Blink Twice brilliantly highlights a real-world issue for women

As a woman who has spent far too many years navigating through the labyrinth of societal expectations and gender dynamics, I find “Blink Twice” to be a chilling yet profoundly resonant portrayal of power, manipulation, and the silent struggles women face every day.

Note: The following article contains discussion of sexual misconduct.

Blink Twice spoilers follow.

“Men worry that women might mock them. Women fear that men could harm them.”

While engrossed in the suspenseful drama, “Blink Twice,” starring Channing Tatum as tech tycoon Slater King, it’s a thought that sticks stubbornly.

In this rephrased version: The film features Naomi Ackie portraying Frida, a waitress residing in a small apartment with her roommate Jess (played by Alia Shawkat). With dreams of a brighter tomorrow, Frida maintains hope for King, as she and Jess work an event at his company. Secretly, they slip away to transform into formal attire, aiming to mingle undetected among the wealthy elite.

Despite trying to play it cool, Frida trips and falls in the gallery space, helped up by King who spends the rest of the evening locked in conversation with her. When he invites Frida and Jess to jet off to his private island, along with his wealthy friends (including Christian Slater), the answer’s yes.

After that, the sequence of events varies based on different perspectives. This upcoming journey appears to be indulgent, characterized by leisurely swimming sessions, an abundance of champagne, romantic dinners under candlelight, and nights filled with drugs – a repetitive cycle so intense that even the participants lose track of the days.

Despite the apparent smoothness of events unfolding, I can’t shake off a strange feeling that something isn’t quite right. How on earth did Frida’s blood-stained dress miraculously become clean overnight? What’s with the dirt under her fingernails? And why does our housekeeper persistently mention “red rabbit” to Frida? These questions gnaw at me, making me wonder if there are hidden mysteries lurking in this seemingly peaceful setting.

In the movie’s second part, everything gets explained when Frida discovers that Jess is missing and no one else from the trip, including Adria Arjona portraying Sarah, recalls ever seeing Jess there.

While some men are out fishing and ladies enjoy their time together, Frida uncovers a chilling truth about what transpires after dinner each evening. Earlier in the story, Heather (Trew Mullen) queries why the women were all rushing – initially thought to be the result of MDMA-induced excitement, it turns out that the situation is far more ominous.

Every evening, King and his companions forcefully violate the women, and the perfumes they receive daily cause them to lose their memory. However, the antidote for this is found in the venom of the snakes residing on the island.

Since Frida has learned about the situation unfolding among the women she thought were friendly associates of Slater’s group, she now faces challenging choices. She consults with Sarah to devise a strategy.

On this island, they’re entirely cut off since they surrendered their phones at trip onset to King’s mature female assistant (portrayed by Geena Davis). Sarah contemplates contacting the police, but Frida points out a plausible scenario: If the authorities lean towards supporting either the Black waitstaff or the affluent white billionaires they frequently golf with, who do you think they might favor?

Rather than revealing their intense fear openly, Frida and Sarah choose to wait patiently, finding moments of joy through laughter and smiles as they conceal their dread among the company of men.

Many women often find themselves in a situation where they must tactfully decline unwelcome male attention due to potential dangerous outcomes. Instead of directly refusing, they carefully assess the situation and determine what level of discomfort they can endure to protect themselves from even graver situations.

At their last dinner together, Frida and Sarah subtly express their emotions as they struggle onward, with Ackie’s countenance shifting between anxiety and grinning to appease King. This same air of composure is what the women are required to return when faced with repeated queries of “Are you enjoying yourselves?” throughout the film. The response must always be affirmative, a demand that Frida implores from Jess.

In her director’s statement, Zoë Kravitz mentioned the intricacy of the game, expressing that throughout her life she had been in rooms with influential individuals. Over time, as she grew older, she found herself engaging in silent, meaningful conversations with women, some of whom were familiar and others who were strangers.

As a passionate advocate, I find myself proficient in a tongue that’s unfortunate yet familiar – one I can’t openly express aloud. Speaking such thoughts would breach the boundaries set within this intricate game we all play.

Women are constantly urged to always appear cheerful. We’re supposed to brush off uncomfortable, frightening, or abusive experiences and continue acting as if everything is enjoyable. It seems we’re required to participate in this charade.

Even after the Weinstein and Epstein scandals, unfortunately, women continue to experience sexual harassment and violence all too frequently. Regrettably, the number of convictions remains distressingly low.

A sincere apology holds little weight unless accompanied by action, as demonstrated in a poignant moment involving Tatum. Instead of focusing on preventing male harassment and violence, it may be more feasible for many women to learn how to cope with it – particularly someone like Frida, who has limited chances of overcoming the system. And if you can’t change them…

In her discourse, Kravitz emphasized that everyone seeks influence in various forms such as social, cultural, economic, and political. However, the crucial point lies in the methods employed to acquire this influence. It’s not a tale of empowerment, but rather a narrative about power itself. End of story.

Blink Twice is out now in cinemas.

If you find yourself impacted by the topics discussed in this piece, you can seek further details from Rape Crisis England and Wales, an organization committed to eradicating all types of sexual violence and misconduct. You can do so by visiting their website or contacting the National Rape Crisis Helpline at 0808 802 9999. For those in Scotland, you may reach out to Rape Crisis Scotland via their helpline at 08088 01 03 02.

American readers are advised to reach out to RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673.

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2024-08-23 19:49