BLINK TWICE: A Missed Opportunity?

BLINK TWICE (Blu-ray)

2024 / 102 min

FROM WARNER BROS

#InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Buttnugget

Trailers had me thinking this might be similar in tone and satirical edge to 2022’s The Menu. However, Blink Twice is something entirely different, but considering the actual subject matter - which is kind of horrific - I imagine it would have been a nightmare to market otherwise. 

So I went into the film relatively cold, being only aware of the basic premise, in which enigmatic billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) hosts an elaborate days-long party on his own private island. Along with his friends, he appears smitten enough with waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) to invite her and her roommate, Jess (Alia Shawkat). For the first half of the film, these characters - five men, five women - enjoy elaborate meals, fun in the sun and endless amounts of drugs & booze.

We’ve actually seen this set-up plenty of times before…the protagonist lured into a seemingly idyllic location, where everything is fun and festive, at least until they begin to suspect something ain’t quite right. Blink Twice does a tremendous job luring its characters and the audience into a false sense of security, much of it perpetrated by King, who comes across as philosophical, caring and charismatic. But things take a dark turn when Jess disappears, and more ominously, no one but Frida is aware she was even there.

Smoke on the water.

At this point, I was half-expecting the narrative to take a turn similar to The Most Dangerous Game (arguably the granddaddy of stories like this). It’s also at this point I’ll refrain from revealing what’s actually going on because it’s best going into the film without being aware of what it’s ultimately about. I will say, however, that director/co-writer Zoe Kravitz, however briefly, has more on her mind than just another psychological thriller, addressing themes that are unquestionably of current social relevance.

How successfully she accomplishes this, however, is certainly subjective. The narrative takes a dark, monstrous turn, and as depicted, the revelation is effectively horrifying. But afterwards, it seems like Kravitz is content to simply move on and turn the film into just another revenge thriller. Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with that, especially since it’s handled quite well and, by this point, we’re invested in Frida’s character. But considering the psychological ramifications of what she (and others) endure, it’s kind of a shame how superficially those issues are addressed.

Then again, maybe that’s too much responsibility for a movie like this to be burdened with. As a thriller, Blink Twice works just fine, with solid performances from a loaded cast (Tatum & Ackie are especially good), many tension-filled moments and a bloody, revenge-fueled climax. However, some viewers might view it as a missed opportunity.

TRAP Is Far-Fetched Fun

TRAP (Blu-ray)

2024 / 105 min

FROM WARNER BROS

#InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Princess Pepper😺

Regardless of what one thinks of M. Night Shyamalan’s overall body of work, you gotta give him props for one thing: He continues to demonstrate a knack for coming up with intriguing premises. When it comes to actual execution, sometimes he bites off more than he can chew, especially when trying to create final acts worthy of his ambitions. But hey, two-thirds of a good film is better than all of a bad one. 

Like such recent efforts as Old and Knock at the Cabin, Trap walks a fine line between brilliant and ridiculous, but is pulled off with enough panache that it’s easier to accept the latter. As usual, it has an irresistible premise. Firefighter and family man Cooper Abbott (Josh Hartnett) takes teenage daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to see her favorite artist, Lady Raven (Saleka), in concert. Cooper also happens to be a notorious serial killer known as “The Butcher,” and somewhat implausibly, the FBI knows he’s inside the venue.

Led by FBI profiler Dr. Grant (Hayley Mills), hundreds of agents and cops begin searching the arena for the man who matches witness accounts from previous murders. The first half of the film focuses on Cooper’s efforts to remain unnoticed as he tries to find a means of escape while placating his oblivious daughter. This is all presented almost entirely from Cooper’s point of view, and even though he’s the antagonist, some scenes generate genuine suspense. Watching him come up with plans of action - often on the fly - is pretty engaging, but sometimes does require suspension of disbelief.

Josh enjoys a Jolly Rancher.

Much of that is due to Hartnett’s performance, which is a striking balance of congeniality and menace. We’re aware of his sinister side, but everyone else simply sees a charming, loving dad. He’s so compelling in the role that watching him repeatedly figure his way out of various predicaments - no matter how far-fetched - is pretty damned entertaining. Personally, I haven’t rooted for a serial killer like this since The Silence of the Lambs. 

The film becomes less interesting - and more preposterous - outside of the arena, probably because Hartnett ends up sharing more screen time with Saleka, who also happens to be M. Night’s daughter and ends up being the main protagonist. She was fine just belting out a plethora of pop tunes during the first half, but making her character integral to the story was the narrative wrong turn I’d been waiting for Shyamalan to make. Not only is Lady Raven less engaging, her actions aren’t particularly believable and Saleka’s performance pales in comparison to Hartnett’s (though she isn’t Sofia Coppola-terrible). 

Still, Trap is generally pretty enjoyable, and frequently funny, even with perceived nepotism and the hard-to-swallow plot turns during the final act (including a few which aren’t sufficiently explained). Shyamalan keeps things fast paced and does a good job building tension during numerous sequences. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Setting the Stage: A New M. Night Shyamalan features the director talking about his approach to making the film; Saleka as Lady Raven focuses on the co-star, who also wrote and performed all the songs.

DELETED SCENES

EXTENDED CONCERT SCENE

DIGITAL COPY