Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut, Blink Twice, redefines the revenge thriller genre with its bold and twisted narrative. The film is not just a psychological thriller; it’s a powerful commentary on the abuse of power, trauma, and the complexities of sexual assault.
Kravitz, who co-wrote the script with E.T. Fegenbaum, began working on the project in 2017. This timing is significant as it coincided with the rise of the #MeToo movement, which exposed the rampant abuse by powerful men in Hollywood. This context gives Blink Twice an added layer of relevance and urgency.
Kravitz’s unique perspective as both a woman and someone deeply rooted in the entertainment industry allows her to tell this story with authenticity and insight. Unlike many films in the revenge genre, Blink Twice does not exploit violence for shock value.
Instead, it uses violence as a means of catharsis, offering a resolution that both surprises and empowers. The film’s ending defies expectations, challenging the viewer’s assumptions about how stories of abuse and revenge typically conclude.
Plot Summary of ‘Blink Twice’
The story centers on Frida (Naomi Ackie) and Jess (Alia Shawkat), two best friends living together. Frida is a nail artist, while Jess aspires to become an actor. They find themselves working as caterers at a high-profile fundraiser for billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum).
The film opens with Slater making a public apology for an unspecified misdeed, a scene that feels all too familiar in the post-MeToo era. This sets the tone for the film, immediately placing the viewer in a world where powerful men are held accountable—at least superficially.
Frida and Jess attend the event dressed in matching outfits—one red, one blue—perhaps as a nod to The Matrix. They mingle with the wealthy and influential guests, gradually making their way closer to the charismatic Slater King. Eventually, he invites them to join him on a trip to his private island, an offer they accept with a mix of excitement and curiosity.
Once on the island, Frida and Jess, along with several other young men and women, are drawn into a world of drugs, alcohol, and wild parties. But beneath the surface of this hedonistic lifestyle lies a dark and sinister reality.
Slater and his entourage, which includes notable characters played by Haley Joel Osment, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Geena Davis, and Kyle MacLachlan, are engaged in a disturbing abuse of power.
They provide the guests with a perfume that erases their memories, allowing them to repeatedly sexually assault and torture them without fear of consequences. Jess, who has been making light of the cult-like atmosphere on the island, is bitten by a snake one night and mysteriously disappears the next day.
As the days go by, Frida and another guest, Sarah (Adria Arjona), who is known for her role on a survival reality show, begin to suspect that something is terribly wrong. They struggle with guilt, blaming themselves for accepting the invitation to the island.
Frida eventually encounters a groundskeeper who refers to her as “red rabbit” and drinks what she believes is moonshine, only to discover it is pure snake venom. This venom, it turns out, is the antidote to the memory-erasing perfume.
Frida’s memories flood back, revealing the horrific truth of what has been happening on the island. She remembers that Jess was killed after regaining her memory, a result of the venom from the snake bite.
Realizing the gravity of their situation, Frida and Sarah decide to play along, pretending they are still enjoying the island’s offerings while secretly dosing the other women, including Slater’s assistant Stacy (Geena Davis), with the venom in hopes of restoring their memories as well.
Revenge Served with a Twist
At a dinner later in the film, Sarah delivers a powerful speech about how women are often set against each other in competition, when in reality, they should be allies. This moment of clarity and solidarity is one of many poignant revelations in the film.
Later, Frida stumbles upon a Polaroid photo of herself with long hair and different nails, adorned with red rabbits. This photo confirms her worst fears: she has been to the island before and has been repeatedly subjected to the same horrors.
Her conversation with Slater about memory repression, the red lipstick she finds in her drawer, the scar on her left eye, and the missing pinky finger of another character named Vic all serve as clues leading to this chilling realization. This discovery intensifies Frida’s resolve, fueling her desire for revenge against Slater and his accomplices.
As more women regain their memories, the film builds to a climactic and violent confrontation. The women, now fully aware of the atrocities committed against them, band together and launch a brutal attack on their abusers.
The scenes of revenge are graphic and intense, offering a form of catharsis for both the characters and the audience. Despite the gruesome nature of these acts, the viewer is compelled to root for the women as they reclaim their autonomy and deliver justice.
However, this victory comes at a high cost, as most of the women are killed in the process, solidifying their status as victims of an unforgiving system. Stacy, who decides she does not want to remember the horrors of the island, turns on Frida in a desperate attempt to preserve her denial.
In a final, intense showdown, Frida kills Stacy and teams up with Sarah to take down the remaining men. Slater, in a moment of desperation, kills one of the women, Camilla (Liz Caribel), by suffocating her with his foot, a disturbing image that serves as a metaphor for the oppressive power dynamics at play.
As the film reaches its climax, Frida and Sarah, driven by anger and determination, confront Slater in his suite. The scene is underscored by the powerful opening of Beyoncé’s “I’m That Girl,” emphasizing the strength and solidarity of the two women as they prepare to end the nightmare once and for all.
Frida Takes Justice into Her Own Hands
The film’s conclusion is both unexpected and thought-provoking. After discovering the full extent of the island’s horrors, Frida chooses not to rely on the authorities or the media to seek justice. Instead, she takes matters into her own hands, ensuring that Slater and his cohorts will never again harm another woman.
In the final moments of the film, Frida replaces Slater’s vape liquid with the memory-erasing perfume, effectively wiping his memory clean. The twist comes when the audience learns that Frida has married Slater and assumed the role of CEO of his tech company, King Tech.
Armed with the knowledge of the crimes committed on the island, Frida is now in a position of power, with full control over Slater and his empire. In a chilling final scene, Slater’s therapist, Rich (Kyle MacLachlan), is shocked to discover that Frida remembers everything that happened on the island. The power dynamics have shifted dramatically in her favor, with Frida holding all the cards.
The ending of Blink Twice is a stark departure from traditional revenge narratives. It challenges the notion of forgiveness and highlights the complexities of memory and power.
In this story, forgetting is not a weakness but a tool for survival, and Frida’s decision to erase Slater’s memory rather than seek public justice is both a bold and unsettling statement about the lengths one might go to reclaim control.
Kravitz’s debut film is a powerful addition to the revenge genre, offering a fresh and unflinching look at the dynamics of abuse and the pursuit of justice. With Blink Twice, Zoë Kravitz has not only made a strong directorial debut but has also contributed a significant and thought-provoking work to the canon of feminist cinema.
