It feels weird not to start this piece with our traditional intro, but it just doesn’t feel right to add it, either.
I have several disclaimers and CW/TWs to go through on this one, so bear with me.
First and foremost, CW/TW for r*pe, SA, SV, and all like topics.
Secondly, I’m going to have to spoil both of these movies to talk about the parts that bothered me. I’ll give you a warning/page jump as usual.
Thirdly, I want to be clear that I’m just a silly goose who writes about pop culture on the internet, but I just couldn’t shake my issues with one of these movies.
I feel like I’m in the minority on the parts that bothered me, but, for some reason, I feel compelled to share my thoughts.
Finally, I want to throw out my trademark disclaimer here:
Just because I don’t like a movie doesn’t make it bad, and just because I like a movie doesn’t make it good. Making a movie is hard and terrifying, and I give mad props to everyone on the cast and crew for doing it.
Alrighty, let’s dive in.
Last weekend, I unknowingly put myself into a double feature that shared some similar themes.
If I can tell a movie is going to have twists and turns, I try to go in with as little information as possible, and that’s what I did with both Blink Twice and Strange Darling.
While these movies are two completely different beasts, I feel like they have some similar themes that are portrayed in different ways and through different lenses.
I also think it’s worth noting that Blink Twice was directed and co-written by Zoe Kravitz, who is a woman, and Strange Darling was directed and written by JT Mollner, who is a man.
I know that some of you probably groaned because you think you know where this is going, but keep reading.
Before I start breaking these movies down, I want to be honest…
I’ve been extremely fortunate in my life to have never experienced any SV, and I have never been r*ped or SA’d.
Therefore, I’m not here to speak on behalf of any of those who have.
I can only speak to why some things in Strange Darling bothered me personally.
I can also discuss how I enjoyed Blink Twice, but for those who have experienced the heinous things depicted in the film, it might be inaccurate or triggering or offensive.
Again, I’m only speaking from my personal opinions.
Fair warning, I’m about to get into spoilers. Skip to the paragraph starting with “I could absolutely[…]” to avoid them.
In my opinion, Blink Twice is a solid installment of Good-for-Her horror.
I thought the humor was balanced where it should be and didn’t undercut the horrors that the women experienced on the island.
I believe it did a good job portraying how sometimes women in power are just as dangerous as men and/or can be just as guilty of victim shaming without villainizing all women/femme-presenting peeps.
Lastly, I thought the themes of wanting to forget trauma/forcing others to forget trauma were powerful and illustrated how victims of SA and r*pe are often told to “let it go” or to “move on.”
Again, I’ve never experienced either of those things, and I’m only speaking from things I’ve seen and heard in interviews and documentaries, as well as from people I know who have been through it.
However, on the flip side, I think there are a couple of spots where Strange Darling could’ve done better.
Before I get into the parts that bothered me, I want to say that there were things in Strange Darling that I did enjoy.
I think there are genuinely funny scenes.
I love the nonlinear way the story is told.
Hell, I love the overall concept.
But, there are a few scenes/pieces of dialogue that keep this movie from getting my approval.
The first thing that bothered me was a piece of dialogue between The Lady (Willa Fitzgerald) and The Demon (Kyle Gallner).
When they’re having a conversation about consent, The Lady makes a comment about how even if “[she says] no, it means yes.”
Now, I totally respect if two consenting adults want to engage in rough sex/role play and keep an open line of communication amongst themselves.
But, I do think it’s a dangerous line to throw out because consent CAN change.
Yes can become no, even if you’ve consented before.
And, to be fair to JT Mollner, The Lady does tell The Demon this exact thing when he begins to put handcuffs back on her in a previous scene.
I don’t know how to feel about that scene, though, because it first appears that The Demon is trying to SA her/begins engaging in SV, only for us to find out that this is role play that he and The Lady both consented to.
It’s a gray area for me because it’s initially presented as non-consensual, so I’ll let y’all make the call on this one.
The other scene that really bothers me in Strange Darling happens toward the end of the film.
After the big reveal of The Lady* actually being the serial killer and The Demon* being her attempted victim, The Demon finally tracks her down and handcuffs her to the freezer she was hiding in.
*For context, we find out that her serial killer moniker is The Electric Lady and that he’s called The Demon because The Lady sometimes sees demons instead of people, hence why she kills them.
After The Lady kills The Demon, and she hears the cops arrive, she pulls down her pants and underwear to emulate r*pe.
A male and female cop arrive on the scene as The Lady screams and cries.
The male cop says that they need to figure out what’s going on before unlocking her handcuffs, but the female cop immediately begins comforting The Lady and tells her partner that it’s clear what happened.
This scene bothers me for a couple of reasons.
First and foremost, I don’t like the “cry wolf” connotation of this scene.
I believe the vision here was to further villainize The Lady by showing that she’s willing to stoop to new lows to avoid capture.
However, I think there are other ways the same idea could’ve been conveyed without this connotation.
Secondly, I don’t like how they show a male cop operating from a place of rationality while the female cop operates from a place of emotionality.
We should absolutely believe victims. 100%.
But, the way the female cop reacts is a bit demeaning.
It also rubs me the wrong way for her to believe that The Lady was r*ped, only to be proven wrong.
The whole thing just doesn’t sit right with me.
Now, do I believe that JT Mollner had any malicious intent with these scenes?
I don’t.
I think these scenes were meant to drive home how brutal The Lady is/was.
However, I also don’t know JT Mollner’s background or history, so I don’t want to speculate about his experiences.
He might have done a lot of research and/or know victims of r*pe or SA that weren’t triggered by this scene or the writing.
And, to be honest, I have to say the same for Zoe Kravitz. I don’t know her background and history.
Again, this is just how those scenes made ME feel.
I could absolutely be in the minority here, but, as a reviewer, it’s my role to give my honest assessment of a movie.
And my honest assessment is that those scenes really bothered me.
I’d like to drive this point home one more time: I’ve never experienced the horrific things depicted in Blink Twice or Strange Darling.
These movies may be triggering or offensive to those who have, so I highly suggest looking up CWs and TWs before watching either movie.
Blink Twice also has a disclaimer at the beginning of the film, and I wouldn’t take it lightly.
Additionally, I don’t want to overlook the fact that men/masculine-presenting peeps are also victims of SA, SV, and r*pe.
I don’t really know how to end this one, so I’m going to end it with some resources.
Take care of yourselves out there, and take care of each other whenever and wherever you can.
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