“Blink Twice” is a haunting film that has aspects of surrealism as the mystery of its plot becomes deeper. Despite some slow moments, and moments where you just think “why is this being included in the story,” this is a wonderful debut for director Zoë Kravitz. While some of its content is very disturbing, it ends up being a thoughtfully-constructed and well-made feature.

Unlike other reviews, I received a notice that I should not include any details that would reveal the gist of the story and its twists and turns. This is too bad, since the third act and the ending are well-worth discussing in depth. So I will begin with a brief summary of the film in its first two acts and then consider the themes that the picture addresses.

The film begins with a shot of a lizard sunning itself. This becomes significant later in the plot. Next we see Frida (Naomi Ackie) watching various clips of tech guru Slater King (Channing Tatum) apologizing for some kind of unspecified bad behavior. He has turned his company over to another executive.

Meanwhile, Frida’s roommate Jess (Alia Shawkat) reminds her of the gala event where they will be waiters. Once there, Frida is encouraged by her boss to be less flirtatious than last time.

Frida and Jess change into gowns and heels and crash the party. Frida stumbles and Slater himself helps her. Of course the gala involves Slater’s charity.

As the evening ends, Slater invites Frida and Jess to join him on his private plane to visit his private island. For whatever reason, this does not send danger signals to either woman.

At the island, Stacy (Geena Davis) confiscates everyone’s phone, another danger signal which is ignored. Each girl is shown to her private room, which includes a fragrance which Frida applies.

The other girls at the event are Sarah (Adria Arjona), a winner of a “Survivor”-like show, Camilla (Liz Caribel), and Heather (Trew Mullen). There seems to be tension between Sarah and Frida for Slater’s attention.

Slater’s posse includes Vic (Christian Slater), Cody (Simon Rex), Tom (Haley Joel Osment), and Lucas (Levon Hawke). Cody is obsessed with cooking, and prepares the meals served in the evening.

Here the movie slows down considerably. There are many repeat scenes of interactions at the pool and over dinner. At some point, I wondered if any kind of mystery was even happening.

But soon Frida wakes up with cuts and dirt under her fingernails. She cannot remember where these came from. She meets a creepy maid who drinks snake venom. Slowly but surely she is forgetting what day it is or how long she has been at the island. Then Jess disappears. Where did she go?

The picture was filmed in Yucatan, Mexico. This locale adds a sultry, laid-back feeling to the tale.

The picture has high production values. The set design is impeccably appropriate for the retreat of a millionaire. The different rooms in the mansion and in the outbuildings are well-crafted. This is particularly true of a room with nothing but red gift bags on backlit shelves. The costumes also reflect a bourgeois sensibility.

The cinematography is best in the daylight scenes. The omnipresence of the sun’s rays of bright light dazzle the eye. In the later, more surreal scenes, the editing is superb.

When the film begins to get creepy, Kravitz is able to do a slow burn in intensity that serves to ramp up the audience’s curiosity. A true sense of panic, futility and despair pervades the last part of the plot. The ending is the coup de grace.

I mentioned that the film is disturbing. I found it to be severely misogynistic in places. It may be unsettling to those with triggering issues regarding violence against women.

Yet, on the flip side, there also are positive scenes of women taking action to overcome the misogyny. These are the kind of conflicting feelings that this picture generates in the viewer.

Another theme is the nature of memory and the value of forgetfulness. How reliable are one’s own memories? Can these be manipulated, and if so, how? If you can forget bad memories, is this a plus or a minus? Is ignorance bliss?

A third theme is the intent behind and the meaningfulness of an apology. Is just saying “sorry” enough? Or must there be some credible action to go along with the verbal regret?

The action is breathtaking once this picture gets going. Every scene seemed to be a challenge to up the ante in terms of provocativeness. It was quite shocking after such a slow interlude in the middle. As the pieces come together, they were not what I expected either. Nor are there pat answers to some questions. It is enough to be caught up in the chaotic vortex that concludes this movie.

This film is too violent for children. I think that even teens will need parental discussion if they see this movie.

This is a movie that will challenge your expectations and take you for a ride into the kind of hell created by humans. Despite its flaws, it is an astounding feature debut that will remain in your head for days.

Four out of 5 stars

When tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun soaked days and everyone’s having a great time. No one wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. There is something wrong with this place. She’ll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive.

Cast: Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Kyle MacLachlan, Haley Joel Osment, with Geena Davis and Alia Shawkat
Directed by: Zoë Kravitz
Written by: Zoë Kravitz & E.T. Feigenbaum