you a reason and an insight into why the men on this island are the way that they are but she really isn't interested in redeeming them in any way shape or form and I think the ending here genuinely makes the movie I love the idea that Freda unfortunately is is in this Perpetual cycle of abuse this isn't her first time round this isn't the first time she's been brought to this island and that's just such a freaky existential idea and it makes you wonder is her employment at this kind of like high class catering company at the start of the movie where she eventually has her me cube with chenning Tatum is that all set up by chenning Tatum's character you know if he's constantly drugging her and bringing her out to the island just to plop her back on to then work catering events where he then has a meute and invites her back to the island is she stuck in this Perpetual cycle is her employment done by that it must be because otherwise people would start noticing she's not showing up to work and it's just this really it makes you wonder like how much influence did Channing Tatum have how much control of these women's lives did he have you also find out later on in the movie that R Jonah's character unfortunately also her relationship with the guy that was initially framed as her partner SL booyfriend is also kind of a Stockholm syndrome kind of hostage situation she's just being perpetually drugged and kept there also love the reveal of what happened to freeda's friend it's horrific and violent and dark but really throws the movie into compelling territory in my opinion and I think the ending here could have given really cringe like kind of Boss [ __ ] like poorly under written Vibes and I've seen a lot of people complain about the ending and say it feels a bit rushed and hamfisted I really liked it I really like the idea the Freda gets control of the situation and getting off the island isn't good enough but instead she's going to perpetually drug Channing Tatum the way he was drugging the women on the island and take advantage of him and take over his company and his status and his power and the idea that she will stay in this kind of PR relationship with him in this drugged out state and and keep him this this drugged out you know property of her is really fascinating and I'm not saying like oh look it's a commentar on how women can be evil too not at all I think Channing Tatum's character absolutely deserves this I think it's a really fascinating prospect that now not only is getting off the island or killing chatting Tatum good enough but instead she wants to take over his whole thing and kind of you know step into a position of power and hopefully make change in the world for the better using his resources I think the idea that chenning Tatum is destined to be in this forever forgetful State there's almost this really interesting like Bittersweet poetry to it because now he gets to be in this Perpetual state of forgetfulness which he actually said he wanted in order to deal with his own trauma I also think just how dark this movie gets without kind of like beating you over the head of it is really well done there's actually a scene early on where it implied that janning Tatum isn't only taking advantage of Freda himself but he's actually pimping her off to other men specifically one played by K mlin it's a really dark heroing idea and it brings back kind of the vibe of Kill Bill you know that early section Kill Bill where she's in a coma and men are taking advantage of her there but I think the way the movie kind of balances the tone here when Kyle mlin sees Freda in a position of power and has this old [ __ ] moment like she knows what I've done to her I think it was really satisfying and really effective the only thing I would have changed about the ending is knowing the fate of Adria Jonah I like to think that Freda probably shared her wealth with her but yeah I thought this movie's cast was excellent there's also a really interesting character played by Gina Davis who kind of just like works on the island she's been there for a while she's an old woman and she is eventually given snake venom by Freda and she actually tries to kill Freda and while trying to kill Freda she says I liked forgetting I didn't want to remember I liked the state I was in she's mad at Freda for basically allowing her to see everything horrific that's been done to other women on the island as well as herself and and she can't accept it super super interesting idea you know and provides a greater sort of commentary on the whole me too style and the fact that some women were complicit in this stuff too really really fascinating I also really like to think about the kind of maid's role on this island the one that reveals the snake venom to Freda the one that's kill the snakes throughout the movie I think her character is really interesting because it's like you know is she giving snake venom to Freda to help set her free or is she doing it as part of Channing Tatum's kind of like script you know you find out that Channing Tatum normally enjoys them finding out and the thrill of the chase that comes when they have their kind of final face off and obviously you know she's been here for a while she's seen all the horrible things that happen on this island she would have seen this play out a few times so it's like is this made doing it to set free to free age time or is she just doing it when she's meant to as part of Channing Tatum's plan that might be looking into it a bit too much but yeah I I thought this movie was just really fascinating I thought the ideas that was going for were really good and I also think I stand by that this movie is a lot of fun there are a lot of really good laughs even after the dark reveal of this film and I know some people are going to be mad at the tonal shift that this movie is trying to make but I actually appreciate the way this film kind of dealt with really dark subject matter but still managed to thread the line of not being too distasteful too shock valy and completely feeling like a betrayal of the audience and that is where we come to the Tik Tok discourse about this movie because in my opinion I think it's really really unfortunate and this might be a hot take but I've seen a lot of people say that this movie similar to it ends with us and I think there's a better case for it to ends with us but I've seen a lot of people complain that this movie should have come with a trigger warning at the start of the movie or on its social media if it becomes an industry standard for Studios to finally post trigger warning posts not just across their social media accounts but also posting it prior to any theatrical screenings of their movies that like deal with incredibly heavy triggering content because of so many pictures like controversy around their lack of DV conversations when promoting it ends with us then well better late than never when it comes to finally getting something like this I'm glad that MGM Studios kind of stepped up to take action in this way and I hope a lot of Studios follow suit now blink twice has actually released a trigger warning on its Instagram and I I just need to vent a bit uh because this movie here in Australia is rated ma5 plus this is basically America's equivalent of R this is a mature film rating on top of that when I went to book tickets under the description the way we do it in Australia is it'll say m or ma15 plus and we'll have a list of why that rating is there and it says themes of sexual violence themes of violence Co language that feels like a pretty clear warning of what's going to be in this movie without giving too much away and the film obviously frames the kind of reveal of what's going on as a massive twist here it's meant to be a bit of a reveal now I will acknowledge that to me it was very very clear from early moments in the film what was going on but in my opinion if you have subjects that are really really sensitive I think it's kind of on to double check the film's rating at least in my opinion film ratings are there for a reason and highlight the subject matter that's going to be covered in the movie in a vague enough way not to give massive plot details away and I think unfortunately this idea that a film hiding a Twist or hiding a big plot reveal is irresponsible morally I think it's going to get really complicated I think the idea that this film should have a title card at the start that serves as a trigger warning or it should be heavily featured in the marketing is a really unfortunate idea it's it's framed as a massive twist you are meant to learn this information with the characters towards the end of the movie and I think this idea that people need to be made aware of everything that's going to be into a movie actively by marketing material is going to result in a lot of people that want to go into movies blind having major details kind of spoiled I think it's really a shame that now the movies marketing has to kind of like forecast what is essentially the big reveal and big twist of this movie and yes I know that for some people it's really important going into a film to know what's in a film but to that I say that is why we have these maturity ratings that is why we have these content guides and on top of that you can also Google it yourself you can go onto websites and find trigger warnings you can go on to IMDb and find parental advisory and find out what's going to be in a movie in very specific detail it will list out multiple scenes and descriptions and I think the idea on Tik Tok that basically the idea that if you don't essentially give a Content warning for every single thing that is featured in the film at the start of a film or heavily in its marketing you're being dishonest or IMM moral is seriously a shame you know the amount of movies I'm getting spoiled lately or books I'm getting spoiled lately because like Tik toks just pop up basically saying don't watch this movie XY Z happens now again I don't have a problem with trigger warnings if people want to actively seek it out I just kind of have a problem with people acting like it's a moral for a film studio or a director to want some things to be a surprise R whether for shock value or just general entertainment or plot satisfaction means you know I've seen people talk about Star is Born should have a trigger warning for what happens to the main character and I just think it's like well if you have that you're basically spoiling how the movie goes in my opinion I think there needs to be some level of like audience responsibility to actually you know if you're that sensitive if a movie having certain subject matter is going to throw you that much it might be on you to actually search up especially when rating guides like ma or R in America will actually list out what is in the movie in vague terms I do think the idea that people are coming down on blink twice and telling it off for essentially having certain information not revealed in the trailer is really a shame because I think at the end of the day it's really going to start hurting art and hurting the pacing and kind of plot Revelations of certain films you know is every film that has a surprise death or murder or reveals a character is abusive towards the end of the film going to have to spoil that in order to not be accused of being immoral or tricking its audiences I do think it's a fine line and I do think there are examples of films being incredibly mismarked but this movie was marketed as a dark comedic Thriller you got the vibe from the trailer that something wasn't right but especially when you pair that with the maturity reign of the film listing sexual violence as a core concept I I kind of think the movie's done its job and I think at that point it's on the audience to actually check what they're watching like if you're buying tickets to an MA or an R-rated film it's because there's going to be really mature subject matter in it otherwise it would have been rated G or PG and I think people that are making this complaint that like every single movie should have a Content warning on social media it's like what type of people are going onto Instagram and searching up the name of a movie before seeing the film anyway like the people actually do that and the reason I say all this is there's a lot of people that have been through this sort of stuff that don't want their movie spoiled despite their sensitivity around this sort of subject matter and I think the idea that this movie is a moral for wan to keep its kind of big plot details secret and a surprise is really a shame that's just my two cents you're welcome to disagree thank you so much for watching please subscribe and please have a lovely day