Over the past decade plus, Zoë Kravitz has established herself as one of cinema’s most reliable perfomers. And now she can add a few more key credits to her resumé.

The most impressive feature directorial debut by an actor since Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Don Jon in 2013, the impeccably shot and edited Blink Twice foremost shows Kravitz’s gifts behind the camera. But the memorable turns by the star-studded ensemble on the other side of the lens and her witty writing with E.T. Feigenbaum establish her as a multifaceted talent who will hopefully be a filmmaking force for years to come.

A biting satire that truly earns that laurel, this darkly comedic thriller follows Frida (Naomi Ackie, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody) and her roommate Jess (Alia Shawkat, Arrested Development) as they worm their way into a trip to the private island of wealthy tech mogul Slater King (Channing Tatum).

At this mystery location with the host’s inner circle and such fellow attractive women as reality TV star Sarah (Adria Arjona, Hit Man), the besties experience the spoils of paradise — and yet something isn’t quite right. Contributing to this sense of unease is guests waking up with unexplained wounds, Slater’s therapist Rich (Kyle MacLachlan) claiming not to remember Frida from a recent supper, and the snake-killing maid (María Elena Olivares) seemingly holding a grudge against her.

The extent to which things aren’t right, however, proves shocking and deserves to be discovered on one’s own — if you have the stomach for it. A pre-film trigger warning (possibly the first of its kind for a theatrical release) provides somewhat of a heads-up, and the measured way Kravitz and Feigenbaum dole out information results in an intelligent critique on the dark side of male behavior and men’s ability to get away with heinous acts through empty apologies and other socially-approved acts of “remorse.”

But as can be expected of first-time filmmakers, not everything works. Slightly clunky transitions and deliveries of key details somewhat hamper Blink Twice’s flow, but Kravitz keeps the pace active and engages viewers with consistently alluring visuals.

And along with being immensely cathartic, it really is quite funny. Ackie and Arjona are a dream comedic team, a random gag with the placement of a problematic chair has unexpected mileage, and the way Christian Slater’s Vic says “What?!?” at a critical juncture ranks among cinema’s most hilarious uses of that question.

Warts and all, it’s a stunning achievement. And while Gordon-Levitt has yet to make a follow-up feature, here’s hoping Kravitz harness her momentum and begins plotting her next project ASAP.

Grade: B-plus. Rated R. Now playing at AMC River Hills 10, Carolina Cinemark, the Fine Arts Theatre, and Regal Biltmore Grande.

(Photo: Amazon MGM Studios)