Along with his band of villains – Cody (Simon Rex), Vic (Christian Slater) and Tom (Haley Joel Osment) and their guests Sarah (Adria Arjona), Heather (Trew Mullen) and Camilla (Liz Caribel) – Slater boards a private jet for what they think is the vacation of their dreams. After Slater’s nervous and neurotic personal assistant and sister (Geena Davis) collects their cell phones, everyone is free to enjoy the amenities the island has to offer, be it weed, unlimited champagne or lavish dinners. But as the boozy days merge into one another, a sneaking suspicion arises that something is amiss.
“Blink Twice” thinks it has something to say about the dark capabilities of rich white men, but does nothing more than expose them. The film stalls in first place. It doesn’t address its thesis, instead making a mishmash of buzzwords and hot topics from #MeToo to therapy bros. When “Blink Twice’s” reveal begins in a split-second, the shock the film delivers is not one of terrifying suspense but rather one of dejection. And as the fast-paced visual devolves into extended sequences of brutality and a fierce race to the finish, the film becomes an endorsement of a tired, simplistic narrative toolbox sold as unwavering feminist resolve.
Blink Twice slaps audiences in the face with its sexual violence and then fails to handle it intelligently or skillfully, or to deal with the surrounding themes. Even the stylistic choices the film makes are simplistic. And while the film tries to balance its tone and events with humor, it only further belies its success. It is unfunny. Blink Twice doesn’t get laughs when it tries to be funny, nor does it get giggles when it connects an act of brutality to a punchline.
