It’s actually crazy how long it took me to find commentary on this movie that was not filled with misogyny but I can always count on you to deliver good takes and solid criticism, thank you king.
somebody else pointed out that he's probably drugging everyone on the island to forget, including the people who clean up the mess every night...so that one maid has figured out that the venom undoes the drug, and she keeps some of it and drinks it so that she can remember. and she actually does do something to help the girls, by at least letting frida remember, and then that's like a chain reaction.
A few things i noticed. When Frida aske if Slaters gonna kill her he says "youre like my best friend" how many domestic abusers beat their wife then be like but i love you. Also in the beginning the friend is going back to her toxic ex and Frida says she needs to take her power back and thats exactly what Frida does in the end. I love how women had to band together and use a fake smile and dancing/sexuality to distract them because thats real life for women. I love that the guy who did nothing was called because so many men watch other men in person and online be horrible to women and they say nothing but still consider themselves a good guy. The dresses they wore had ties on the back that doubled as restraints. I love when his assitant remembered and got mad and said "theyre gonna do what theyre gonna do anyway at least i wont remember" i love showing the women who just accept "this is just how it is" This movie reminded me of Promising Young Woman in ways. Also wanna say thanks for saying he deserves the ending because a alot of men have been saying the ending just ruined the rest of the movie. And im like no! People love revenge. They just dont like when its women.
Bro when I realized why the dresses looked like that my jaw dropped an I completely agree with you I love how they represented everyone and how they react in situations like this
She def was inspired by promising young woman. She even made similar casting choices as Fennel when she picked a group of male actors who are known for playing likeable characters so when it is revealed that they are actually predators it’s more impactful. I liked how both films used violence extremely differently. Fennel doesn’t actually show violence until the very end, and the main character gets punished for choosing it. I think Kravitz’s take on how violence can be a way to reclaim power is very interesting but ultimately it didnt feel as satisfying in the end to see the main character get rewarded for using power abusing tactics.
I can never trust people to be accountable for doing research when it comes to films. When I saw Long Legs a mum and dad took their very young children in with them to see the film. They cried and ruined the experience for me and everyone else and the parents still didn't choose to leave. Staff need to start being more strict on stuff like this.
How did they even manage to take their kids in to see Longlegs? It was rated 15. Bad parenting, but also poor cinema management. Rating are there for a reason
I went to see deadpool Wolverine, which was lots of swearing and incredibly violent and this one couple decided to bring a baby and toddler to it 😟 they had to keep taking their kids out cause they were scared and upset😪
In Australia most mainstream cinemas have a morning once a week where parents can bringing babies to the movies,. I would like to think they play kids movies or romantic comedies nothing violent or scary
@@donnanegri3186 yeah I went to Longlegs at like 7:30pm 😂😅 if it was the morning maybe I would have been more forgiving but I just think the parents were too cheap to get a sitter and having that main character personality where they think we won't care if their kids are making noise because they matter 😂😅
lmfao why would they not think that was a horror movie...but i feel like longlegs and blink twice have a similar horror/comedy dynamic that i appreciated in both!
Frida was right. The police would have just called her crazy and shot her. The name Frida means peace, and she brought herself peace. This movie shows that performative kindness can be used as a weapon. Also was the little blonde dude on the mens side? I thought I saw him get attacked too as well in the flashback. Thank you for talking about this Film, more people should see it!
I also did he had a black eye, but when he said he said nothing that's what confused me. But the fact that Zoe included that part made me cry. I always say you could be one of the good guys but if you don't speak out against the bad ones you might as well not even exist.
The blonde guy’s inclusion did confuse me a bit - like was he there to just represent a bystander man who doesn’t engage but also doesn’t help…or was he queer-coded and also being abused. I only have two criticisms & this not being clear was one of em.
@@UrbanDecayLova247I don’t think the blonde guy was drugged or anything, but I get the sense he was just craving validation from the men and wanting to people please them. They obviously took advantage of this and played mind games on him to use as a pawn.
Love how you reminded the audience that they totally have the power to pay attention to the ratings to consider if a movie is for them. Very simple stuff that people forget I guess. I kinda felt like the trigger warning that came when I saw it in theaters gave clues to how the twist might be.
I love some of the symbolism in this. The perfume Desideria is an anagram for Dia De Reis which means day of kings which is obviously a reference to Slater King. And then I love how the serpent in the garden is giving the women the knowledge of good and evil from the trauma by making them remember when the men are seen as God's in the garden of eden. I also loved how they are the red rabbits running from the predators. They are all dressed in white showing their innocence like they don't know whats happeneing to them. But the men are also dressed in white because if the girls dont remember they're essentially innocent too. I think the red chair is interesting because it seems to be the same chair in the interview at the beginning, almost like he took that from the interview as a way to reclaim his sense of control when he is made to apologize for his wrong doings. Then he puts it in his house but it represents basically his throne of lies and sins and it doesn't fit in with the reality of who he is. Its this bright red chair in a mostly blue and white room so it stands out like a sore thumb. So i feel like it's this representation of the worst things he has done and he is trying to integrate it like in therapy, but until he takes accountability for everything at the very end, he can't make it fit. I also love how once you've seen the film, and you rewatch the beginning scenes with Channing Tatum and Frieda's character, you start to interpret his intense eye contact and attention very differently. On first watch yea you know he isnt the good guy, but you could def see how she could interpret his attention as romantic interest in her. But then by the end you actually realize he is a predator stalking his prey in broad daylight. She is being hunted and she doesnt even know and he is basically taunting her. He is staring her dead in the eyes, no blinking, on multiple occasions almost as if he is saying "wow look at this naive, woman. She has no idea who I am or the despicable things we have done to her. All she sees is a tech bullionarie sweeping her off her feet and I am going to take advantage of that in every conceivable way." Its really effective on rewatch.
YES. ALL THIS. I like how you said the snake was like giving the girls the forbidden knowledge of truth with the venom and we can see when she starts to remember and it starts with the sounds of the necklace clinking and it shows the guys wearing the crucifixes - as if they were Jesus - kind of in a different sense where they consider themselves to be “without sin” I also noticed the paintings on the walls throughout it get increasingly more related to the secret they’re keeping- there’s picture of the girl/body with flowers and then the one with the yellow rabbits- I noticed they all wore yellow while partying and then white when the night started. I’m not great movie analysis person but I thought those were some interesting details.
This is what I’ve always felt about trigger warnings, especially in the context you mention, but I was worried I was being insensitive so having someone else besides my brother agree with me is a relief. As for this movie, I haven’t seen it but I did look up the synopsis on wiki lol. I admit when I read the twist I felt more sad than anything bc of course that’s what’s going on. I admit the title Pussy Island made me giggle, but I’m relieved they didn’t use it even if it’s super memorable and seems to fit the tone. I think your explanation behind the title makes a lot of sense and I can see them calling the island Pussy Island too. But that’s even more reason I’m glad the movie was called something else. PI is about the men and this is a story about women, which is why Blink Twice while less fun fits better in that aspect.
I think the conclusion was that Freda was also going to use the power to exact revenge on the various men because explaining it to authorities was essentially useless. With Stacy, and other elements I got a lot of The Cave allegorical vibes.
As a woman who has experienced SA, I completely agree with your rant at the end! Even with a trigger warning, I’ve still seen complaints that it was still “too much” meanwhile I think it was the most tasteful something like that could’ve been directed. No nudity, no lingering shots, for most of it you are moreso using your imagination. It’s getting to a point where it feels like no movie can have SA or DV in it without people complaining …& the most annoying thing is those with the biggest complaints barely watch movies anyway.
Also- so many moments where they did not focus on the woman being abused or harmed. I really appreciated the trigger warning just as a way to be ready when things did start really twisting.
Hey Marshall. I went to see Blink Twice last night and thought it was an amazing movie. The last 30 minutes were very dark and disturbing and it blew my mind! I was pretty much going into this as a blind watch, I had only seen snippets of the trailer and wanted to be shocked by the twists and turns, but when the trigger warning came up on the screen at the start, it did kinda give too much away. I had no idea what the plot twist was but seeing that trigger warning just made me know almost exactly what the premise was going to be. I still really enjoyed the movie but would have prefered not to know what was coming and keep it as a surprise. Geena Davis' character, although small, was brilliant!!!
This movie was fabulous to me. The fact that im seeing so many men say really negative things about this movie is hurtful. Theres so much in it that is relatable to every woman. I seen one man say this is unrealistic and im like do you realize theres women being trafficked right now being treated the same minus the perfume. Epstein Island was a real thing with real men in power. How more realistic can it get?
I actually don’t think the trigger warning gave away too much. My boyfriend came out of there, realizing why they did the trigger warning once the twist was revealed, but not before. He definitely didn’t expect what was gonna happen. On the other hand, I figured from the trailer that this was about SA
@@abritt2much That's so interesting, I found the opposite. I had no idea the extent it was going to be about SA...I was caught of guard with how that's literally all that was going on...like I was ready for some Midsomar type shit.. but then I watched a review with two dudes who were like " yeah I got that from the trailer".
They're not only saying that the trigger warning gave anything away; they're saying it's redundant based on the marketing and rating of the movie. At some point its on the viewer to know what they're watching.
I really enjoyed this movie but it annoyed me that when I went to see it, they literally put a content warning ON SCREEN before the movie, which pretty much spoiled the whole twist.
I loved this commentary! I also totally agree with your TW analysis. I went into the movie, not having heard that they added a TW. And, when that scene was revealed, it was shocking and graphic…but I’m an adult. And - like you said - it felt “inevitable” rather than “exploitative.” Additionally, even if I HAD seen the TW, I think I would have dismissed it. Because there are TWs on so many things now-a-days that it doesn’t really mean anything. I wouldn’t have been more “prepared” if I saw a TW.
Also, I loved the dark humor moments after the tonal shift. I've worked in emergency situations before and helped people in crisis and making really really dark jokes is how some people process just how bad things have gotten. Like yeah, I might have gone from enjoying a party to running for my life from r@pists, but I can find humor in something around me so at least I'm still me.
I Love 🐱 island but when i heard "Blink twice" i knew exactly what the movie was about what Zoey was referring to. (Yt telling me to be respectful and edited the word p*** was hilarious)
I think it's great this movie makes us uncomfortable. As a survivor of SA myself, I appreciate the way this was shot while not shying away from the messages of performative kindness, complicity and the real life horror/thriller situations of something like this happening. Those complaining it is too much, I refer you to Gisele Pelicot's trial ongoing at the moment. This is not a rare case this is a natural result of men's feelings of entitlement to women's bodies and I can't think of anything for of a thriller than that woman's life at the moment. These are stories that are important to tell and I hope they make you feel uncomfortable.
AMAZING FILM. TV previews stated critics referenced it as “Epstein-esque.” I knew what I was going into. The psychology behind this, how trauma is able to block memories. The theme of forgetting, how people don’t want to see the truth….
Yeah i dont think there needed to be a trigger warning just cause it would give the movie away. Ur right the rating should be enough for people to know if its for them. And also, it's a thriller that in itself should warn u theres gunna be heavy content whether relatable or make believe.
I have all the questions… like I wish they would’ve shown more of slater kings scandal or told us exactly what he was apologizing for in the beginning. I wish they would’ve shown more on how Frida was on the island again… maybe even attach her first island go with why he was apologizing? Idk
The movie ratings in america list out why they are rated the way they are. Which HAVE the trigger warnings listed. This also isnt ANYTHING like "It Ends With Us" because that movies marketing PURPOSFULLY marketed it as a romcom to see with your friends. It was being falsy advertised as this feel good movie. Again people need to see the ratings to get it. But thats where most of the discourae around that movie was coming from. Not the actual content but the marketing to get ppl to go watch it. Blink Twice has not been marketed as a fun, light hearted film about a girls trip. They show you clearly that things arent as they seem and YOU as the audience should be on alert while watching. Hence the name Blink Twice. Loved your coverage on this film, I dont think its getting nearly enough praise!
I think Tatum was an amazingly well picked choice. He hides immense acting chops behind those biceps. And I think they needed, for the scenes fighting him, to have a villain who LOOKS like he could take on three women. I think in the 70s there were two or three movies with scenes like this where it seemed to imply he would still win because he was a man. It was sort of even a staple of grindhouse for a bit. With a scene that worked in some really intense improvised weapons and feats of strength you needed someone with WWE level strength and size.
I loved this movie. It's ranking very close to Get Out for me, and higher than Jordan Peele's other movies. I understand the attachment to the first title, but I would personally have guessed the plot much faster with that title. For me, the second title works better.
I agree with you about the trigger warning for this. I found the twist extremely upsetting but I would have been upset had the big reveal been spoiled for me.
I think trigger warnings are more important for social media. Like, if I have to go to work after scrolling social media on lunch - I don’t want to be exposed to random videos with violence while later in the day I might be up for engaging with that content.
Ppl in America likes to sound deep but ultimately they don't use common sense to read the rating. I hate it. Foreign films are usually better because of censorship here
Excellent analysis and review! I'm now a new subscriber. 😊 I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and the varied and opposing ways it made me feel. I can't stop thinking about the movie for so many reasons, and I think it's a great talking piece. Kudos to Zoe Kravitz on a fantastic directorial debut!
Loved this movie.I’m a Simon Rex fan & went to see him, he’s so underestimated. However, the women in the film blew me away! My take away from the move is “Do Nothing, Get Nothing, Blink Twice life goes by too fast.”
You’re right it is up to the person to check for trigger warnings themselves. You can’t be mad when you didn’t do the prior research. It’s not up to the movie to give those details away in the trailer. People need to stop complaining and it’s up to them to check first.
I honestly hated the ending. She defeats them but decides to keep him alive and live off of his wealth while making him forget everything wrong he’s ever done; like where is the justice for all the women he hurt and killed? For her friend? For herself? In my opinion, that ending completely negated one of the main themes of the film which was “women empowerment” and “Women helping women”. Keeping him alive so that she can come up on a bag and basically making him forget everything does not give true justice for the rest of the victims on that island.
I took it as he’s perpetually in a ruphied state and getting all his money taken away? Not a good ending for him at all I thought, he’s basically a dumb drugged out walking money hemorage no?
@@marshallstannus Yes, that’s what I mean. There’s really no justice for the women that she fought for on the island, including herself. She does all that fighting just to keep him alive so she can live off of his wealth. In my opinion, that’s a terrible ending considering what he had done and the fact that the other women get no justice whatsoever. As a woman myself, it completely negates the “women empowerment” message, in my opinion.
@@jacquiew.9165 It’s not justice for the other women nor herself. She’s just coming up on a bag and taking his money while he just becomes an idiot. Which is funny but not a fitting punishment for the things he did. Im not talking about the police. She could have just let him burn when they set the house on fire but she decided to save him.
Some things are more graphic than others. Your “hot take” isn’t new. Especially among men who think they’re so edgy. When I saw the movie, they did show the trigger warning, and I was still pretty shocked at how graphic the film is. There was absolutely no impact on my impression of the film because I got the trigger warning, and if your point made any sense, the warnings in the movie’s rating itself would be “spoilers.” Meanwhile, the “r wording” you can’t even say on UA-cam is reality for a lot of people, and for it to be graphically shown on screen is triggering. “If you’re that sensitive” is a shitty thing to say and you should think about how people who have been assaulted (or women in general) might be more impacted than you are.
I think the maturity guide I listed is something that can be sought out or avoided depending on the viewers preference, and feels like a general warning, my issue with the trigger warnings built into the start of a film, or the marketing, is in a case like this film, where it’s framed as a mystery for a good chunk, it does basically give away what’s going on straight away. I do think there’s a difference, I agree some people are luckier than others and won’t have as serious reactions to certain depictions due to their own life experience, when I said sensitive, it wasn’t to say people are being overly sensitive, I meant “if you’re sensitive to these things being depicted, individual research of things is probably a good idea”, Perhaps my wording could’ve been better, as I meant “if you’re sensitive to these subjects being explored”, I had a very visceral reaction to cancer and chemo being explored in an episode of desperate housewives the other night, and I’d say I’m sensitive to good or bad depictions of that subject matter, not as a bad thing just as a statement of fact but in the end given what is usually explored in this show that felt pretty on brand, so I just needed to check and regulate my own emotions, I guess it’s different for everyone.
then don't watch a HORROR movie if you dont want to feel discomfort, watch something else. I'm a woman and I agree with him, you are responsible for yourself and your triggers, the entitlement is crazy 🤣
Movie did too much and told us so little at the same time. It’s surface level as the trailer; the mystery of “why” being the only reason I was barely gripped. Frustrating that we never saw from the women’s perspective (outside of the MCs) exactly *why* they thought it was off on the island! They just say “this feels wrong we should leave” (women’s intuition, yet when not spelled out and you leave open ended questions, it feels like lazy writing). Also the graphic depiction even *with* a trigger warning was too much!! I agree with it being tonally off- as most of the “humor” barely made me exhale through my nose. It wants to be Triangle of Sadness and be poignant, but it falls into every cliche without having anything to say or add. A fantasy on screen with odd music and editing choices.
What do you mean? It has an entire scene showing why the MC and Sara think something's off about the island. Sara has a bruise she can't explain and is being fed false memories about how it got there while being told by Frida another girl was with them, that she doesn't remember, but she clearly had to be because she has a lighter with her name on it. Plus they both realize the other doesn't know the other partiers like they thought, everyone is a relative stranger. And Jess, the third girl, before going missing gets bitten by a snake which is the record scratch to her idyllic time on the island. Besides the idea that the snake bite it fast acting and maybe only strong enough to give her the emotions surrounded by the things they've gone through so far not actual vivid memories, she's also just frustrated she got bitten by a venomous snake and everyone including her friend is dismissing her. No matter how good of a time you're having, when things start to go wrong a person usually wants to pack it up and call it day.
@@Bree5threeI don’t understand how if they couldn’t remember Jess at all at first, how were they waking up every morning and still remembering each other and basically just not saying “Hello! What’s your name?” To each other every morning? Like, how could they not remember Jess all of a sudden but can remember everyone else?
@@theyoutubeguide1109 I can only imagine the perfume removes any traumatic memories. And memories from trauma can be altered in various ways, you only forget the bad and keep the good OR you forget everything and everyone related to it entirely. But you're right a ton of plot holes either way and is there like dosing involving or compounding effects? So just a ton of suspension of disbelief required.
But why would anyone want to see this? SA the movie? I don't want to see it. I also have to judge these women. Why "wouldn't" they think that a free invite to a island is absolutely a bad thing.
@@EmilyFoxSeatonIt just came out to the public. It was on the festival circuit and seemed to get decent reviews. If it’s not for you, it’s not for you. But don’t write off the entire film for everyone else. PS: Your “review” is giving victim blaming vibes.
As someone who's actually seen the movie, it's got a pretty clear feminist message through and through. Calling it "SA the movie" is super reductive. It has a satisfying ending with details placed throughout that only make sense at the very end.
This is an amazing movie. So many people don't like talking about things like this. They like to lie to themselves because like in the movie "it's better to forget" but if we forget the people that do this will always get away from it.
Also do people not pick up on foreshadowing anymore? A lot of movies have little hints throughout the movie that something bad is going to happen. Also if you know thing trigger you then its your job to do your research before going into an adult film. The ratings are always there for a reason
I really liked your defense of the film overall but i disagree with what you mentioned on the trigger warning; i think the marketing for this was really strategic because the trailer appeals to the thriller/horror elements that attracts a broader audience that could presume the R Rating applies to the gore and not the subject matter - BUT if the trailer made it more overtly about SA, it could drive away the people that would dismiss women and the metoo movement. So i like that it still makes a proactive effort to convey the depth of visceral imagery used. You can tell that people involved in this film really understand what being in these situations feels like & that they want to protect others from Re traumatizing themselves
Loved your analisis, guys saying the movie was really bad and dumb and extremly "feminist" give me the creeps and scares me. Yes, the end is not women being evil, is something Slater deserved and many man in real life do. Chemical submission happens every single day and is sad and scary and I love that this movie has the dark humour to show it!
i’m glad to know the story before going in (i’m gonna try to see it this weekend) because i feel like the framing, if nothing else, is making people talk about the subject of the movie and how what zoe mentioned is so common that it’s not a thing people think about. i’m sure there’s other parts that people would recognize and identify with in an uncomfortable way and those things can’t change if people don’t discuss or acknowledge them.
It’s actually crazy how long it took me to find commentary on this movie that was not filled with misogyny but I can always count on you to deliver good takes and solid criticism, thank you king.
Hey thank you! This really means a lot, genuinely made my day
Seems about normal, unfortunately 🤬
somebody else pointed out that he's probably drugging everyone on the island to forget, including the people who clean up the mess every night...so that one maid has figured out that the venom undoes the drug, and she keeps some of it and drinks it so that she can remember. and she actually does do something to help the girls, by at least letting frida remember, and then that's like a chain reaction.
A few things i noticed. When Frida aske if Slaters gonna kill her he says "youre like my best friend" how many domestic abusers beat their wife then be like but i love you. Also in the beginning the friend is going back to her toxic ex and Frida says she needs to take her power back and thats exactly what Frida does in the end.
I love how women had to band together and use a fake smile and dancing/sexuality to distract them because thats real life for women.
I love that the guy who did nothing was called because so many men watch other men in person and online be horrible to women and they say nothing but still consider themselves a good guy.
The dresses they wore had ties on the back that doubled as restraints. I love when his assitant remembered and got mad and said "theyre gonna do what theyre gonna do anyway at least i wont remember" i love showing the women who just accept "this is just how it is"
This movie reminded me of Promising Young Woman in ways.
Also wanna say thanks for saying he deserves the ending because a alot of men have been saying the ending just ruined the rest of the movie. And im like no! People love revenge. They just dont like when its women.
Bro when I realized why the dresses looked like that my jaw dropped an I completely agree with you I love how they represented everyone and how they react in situations like this
She def was inspired by promising young woman. She even made similar casting choices as Fennel when she picked a group of male actors who are known for playing likeable characters so when it is revealed that they are actually predators it’s more impactful.
I liked how both films used violence extremely differently. Fennel doesn’t actually show violence until the very end, and the main character gets punished for choosing it. I think Kravitz’s take on how violence can be a way to reclaim power is very interesting but ultimately it didnt feel as satisfying in the end to see the main character get rewarded for using power abusing tactics.
I loved promising young woman!
Loved your comment❤!
I can never trust people to be accountable for doing research when it comes to films. When I saw Long Legs a mum and dad took their very young children in with them to see the film. They cried and ruined the experience for me and everyone else and the parents still didn't choose to leave.
Staff need to start being more strict on stuff like this.
How did they even manage to take their kids in to see Longlegs? It was rated 15. Bad parenting, but also poor cinema management. Rating are there for a reason
I went to see deadpool Wolverine, which was lots of swearing and incredibly violent and this one couple decided to bring a baby and toddler to it 😟 they had to keep taking their kids out cause they were scared and upset😪
In Australia most mainstream cinemas have a morning once a week where parents can bringing babies to the movies,. I would like to think they play kids movies or romantic comedies nothing violent or scary
@@donnanegri3186 yeah I went to Longlegs at like 7:30pm 😂😅 if it was the morning maybe I would have been more forgiving but I just think the parents were too cheap to get a sitter and having that main character personality where they think we won't care if their kids are making noise because they matter 😂😅
lmfao why would they not think that was a horror movie...but i feel like longlegs and blink twice have a similar horror/comedy dynamic that i appreciated in both!
Frida was right. The police would have just called her crazy and shot her. The name Frida means peace, and she brought herself peace. This movie shows that performative kindness can be used as a weapon. Also was the little blonde dude on the mens side? I thought I saw him get attacked too as well in the flashback. Thank you for talking about this Film, more people should see it!
I took it that the blonde guy was getting abused by the men too, forgot to mention in the video
@@marshallstannusThank you! I thought I was the only one that got that vibe.
I also did he had a black eye, but when he said he said nothing that's what confused me. But the fact that Zoe included that part made me cry. I always say you could be one of the good guys but if you don't speak out against the bad ones you might as well not even exist.
The blonde guy’s inclusion did confuse me a bit - like was he there to just represent a bystander man who doesn’t engage but also doesn’t help…or was he queer-coded and also being abused. I only have two criticisms & this not being clear was one of em.
@@UrbanDecayLova247I don’t think the blonde guy was drugged or anything, but I get the sense he was just craving validation from the men and wanting to people please them. They obviously took advantage of this and played mind games on him to use as a pawn.
Love how you reminded the audience that they totally have the power to pay attention to the ratings to consider if a movie is for them. Very simple stuff that people forget I guess.
I kinda felt like the trigger warning that came when I saw it in theaters gave clues to how the twist might be.
This movie def stands on its own without being too much like get out. The references like the chase seen are a nice nod but I don’t think they od’d it
Better than Don't Worry Darling.
I love some of the symbolism in this. The perfume Desideria is an anagram for Dia De Reis which means day of kings which is obviously a reference to Slater King. And then I love how the serpent in the garden is giving the women the knowledge of good and evil from the trauma by making them remember when the men are seen as God's in the garden of eden. I also loved how they are the red rabbits running from the predators. They are all dressed in white showing their innocence like they don't know whats happeneing to them. But the men are also dressed in white because if the girls dont remember they're essentially innocent too.
I think the red chair is interesting because it seems to be the same chair in the interview at the beginning, almost like he took that from the interview as a way to reclaim his sense of control when he is made to apologize for his wrong doings. Then he puts it in his house but it represents basically his throne of lies and sins and it doesn't fit in with the reality of who he is. Its this bright red chair in a mostly blue and white room so it stands out like a sore thumb. So i feel like it's this representation of the worst things he has done and he is trying to integrate it like in therapy, but until he takes accountability for everything at the very end, he can't make it fit.
I also love how once you've seen the film, and you rewatch the beginning scenes with Channing Tatum and Frieda's character, you start to interpret his intense eye contact and attention very differently. On first watch yea you know he isnt the good guy, but you could def see how she could interpret his attention as romantic interest in her. But then by the end you actually realize he is a predator stalking his prey in broad daylight. She is being hunted and she doesnt even know and he is basically taunting her. He is staring her dead in the eyes, no blinking, on multiple occasions almost as if he is saying "wow look at this naive, woman. She has no idea who I am or the despicable things we have done to her. All she sees is a tech bullionarie sweeping her off her feet and I am going to take advantage of that in every conceivable way." Its really effective on rewatch.
Very good analysis 👏🏾
@@okeb75 thank you!
💯. I think this is Zoe on a burner account.😂
@@girlk1598 hahaha I wishhh 😂
YES. ALL THIS. I like how you said the snake was like giving the girls the forbidden knowledge of truth with the venom and we can see when she starts to remember and it starts with the sounds of the necklace clinking and it shows the guys wearing the crucifixes - as if they were Jesus - kind of in a different sense where they consider themselves to be “without sin”
I also noticed the paintings on the walls throughout it get increasingly more related to the secret they’re keeping- there’s picture of the girl/body with flowers and then the one with the yellow rabbits- I noticed they all wore yellow while partying and then white when the night started.
I’m not great movie analysis person but I thought those were some interesting details.
This is what I’ve always felt about trigger warnings, especially in the context you mention, but I was worried I was being insensitive so having someone else besides my brother agree with me is a relief.
As for this movie, I haven’t seen it but I did look up the synopsis on wiki lol. I admit when I read the twist I felt more sad than anything bc of course that’s what’s going on. I admit the title Pussy Island made me giggle, but I’m relieved they didn’t use it even if it’s super memorable and seems to fit the tone. I think your explanation behind the title makes a lot of sense and I can see them calling the island Pussy Island too. But that’s even more reason I’m glad the movie was called something else. PI is about the men and this is a story about women, which is why Blink Twice while less fun fits better in that aspect.
I think the conclusion was that Freda was also going to use the power to exact revenge on the various men because explaining it to authorities was essentially useless. With Stacy, and other elements I got a lot of The Cave allegorical vibes.
As a woman who has experienced SA, I completely agree with your rant at the end! Even with a trigger warning, I’ve still seen complaints that it was still “too much” meanwhile I think it was the most tasteful something like that could’ve been directed. No nudity, no lingering shots, for most of it you are moreso using your imagination. It’s getting to a point where it feels like no movie can have SA or DV in it without people complaining
…& the most annoying thing is those with the biggest complaints barely watch movies anyway.
Also- so many moments where they did not focus on the woman being abused or harmed. I really appreciated the trigger warning just as a way to be ready when things did start really twisting.
Sorry you went through SA xo
In my Top 5 this year. Disturbing when I realized what was going on but great film!
Art reflects life, that poor French woman was drugged by her own husband and passed around different men 72 times!
i think the only one who has been there before was frida, but the fact she came back made him attached to her in a way.
Hey Marshall. I went to see Blink Twice last night and thought it was an amazing movie. The last 30 minutes were very dark and disturbing and it blew my mind! I was pretty much going into this as a blind watch, I had only seen snippets of the trailer and wanted to be shocked by the twists and turns, but when the trigger warning came up on the screen at the start, it did kinda give too much away. I had no idea what the plot twist was but seeing that trigger warning just made me know almost exactly what the premise was going to be. I still really enjoyed the movie but would have prefered not to know what was coming and keep it as a surprise. Geena Davis' character, although small, was brilliant!!!
This movie was fabulous to me. The fact that im seeing so many men say really negative things about this movie is hurtful. Theres so much in it that is relatable to every woman. I seen one man say this is unrealistic and im like do you realize theres women being trafficked right now being treated the same minus the perfume. Epstein Island was a real thing with real men in power. How more realistic can it get?
I actually don’t think the trigger warning gave away too much. My boyfriend came out of there, realizing why they did the trigger warning once the twist was revealed, but not before. He definitely didn’t expect what was gonna happen. On the other hand, I figured from the trailer that this was about SA
I've noticed all the men online saying they had no idea and us as women knew from the trailer. It's so sad.
@@abritt2much this has been my experience too
@@abritt2much That's so interesting, I found the opposite. I had no idea the extent it was going to be about SA...I was caught of guard with how that's literally all that was going on...like I was ready for some Midsomar type shit.. but then I watched a review with two dudes who were like " yeah I got that from the trailer".
They're not only saying that the trigger warning gave anything away; they're saying it's redundant based on the marketing and rating of the movie. At some point its on the viewer to know what they're watching.
Because every one complains about everything & won’t sue her.
I thought I was the only one that was reminded of midsommar while watching blink twice
I really enjoyed this movie but it annoyed me that when I went to see it, they literally put a content warning ON SCREEN before the movie, which pretty much spoiled the whole twist.
I loved this commentary! I also totally agree with your TW analysis.
I went into the movie, not having heard that they added a TW. And, when that scene was revealed, it was shocking and graphic…but I’m an adult. And - like you said - it felt “inevitable” rather than “exploitative.”
Additionally, even if I HAD seen the TW, I think I would have dismissed it. Because there are TWs on so many things now-a-days that it doesn’t really mean anything. I wouldn’t have been more “prepared” if I saw a TW.
Also, I loved the dark humor moments after the tonal shift. I've worked in emergency situations before and helped people in crisis and making really really dark jokes is how some people process just how bad things have gotten. Like yeah, I might have gone from enjoying a party to running for my life from r@pists, but I can find humor in something around me so at least I'm still me.
This kinda reminds me of the diddy parties where they made the women drink from certain bottles and gave them pills
You really deserve a bigger audience. You do some of the better film analyses that I've seen online. Hope to see your channel grow 😊
I Love 🐱 island but when i heard "Blink twice" i knew exactly what the movie was about what Zoey was referring to. (Yt telling me to be respectful and edited the word p*** was hilarious)
You’re phenomenal
I think it's great this movie makes us uncomfortable. As a survivor of SA myself, I appreciate the way this was shot while not shying away from the messages of performative kindness, complicity and the real life horror/thriller situations of something like this happening. Those complaining it is too much, I refer you to Gisele Pelicot's trial ongoing at the moment. This is not a rare case this is a natural result of men's feelings of entitlement to women's bodies and I can't think of anything for of a thriller than that woman's life at the moment. These are stories that are important to tell and I hope they make you feel uncomfortable.
AMAZING FILM. TV previews stated critics referenced it as “Epstein-esque.” I knew what I was going into. The psychology behind this, how trauma is able to block memories. The theme of forgetting, how people don’t want to see the truth….
Yeah i dont think there needed to be a trigger warning just cause it would give the movie away. Ur right the rating should be enough for people to know if its for them. And also, it's a thriller that in itself should warn u theres gunna be heavy content whether relatable or make believe.
I have all the questions… like I wish they would’ve shown more of slater kings scandal or told us exactly what he was apologizing for in the beginning. I wish they would’ve shown more on how Frida was on the island again… maybe even attach her first island go with why he was apologizing? Idk
Also they showed the same trigger warning from Instagram in the beginning of the movie here in the US.
The movie ratings in america list out why they are rated the way they are. Which HAVE the trigger warnings listed. This also isnt ANYTHING like "It Ends With Us" because that movies marketing PURPOSFULLY marketed it as a romcom to see with your friends. It was being falsy advertised as this feel good movie. Again people need to see the ratings to get it. But thats where most of the discourae around that movie was coming from. Not the actual content but the marketing to get ppl to go watch it. Blink Twice has not been marketed as a fun, light hearted film about a girls trip. They show you clearly that things arent as they seem and YOU as the audience should be on alert while watching. Hence the name Blink Twice.
Loved your coverage on this film, I dont think its getting nearly enough praise!
I think Tatum was an amazingly well picked choice. He hides immense acting chops behind those biceps. And I think they needed, for the scenes fighting him, to have a villain who LOOKS like he could take on three women. I think in the 70s there were two or three movies with scenes like this where it seemed to imply he would still win because he was a man. It was sort of even a staple of grindhouse for a bit. With a scene that worked in some really intense improvised weapons and feats of strength you needed someone with WWE level strength and size.
best movie of the year
I loved this movie. It's ranking very close to Get Out for me, and higher than Jordan Peele's other movies.
I understand the attachment to the first title, but I would personally have guessed the plot much faster with that title. For me, the second title works better.
I agree with you about the trigger warning for this. I found the twist extremely upsetting but I would have been upset had the big reveal been spoiled for me.
I think trigger warnings are more important for social media. Like, if I have to go to work after scrolling social media on lunch - I don’t want to be exposed to random videos with violence while later in the day I might be up for engaging with that content.
It's weird that movies today that are supposed to make you uncomfortable go out of their way to reassure that they respect your boundaries
I wasn't going to see it because the matter is so heavy but you convinced me. Well done 👏🏾
One of my favorite movies of the year🎉
So you enjoy a movie about drug raping women, very strange person
Ppl in America likes to sound deep but ultimately they don't use common sense to read the rating. I hate it. Foreign films are usually better because of censorship here
Excellent analysis and review! I'm now a new subscriber. 😊 I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and the varied and opposing ways it made me feel. I can't stop thinking about the movie for so many reasons, and I think it's a great talking piece. Kudos to Zoe Kravitz on a fantastic directorial debut!
Loved this movie.I’m a Simon Rex fan & went to see him, he’s so underestimated. However, the women in the film blew me away! My take away from the move is “Do Nothing, Get Nothing, Blink Twice life goes by too fast.”
You’re right it is up to the person to check for trigger warnings themselves. You can’t be mad when you didn’t do the prior research. It’s not up to the movie to give those details away in the trailer. People need to stop complaining and it’s up to them to check first.
Not gonna lie, I HATE trigger warnings, I started a book that the very first page was ALL THE PLOT on the trigger warnings.
I honestly hated the ending. She defeats them but decides to keep him alive and live off of his wealth while making him forget everything wrong he’s ever done; like where is the justice for all the women he hurt and killed? For her friend? For herself? In my opinion, that ending completely negated one of the main themes of the film which was “women empowerment” and “Women helping women”. Keeping him alive so that she can come up on a bag and basically making him forget everything does not give true justice for the rest of the victims on that island.
I took it as he’s perpetually in a ruphied state and getting all his money taken away? Not a good ending for him at all I thought, he’s basically a dumb drugged out walking money hemorage no?
@@marshallstannus Yes, that’s what I mean. There’s really no justice for the women that she fought for on the island, including herself. She does all that fighting just to keep him alive so she can live off of his wealth. In my opinion, that’s a terrible ending considering what he had done and the fact that the other women get no justice whatsoever. As a woman myself, it completely negates the “women empowerment” message, in my opinion.
@@theyoutubeguide1109She already said the police wouldn't believe her. She gets Justice in her own way.
@@jacquiew.9165 It’s not justice for the other women nor herself. She’s just coming up on a bag and taking his money while he just becomes an idiot. Which is funny but not a fitting punishment for the things he did. Im not talking about the police. She could have just let him burn when they set the house on fire but she decided to save him.
Get Out for the Me Too Movement. Im assuming this was a review from white man. What a limited view point of intent, and what was in front of them
It was fine. Cool ideas, but execution was poor at times.
Woah there are so many spoilers in this video
It’s literally in the title.
Some things are more graphic than others. Your “hot take” isn’t new. Especially among men who think they’re so edgy. When I saw the movie, they did show the trigger warning, and I was still pretty shocked at how graphic the film is. There was absolutely no impact on my impression of the film because I got the trigger warning, and if your point made any sense, the warnings in the movie’s rating itself would be “spoilers.” Meanwhile, the “r wording” you can’t even say on UA-cam is reality for a lot of people, and for it to be graphically shown on screen is triggering. “If you’re that sensitive” is a shitty thing to say and you should think about how people who have been assaulted (or women in general) might be more impacted than you are.
I think the maturity guide I listed is something that can be sought out or avoided depending on the viewers preference, and feels like a general warning, my issue with the trigger warnings built into the start of a film, or the marketing, is in a case like this film, where it’s framed as a mystery for a good chunk, it does basically give away what’s going on straight away. I do think there’s a difference,
I agree some people are luckier than others and won’t have as serious reactions to certain depictions due to their own life experience, when I said sensitive, it wasn’t to say people are being overly sensitive, I meant “if you’re sensitive to these things being depicted, individual research of things is probably a good idea”,
Perhaps my wording could’ve been better, as I meant “if you’re sensitive to these subjects being explored”,
I had a very visceral reaction to cancer and chemo being explored in an episode of desperate housewives the other night, and I’d say I’m sensitive to good or bad depictions of that subject matter, not as a bad thing just as a statement of fact
but in the end given what is usually explored in this show that felt pretty on brand, so I just needed to check and regulate my own emotions, I guess it’s different for everyone.
then don't watch a HORROR movie if you dont want to feel discomfort, watch something else. I'm a woman and I agree with him, you are responsible for yourself and your triggers, the entitlement is crazy 🤣
Hated it!!!
Movie did too much and told us so little at the same time. It’s surface level as the trailer; the mystery of “why” being the only reason I was barely gripped. Frustrating that we never saw from the women’s perspective (outside of the MCs) exactly *why* they thought it was off on the island! They just say “this feels wrong we should leave” (women’s intuition, yet when not spelled out and you leave open ended questions, it feels like lazy writing). Also the graphic depiction even *with* a trigger warning was too much!! I agree with it being tonally off- as most of the “humor” barely made me exhale through my nose. It wants to be Triangle of Sadness and be poignant, but it falls into every cliche without having anything to say or add. A fantasy on screen with odd music and editing choices.
What do you mean? It has an entire scene showing why the MC and Sara think something's off about the island. Sara has a bruise she can't explain and is being fed false memories about how it got there while being told by Frida another girl was with them, that she doesn't remember, but she clearly had to be because she has a lighter with her name on it. Plus they both realize the other doesn't know the other partiers like they thought, everyone is a relative stranger. And Jess, the third girl, before going missing gets bitten by a snake which is the record scratch to her idyllic time on the island. Besides the idea that the snake bite it fast acting and maybe only strong enough to give her the emotions surrounded by the things they've gone through so far not actual vivid memories, she's also just frustrated she got bitten by a venomous snake and everyone including her friend is dismissing her. No matter how good of a time you're having, when things start to go wrong a person usually wants to pack it up and call it day.
@@Bree5threeI don’t understand how if they couldn’t remember Jess at all at first, how were they waking up every morning and still remembering each other and basically just not saying “Hello! What’s your name?” To each other every morning? Like, how could they not remember Jess all of a sudden but can remember everyone else?
@@theyoutubeguide1109 I can only imagine the perfume removes any traumatic memories. And memories from trauma can be altered in various ways, you only forget the bad and keep the good OR you forget everything and everyone related to it entirely. But you're right a ton of plot holes either way and is there like dosing involving or compounding effects? So just a ton of suspension of disbelief required.
But why would anyone want to see this? SA the movie? I don't want to see it. I also have to judge these women. Why "wouldn't" they think that a free invite to a island is absolutely a bad thing.
Way to miss the point of the film…
@@HelenaIsis616 Oh I know the point of the movie... just don't want to see it. It seems based on the box office... no one else does either.
@@EmilyFoxSeatonIt just came out to the public.
It was on the festival circuit and seemed to get decent reviews.
If it’s not for you, it’s not for you.
But don’t write off the entire film for everyone else.
PS: Your “review” is giving victim blaming vibes.
this reads as blaming the victim hth
As someone who's actually seen the movie, it's got a pretty clear feminist message through and through. Calling it "SA the movie" is super reductive. It has a satisfying ending with details placed throughout that only make sense at the very end.
This is an amazing movie. So many people don't like talking about things like this. They like to lie to themselves because like in the movie "it's better to forget" but if we forget the people that do this will always get away from it.
Also do people not pick up on foreshadowing anymore? A lot of movies have little hints throughout the movie that something bad is going to happen. Also if you know thing trigger you then its your job to do your research before going into an adult film. The ratings are always there for a reason
I really liked your defense of the film overall but i disagree with what you mentioned on the trigger warning; i think the marketing for this was really strategic because the trailer appeals to the thriller/horror elements that attracts a broader audience that could presume the R Rating applies to the gore and not the subject matter
- BUT if the trailer made it more overtly about SA, it could drive away the people that would dismiss women and the metoo movement. So i like that it still makes a proactive effort to convey the depth of visceral imagery used.
You can tell that people involved in this film really understand what being in these situations feels like & that they want to protect others from Re traumatizing themselves
Good cast but poor direction and plot development, a missed opportunity and a bit too Woke like everything else that comes out of Hollywood
Loved your analisis, guys saying the movie was really bad and dumb and extremly "feminist" give me the creeps and scares me. Yes, the end is not women being evil, is something Slater deserved and many man in real life do. Chemical submission happens every single day and is sad and scary and I love that this movie has the dark humour to show it!
i’m glad to know the story before going in (i’m gonna try to see it this weekend) because i feel like the framing, if nothing else, is making people talk about the subject of the movie and how what zoe mentioned is so common that it’s not a thing people think about. i’m sure there’s other parts that people would recognize and identify with in an uncomfortable way and those things can’t change if people don’t discuss or acknowledge them.