Blink Twice is the kind of movie you want to rewatch the moment it’s over. Not because it’s perfect. Rather, because it’s so densely packed — with symbolism, with striking tableaus, with messages — you want to make sure you didn’t miss anything. Truth is, there’s so much going on here, you probably did.
Blink Twice begins with Frida (Naomi Ackie) and Jess (Alia Shawkat) sneaking into an important gala being held by controversial tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum). Frida is harboring a crush on Slater after meeting him while waiting tables at the gala the previous year. Slater, it quickly becomes clear, seems to be interested in Frida. (Blink Twice benefits from the fact that Ackie and Tatum absolutely crackle together in these early scenes.)
![A group of attractive people wearing formal evening wear gather on a grand set of outdoor steps and cheer.](https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/blink-twice.png)
After a night spent hanging with Slater’s entourage, Slater invites Frida and Jess to join a group escapade to Slater’s private island. The two, eager for an adventure, immediately take him up on the offer. They land the following morning at his beautiful resort/home, where all guests are provided with matching clothes and toiletries, and asked to surrender their phones.