Tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) invites waitress friends Frida (Naomi Ackie) and Jess (Alia Shawkat) to his private island when they hit it off at a cocktail event. On arrival they and the rest of the guests have to hand over their phones before they relax into a lifestyle of idyllic partying. But is everything too good to be true? 

Blink Twice is the directorial debut of Zoe Kravitz who also co-writes with E. T. Feigenbaum. It is also the first film I have seen at the cinema that opens with a trigger warning relating to the events that are portrayed on screen. The focus is on the abuse of power and whether forgiveness is ever truly given to someone who transgresses. 

The film opens with video clips of Slater apologising for an unknown act. He steps back from the running of his company, apologises publicly and recedes from public life to a small extent. Frida does not care though. She is fascinated by the man and is excited at the possibility of meeting him at the function she is waitressing at. Slater appears charismatic and charming and the invite to his island sincere. 

Frida and Jess friendship is well realised and the manner in which the ominous nature of their impromptu holiday builds is expertly played out. The film owes much to the likes of The Shining and Get Out in the manner it builds that tension with the overt nature of a recurring character uttering the cryptic “Red Rabbit” to the drip feed of information that begins to piece together something horrific. 

The acting is superb throughout as well. Alia Shawkat has recently been fantastic in a number of TV shows (Scavengers Reign and The Old Man) and gets a chance to do the same here in a film. Whilst it’s great to see the likes of Christian Slater and Geena Davis having fun on screen again in roles that could have been very one dimensional. All the plaudits should go to Channing Tatum who is doing something a little unusual compared to his usual fare. Beginning as a charismatic and dashing character he slowly unveils something entirely more complex and downright evil. 

By the time the credits roll you will have a number of real life billionaires and events come to your mind and have to consider whether power is all corrupting, whether forgiveness can ever be truly forthcoming or whether human nature is only ever self serving. 

It is a fantastic directorial debut and a great watch.