The Wasteland Reviewer

In the Blink of an Eye (2026) Written Review

What is so appealing about a film that spans generations and centuries and captures the lives of people throughout time? Maybe there is something beautiful in seeing the ripples of humanity throughout time and space. Being able to see humanity go through time and span across so many versions of our world is quite the magical feat that film can accomplish. We have seen films like Cloud Atlas and The Tree of Life come and go with varying degrees of connection but there is still something so powerful about this type of idea and story. Pixar legend Andrew Stanton leaps from the realm of animation to tackle the new Hulu/Disney+ release In the Blink of an Eye which follows three storylines over thousands of years that explore the circle of life. 

How does Stanton bring this bold and ambitious story to life on screen? This film is certainly filled with emotion. One of the most impactful elements of this experience is the score from Thomas Newman. Rich and textured, there is a weight of emotion that the music covers the film with that will elevate any narrative elements that are meant to connect and make us feel. There is a profound sense of wonder that Newman conveys musically that elevates this experience for sure. There is also a richness in the visuals of the film. Ole Bratt Birkeland crafts visual styling that feels oddly like a pristine documentary that boasts powerful photography. This gives the film a voyeuristic feel that envelopes the audience in this deep human venture through time and space. The challenging element of the film is what your threshold will be for melodrama. You can certainly see this as a sincere and moving cinematic experience, but you can also see it as cheesy and overly sentimental. Stanton staddles that line throughout the film. 

Does Colby Day’s script match the ambitious nature of this story that spawned over thousands of years? Day can capture the ripples of humanity and how connected we are quite well through some key details in the narrative. Each of the three stories have their merits and compelling ideas and themes that are threaded together quite well. Human connections and relationships are certainly at the core of In the Blink of an Eye. What doesn’t work so well is the lack of depth given to these stories and characters. This film feels more broad strokes giving the vibe that this is the first pass at trying to thread these parts together. Day’s screenplay just doesn’t go deep enough for such an ambitious and compelling concept. There are plenty of cliches and you can certainly telegraph some of the big emotional beats for the film. 

How does the cast navigate such an intriguing premise? Kate McKinnon is the anchor for the most futuristic of the storylines as she is in a space station struggling with dying plants (their only source of oxygen on the ship). There are certainly moments when McKinnon gets to inject some humor, but this is a more dramatic turn for her. She does sell a few emotional moments decently well even if she is not going to blow you away. That is a general theme with most of the cast as there are no performances that stand out as excellent. But Rashida Jones does a fine job showing discomfort and vulnerability as a talented anthropologist who is navigating a new romance while struggling with her dying mother. Daveed Diggs is charming in the role of her love interest even if there is not a lot of depth beyond that. The Neanderthal storyline is the most forgettable, but Jorge Vargas and Tanaya Beatty do fine work drawing the audience in. 

Does Stanton and Disney have a polarizing cinematic experience on their hands? They sure do. There will be some who find this contrived and frustrating in how broad and sentimental it is. Others will connect with the humanity that Stanton injects into the experience and the soul it has. This does not dig deep enough to be a great fill or one that sticks with you but there is enough in In the Blink of an Eye to make this a worthwhile experience.