.

I did have this whole piece written where I danced around the big reveal in the middle of this film. I even spent time discussing how you market a movie when you want to leave the truth of what is really about to be discovered by the audience when they watch it and the difficulties this presents. There was quite a bit on the criticism Blake Likely has had in this respect since she has talked about It Ends With Us as a romcom when it is actually something quite different. I’ve scrapped the whole thing though because I want to get into what this movie is. I want to talk about this film in terms of what it does and what it says and the other movies it sit alongside. I want to share my thoughts on the original title that they had to ditch for fear of giving something away and the trigger warning that they have placed at the start even though it does the same.

Not yet though. I will do what the film itself does; I will keep the secrets hidden until two thirds of the way through and then I’ll let loose toward the end. Spoiler warning coming then but before that point I’ll speak generally about what we appear to have here.

The set up, as shown in the trailer, is that two young women played by Naomi Akie and Alia Shawkat accept an invitation to spend time on an exotic island with Channing Tatum’s apparently charming tech billionaire. Soon though suspicions are raised that all is not as lovely as it seems and strange, even sinister, things might be going on. This being the case, unlike It Ends With Us, they can sell it on the fact it has a late point plot turn rather than having to steer away from this completely. The way the story builds to this is highly effective with little clues being placed along the way and the sense of tension rising nicely.

The other aspect the publicity for this film is focusing on is how it is the directorial debut of Zoe Kravitz and actually this is something they should be shouting about. Kravitz is already an accomplished actor but like the women who have recently taken a similar route before her, people like Olivia Wilde and Greta Gerwig, she has come out of the gate in this new field with a brilliant first movie. Blink Twice, which is also co-written by her, is a superbly directed film. The framing and shot composition is careful and confidently unhurried, particularly in its use of colour, and the tone and pacing spot on. Even before the true nature of the film comes out this heralds Kravitz as an exciting new filmmaker behind the camera. The performances are all measured too. Some might come across as a little underdeveloped but only because she has recognisable actors in the supporting roles. In truth they support the narrative just as they should.

Comparison can be made with directors like Jordan Peele and M. Night Shyamalan in terms of what is presented in the ads but what becomes clear as the film reaches its conclusion though is that this is a proper feminist piece. Here is your spoiler warning then, and I am still not going to cover precise plot details so you can read on if you want to, but rather than Get Out or The Village, the movies this most compares to are Promising Young Woman, Women Talking and Coralie Fargeat’s Revenge (which I definitely recommend you catch up with before her much talked of follow up The Substance comes out next month).

The thing the women are ultimately battling against here is not supernatural, it is not organised crime, it is not ritual violence, it is horrible toxic masculinity. To be honest by the time the truth comes out it is not a great surprise but it sets the film up to empower (some of) its women and examine real world issues related to its exaggerated scenario. For anyone who is familiar with Geena Davis’ broader work and the foundation she started to research gender representation in media and advocate for equal representation in cinema, then seeing her show up as a secondary player is one early indication of where it is all going and the way her characters arch pans out is very interesting in this context. Ultimately none of it is very subtle, just like that working title it had ‘Pussy Island’ (I told you it gave an indication of how then men staying there viewed the women), and it certainly doesn’t treat it’s subject as sensitively as It Ends With Us did with the domestic violence theme it works its way round to. None of this steals it of any power though and while the trigger warning about sexual abuse that comes up before the film plays is a bit of a spoiler it is merited.

Not only does this announce Zoe Kravitz as an important new movie director then, and a female one at that, but it shows her to be a filmmaker with a strong focus on gender issues and it is this that I wanted to be able talk about.