Yesterday, I wanted to indulge in the comfy nostalgia of the movie theater and decided to watch Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut, Blink Twice. I hadn’t seen the preview or many interviews about the film. All I knew was that it starred Kravitz’s fiance, Channing Tatum, and that the movie was highly anticipated. Blink Twice is a psychological thriller about a billionaire who takes a cocktail waitress to his private island where things slowly start to get weirder and weirder, focusing on the abuse of power.
While going to the movies is often an exciting time where you can let go of your own thoughts and get lost in the story, sometimes, it can turn out to be the exact opposite. Take a look at the rollout of It Ends With Us. From the marketing, the Blake Lively movie appeared to be a complete rom-com, but it was actually about domestic violence. The film triggered many viewers who went in without having read the book it was based on.
As I sat back in my reclining seat and munched on some popcorn, I wasn’t at all aware of the darkness to come in Blink Twice. After the ads and movie previews, a trigger warning appeared on the screen.
The significance of trigger warnings in films
As someone with OCD who is extremely sensitive to content involving sexual assault, I was so grateful for the warning. I watched It Ends With Us without expecting to see intimate partner violence, and left the theater in a horrible bout of rumination that unfortunately led to a panic attack. My friend also struggled with the film’s content.
Seeing the trigger warning before Blink Twice allowed me to take a minute and mentally prepare for what was to come. I was able to be ready with some of my coping tools, and knew I might have to step out if anything was too intense. With this in mind, I sat through the entire movie, and even though it was disturbing and more sexually violent than most films I watch, I was able to go home with a clear mind and no triggering thoughts.
I’ll be honest—I didn’t go into this movie expecting to write about it at all. But the way the trigger warning helped me consume difficult content really solidified the importance of setting the tone for heavy subjects like sexual violence, especially for viewers with mental illness.
Mental illness and media consumption
Media is constantly present in our lives, whether it’s movies, social media, news, or other forms of content. We can’t escape it, and most of us don’t necessarily want to. However, if you have a mental health condition, it can make triggering media especially difficult. That’s why it’s crucial to seek support for your mental health.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is a mental illness that involves intrusive thoughts, urges, feelings, sensations, and images that can cause significant distress. These obsessions can lead to compulsive behaviors as individuals try to find relief. Sometimes, for people with OCD, being shown content that contains a trigger can cause rumination. For example, if someone has Relationship OCD (ROCD), they might see a sexual assault scene and become fearful their own partner might assault them. Or, for individuals with sexually intrusive thoughts, seeing violent, painful sexual activity on screen might cause them to fixate on it and think about it constantly later on.
Another common subtype is Pure-O, or Pure Obsessional OCD, where individuals experience intense obsessions but don’t show the more visible compulsions typically associated with OCD. These obsessions can cover a broad range of topics, including sex. If someone has Pure-O and watches a film like Blink Twice, which contains graphic scenes of sexual violence, they might start to worry: Did I actually enjoy the scene even though I don’t think I did? Am I a bad person for watching the scene? Did watching the scene without flinching mean I am capable of something like that?
If you deal with an OCD subtype of any kind, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is the most effective form of treatment. ERP works by slowly exposing you to your triggers while teaching you strategies to manage your reactions to the discomfort.
OCD & PTSD treatment you can afford
Learn to manage your triggers with specialized care
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Survivors of sexual assault often experience PTSD. PTSD is a mental health condition that can develop after a deeply distressing event, leading to persistent feelings of fear, anxiety, and emotional distress. One study showed that 45% of women and 65% of men who reported having experienced rape met the criteria for PTSD. For anyone affected by sexual violence, watching an on-screen depiction of the subject can be extremely distressing.
If you have PTSD, an effective form of treatment is Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE). PE involves gradually confronting and processing distressing memories and situations related to your trauma in a safe, controlled environment. This helps reduce the emotional impact of the trauma so you can create healthy coping methods and decrease avoidance.
How celebrities and marketing shape film content awareness
As a whole, it seems that Blink Twice was marketed more responsibly than It Ends With Us. The movie’s official Instagram account posted a trigger warning upon the film’s release, which is now pinned to the top of their page.
Additionally, celebrities advertising the movie treated it with the respect the serious themes deserved. Taylor Swift, a friend of Kravitz, posted a promo on her Instagram story with a specific trigger warning at the bottom, so her fans could choose wisely when buying tickets.
The importance of respectful storytelling in addressing sensitive themes
Kravitz’s film, while dark and disturbing, tells an important story about the abuse of power and the strength of women—both prevalent subjects that should not be shied away from. However, there is a way to be responsible when creating and promoting this kind of content. Blink Twice, though not for everyone, does a good job of letting the audience decide if they’re up to viewing the film on their own accord.