Metacritic reviews

Zoë Kravitz makes a phenomenal debut as director with this heightened, gripping thriller.

You’ll laugh, you’ll gasp, you’ll have, yes, a very good time. You’ll also marvel at the introduction of a newly-minted filmmaker with a crystal-clear vision of both what the world is and what it could be, at least if the women were in charge.

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.

By the end, a part of the experience makes one wonder what sharper point Kravitz is trying to make beyond the obvious ones — and it’s clear she wants to say something — while another part simply wants to lean into the audacious experiment she’s crafted. One where the film’s tart bite is remarkably thrilling, even if there’s some hollowness to its center.

For as dark as the story becomes, the film still has such a twisted sense of humor that feels right at home with Kravitz's sensibilities and social commentary. The pacing might be frustrating for some, and the intensely bleak material might be too much to handle, but that's precisely what makes Blink Twice so interesting.

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.

Do all of the aspects of the story hold up? It’s to the credit of the film and Kravitz that those questions never occur to you while you’re watching “Blink Twice.” You’re too engaged to notice.

Kravitz, who co-wrote the screenplay with E.T. Feigenbaum, quickly establishes Blink Twice as both social satire satire and horror, yet balancing the two proves to be more challenging as the narrative revs up.

It will likely prove divisive, but Blink Twice mostly succeeds due to its scathing nature, taking off the kid gloves that most recent eat-the-rich films have tackled the 1% with. It's not a flawless debut, but it's a convincing sign that Kravitz has an even more exciting career waiting for her behind the camera.

Unfortunately, Kravitz has neither the vision nor the range to deftly skewer the heinous foibles of wealthy men, let alone disrupt Tatum’s onscreen reputation.