![]() The film touches on race, war, self, isolation, grief, abuse, and - even for the briefest of moments - the brutal and real historical precedence of black people being used as cannon fodder in American wars. Plenty of interesting themes are dipped into but the script keeps those explorations shallow, with most feeling like an afterthought. In another world, Gemini Man could've been a gritty cerebral sci-fi thriller. Watch Gemini Man's crazy bike chase scene below: It's definitely not the '90s action movie it originated as, it never fully commits to being a high-octane action showcase, and many of the character interactions seem like they'd fit better in a '00s drama. Despite the fact that it's filled with very entertaining moments the movie doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. When Gemini Man is being a big, silly, bombastic action film it feels exciting and honestly quite unique - though that may be due to the fact that the film was shot at 120 FPS which makes it look half crystal clear and half like you're watching it on the motion-smoothing setting on your parents' TV - but sadly it doesn't get to channel that energy enough. One of the film's other weakest points is that for an action movie there isn't really enough action. If anything, one of the biggest shocks is that the effects are one of the best parts of the film it's the script and story that let it down. Overall, the double Smiths are surprisingly effective with only a couple of truly Uncanny Valley-inducing moments. ![]() Plus, it's one of the many times when Weta Digital really showcases how far de-aging and actor duplication technology has come. There's an astonishingly silly and superb motorbike chase that will likely leave you with motion sickness due to the speed and ingenuity of the direction. But as the film heads into the second act, Lee does deliver on some very interesting action when the script allows for it. It's hard to talk more about Gemini Man's plot without revealing its (admittedly obvious) secrets. And Clive Owen is wasted as the forgettable villain and head of the conveniently-named nefarious paramilitary corporation, Gemini. (There's a particularly impressive and grimy sequence in the first act that got this reviewer very excited to see what Winstead will be bringing to Huntress when she slips into the role for next year's Birds of Prey.) The pair are soon joined by the always wonderful to watch Benedict Wong - who finally gets to speak in his own lovely accent - as Baron, Henry's former brother-in-arms who just so happens to have a safe house in Colombia. Winstead and Smith are fine leads and both excel when they (and their stunt doubles) get the chance to throw themselves into the action. Soon, Henry is on the run alongside a fresh out of the academy agent (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who was meant to be surveilling him. ![]() Gemini Man begins, as so many military thrillers do, with a betrayal. Despite the fun, if gimmicky concept, Gemini Man feels pretty rote throughout with a script that lacks (intentional) humor and characters that we know so little about that it's hard to feel invested in any of them. Imagining this film as a late '90s high-concept action romp makes a lot of sense, but sadly the finished flick feels very much like a product of 2019 and that's not a particularly good thing. The big draw here is, of course, Smith, who's fun in dual roles as a former soldier turned assassin, Henry Brogan, and the young man, Junior, who's hunting him down.
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