This story contains spoilers for Blink Twice.
I know you’re still making memes of Channing Tatum as Gambit—you’re gonna make a name for yourself, right?—but it’s time to turn your attention to his monologue in Blink Twice. At the end of the movie, Tatum’s character, Slater King, is ousted as a sexual predator, which leads to one hell of a monologue.
“I’m sorry,” he says to the protagonist, Frida (Naomi Ackie). “I’m…I’m sorry? I’m sorry. I’m SORRY! I’M SORRY! I’M SORRY! I’M SORRY! So, are we good?” In just one minute, Slater’s tone shifts from sarcastic to serious, then grief-stricken and enraged. And you know what? Tatum nails it. His delivery is downright terrifying.
Before Slater’s grand apology, he coerces Frida and her friend, Jess (Alia Shawkat), to join him on a trip to his private island. He’s rich and handsome, so they say yes, but the vacation doesn’t turn out as planned. Jess goes missing, and soon after, Frida realizes she can’t remember anything. And it’s all Slater’s fault. Every night, he and his buddies assault the women on the island. Then Slater wipes their memories with laced perfume.
Eventually, Frida catches on to the scheme and alerts the other guests. Cue a bloodbath soundtracked by Beyoncé’s “I’m That Girl” and a showdown with Slater. Remember that Slater has no morals, which makes his apology so damn disturbing. He can’t possibly mean it. Tatum said so himself in an interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show, where he called his character a “complete and utter psychopath.”
Here’s a question: When can we see Tatum take on another psychopath? Maybe I’ve been too distracted by Mr. Gambit’s comedic chops to ask for more dramatic roles from the actor. Tatum, if you’re reading this—my apologies, brother, I was unfamiliar with this aspect of your game. Thankfully, his director and partner, Zoë Kravitz, knew better. Apparently, she had Tatum in mind for the role long before production began. Here’s what she told Extra TV of the casting process:
“I felt like there was a layer to Chan that people hadn’t seen before as an actor, and I felt like he’s capable of so many things. Oftentimes—because he’s so charming—I think he’s been stereotyped in a way, but I also just felt like the character of Slater King needed to be someone that we felt comfortable with.”
If you had any doubt, her instincts were correct. Tatum expertly infuses Slater’s character with his own charisma. It’s disarming and exactly why Jess and Frida accept his invitation. Of course, they said yes. Wouldn’t you? It’s Channing Tat—um, I mean, Slater King. Slater keeps up the nice-guy act for the movie’s first half. Then, his demeanor turns cold. It’s the perfect gotcha moment. Judging from his apology, Slate is hardly human at all.
Kravitz raved about Tatum’s performance in a recent episode of Esquire’s “Explain This.” “Chan has this incredible monologue at the end of the movie, which, just, he’s amazing in,” she says. “And it was so amazing to watch him do something so different and so brave and so bold and vulnerable. It’s a monster of a scene, and he’s exquisite in it.”
If you can’t tell by now, I agree. Never in my life have I been afraid of Channing Tatum. But Slater King? Yeah, he’ll haunt my nightmares for quite some time.
