‘Blink Twice,’ a must-see for Yucatán filmgoers, earns raves as debut nears
The psychological thriller “Blink Twice,” Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut, has intrigued critics.
“A seriously effective, incisive thriller which establishes Zoë Kravitz as a bold directorial talent, and shows you a side of Channing Tatum that you’ve never seen before,” wrote a top Rotten Tomatoes critic. “A marvelous psycho-thriller, packed with an amazing cast, astounding film craft…” wrote another.
The film, set on an island with a Jeffrey Epstein-ish story line, made use of Hacienda Temozón as its primary location. The estate is pretending to be a lush tropical paradise, which is not a stretch. One might say the hacienda upstaged starring actor Channing Tatum. Not to his face, of course.
Although already previewed by critics, “Blink Twice” is released Thursday in the United States.
It is likely to establish 35-year-old Kravitz (you probably know her famous parents) as a directorial powerhouse. IndieWire referred to “Blick Twice” as her “raucous, razor-sharp directorial debut.” Screen Rant called it “an unforgettable movie experience.”
“Every once in a while, a directorial feature debut comes along and thoroughly impresses me,” wrote Mae Abdulbaki, piling on more high praise. ” ‘Blink Twice’ … doesn’t just captivate, it demands attention. And from start to finish it held it; not an easy feat. The psychological thriller is clever, sharp, and intoxicating, even in its eeriest moments. There’s a charm and depravity that are all too real, hanging over every scene as it makes us wait with bated breath for the big reveal that comes in glimpses and acts as stark contrasts to the characters’ initial excitement.”
Female lead Naomi Ackie is also garnering positive attention. Vulture, a highly influential pop culture site, bemoans the 31-year-old English actress’ lack of fame, and suggests “Blink Twice” could change that.
“Kravitz’s direction is solid, but it’s Ackie who truly sells the movie,” writes Niellah Arboine. Her face is a kaleidoscope of emotion from the first frame, her eyes full of eerie conviction. The performance is par for the course for Ackie, who’s been a scene-stealer in an array of roles since she graduated from drama school in 2012.”
“Frida [her character] could very well be Ackie’s breakout, though that phrase has been bandied about ever since she won the British Independent Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer in 2017 for her role as Anna, a mistreated maid in Lady Macbeth.“
Blink Twice is scheduled to be released in the United States by Amazon MGM Studios on Thursday, two days after Warner Bros. Pictures releases the film internationally.
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