Ok, so it isn't going to trouble any BAFTA juries but it is quite a bearable couple of hours of special effects and fisticuffs in the same vein as "The Mechanic" (2011). "Brogan" (Will Smith) is the past his use-by date hitman who finds himself facing a much younger, nimbler, version of himself who seems to know exactly what he's going to do before he does it! What's this all about? As if we couldn't guess almost instantly... Smith still has just enough charisma to carry this off but it is all predictable stuff and Clive Owen still performs with all the animation of the original Trojan Horse. It passes the time - but once was enough for me.
Really good watch, would watch again, and can recommend. If there is someone you want to put on the screen twice, then I understand it being Will Smith, and the rest of the cast is great. This might even have been the role that got Mary Elizabeth Winstead into the Huntress role later on. I think they specifically reference it a some point in the movie, but a lot of the story is Will Smith fighting himself. The action sequences are solid, the scary secret spy organization is scary and secretive, and there are even a few "twists" along the way. My biggest problem is that this entire movie is unnecessary. If Clive Owen's character wasn't basically a super villain, then he could have left old Will Smith retire and no one would be the wiser. That might have possibly been a better movie, though I think Star Wars might be a point against me there. Long short: it's good, it's great action, it's not world moving, but does include a touch of sci-fi (/sci-fact, we're on that border). It just has a bad clash of reality that people and organizations like that exist, and we pay for them.
You made a person out of another person, then you sent me to kill him. You made a choice to do this to me. Gemini Man is directed by Ang Lee and co-written by David Benioff and Darren Lemke. It stars Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen and Benedict Wong. Music is by Lorne Balfe and cinematography by Dione Beebe. Henry Brogan (Will Smith) is an aging but elite assassin who's ready to call it quits. However, his plans are put on hold when he suddenly becomes the target of a mysterious operative who can seemingly predict his every move. The assassin who stalks him has a very familiar feel to him... Lets not beat around the bush, Smith and Winstead deserve a better screenplay than this. The writing is weak and lazy, Lee is clearly the wrong director for such a high concept action film, while the action scenes are shoddy in effects. In fact the storyline, as trite as it is, is unfairly in a constant battle against the CGI on show. However, film never sits still and refuses to let boredom take a hold. The lead actors are engaging enough to hold attention throughout, and even as the sugary coatings fill out the final throes, we at least can acknowledge there were earnest intentions to make an existential clone thriller here. But with Jerry Bruckheimer on production you can see there's a popcorn action film trying to break free of the literary treacle. Hardly the worst clone sci-fier that some have called it, but it's not memorable either. Think of it more as a time filler for the curious about the subject to hand. 6/10
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