Film Review: BLINK: A Single Taste of Night Terror is Not Enough [SXSW 2022]

Blink Review

Blink (2022) Film Review from the 29th Annual South by Southwest Film Festival, a movie directed by Spenser Cohen, written by Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg, starring Sophie Thatcher, Alicia Coppola, and Scot Nery.

A brutalized young woman named Mary gets admitted to the hospital, clearly fearful but unable to move a muscle or communicate except by blinking to yes-or-no questions.

Mary relates an attack by a person, neither male nor female. The nurse leaves to fetch the doctor, and at once a demonic creature quietly appears, evidently stalking the terrified patient.

The sleep paralysis phenomenon has a very long history, and its cause has been a subject for speculation for just as long. Culprits include narcolepsy, lucid dreaming, sleep deprivation, psychological stress, potassium deficiency, or historical anecdotes of paranormal activity such as alien abduction — and yes, reports of attacks by supernatural creatures. This particular demon, however, has crawled out of the shadows, not some legend. Mary watches, silent and helpless, as it goes about its dastardly mission.  

This nine-minute film packs in quite a bit beyond the fine special effects. Cohen and Halberg evoke an impressive tenor of terror and suspense. It brings to mind the creepier elements of the Final Destination franchise, but (at least in this segment) gratuitous violence doesn’t distract from the mood. In addition, the awesome physical presence of the creature brings an additional layer of horror to the film.

Sophie Thatcher, as Mary, admirably conveys the young woman’s wordless terror, even bringing out just the slightest hint of a tremor. Alicia Coppola (cousin of producer Denise DiNovi) fully suggests the comforting professionalism of the nurse. This taste of Blink certainly leaves one ready for more.  Hopefully, a feature-length version will be available before long to enlighten audiences. Scot Nery as the doctor makes a brief appearance at the end.

Rating: 8/10

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