One of the aspects of the modern world of movies that genuinely bothers me is when audiences complain about a film not being "realistic." As if that was a quality that automatically makes anything better. A great example is when someone refers to Star Wars as "science fiction" when a more appropriate description would be "science fantasy." Also, when Zack Snyder made Man of Steel and Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice, two films which I despise for many reasons, Snyder was attempting to paint what he considered a "realistic" depiction of superheroes, when all he really did was adapt Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead but replaced Peter Keating with Batman. A thousand bonus points to you if you got that reference. This depressing and rather unhealthy expectation that any movie has to be uber-realistic at all times, not only constrains storytellers, but it also deprives audiences of genuinely unique stories. Dismissing a fantastical story because it's not "realistic" is like refusing a delicious slice of Chocolate Cake because the icing doesn't entirely resemble a Unicorn.
When I go to the movies, I want to be distracted from reality. I want to immerse myself in a world where anything is possible and gives me some glimmer of hope for a better existence in the future. Today's movie, Gemini Man, is precisely that kind of film. A fun and creative character-driven action thriller that offers visceral visuals and profound storytelling. A delightful distraction in every way.
The story follows Henry (Will Smith) as an aging D.I.A (Defense Intelligence Agency) counter-terrorism assassin who is losing his edge and wants to retire. Before he can begin enjoying his new free time, an old friend of his informs Henry that his superiors misinformed him as to who his last target was. Not only that, Henry discovers that he is being monitored by another agent named Danny (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who Henry befriends shortly after blowing her cover. Not long after that, a high ranking official named Clay (Clive Owen), who has a history with Henry, tries to take both of them out, prompting Henry to escape and take Danny with him as she was only there to observe and report, thus becoming a loose end. Together, Henry and Danny investigate the situation. It turns out that Clay is the leader of a particular military group called Gemini: a program intent on breeding super soldiers through cloning and genetic manipulation. Even worse, they sent their best soldier after Henry, Junior (Will Smith), who was the first complete clone soldier built from Henry's DNA. Now, our heroes must find the whole truth and take down Gemini before it's too late.
What makes me enjoy this film is the pacing. Too many action movies in recent years (Marvel films notwithstanding) have been under the impression that being loud, fast, and aggressive is the best way to please audiences. So they pump the movie full of shakey-cam, rapid-fire editing, and more explosions than a 4th of July parade, resulting in an incoherent and jumbled mess that you can't remember five minutes after watching it. The best example, any recent film made by Michael Bay. On the other hand, Gemini Man has just as much awesome action as any Summer blockbuster, but it balances the action set pieces with some quieter moments of character development, mystery-solving, and occasional moments of wit. It's the kind of pacing and world-building found in movies like Ronin, where it's not in a hurry to get to the next action scene but instead wants to build up the action with story and character. Like any good film should do.
The entire cast has some of their best performances yet. Will Smith does a decent job with his dual role. Smith is one of those movie stars who has gotten better with his craft over time and experience. His acting chops were not the best in his early days, but he has seriously honed them over the years. His excellent chemistry much helps his performance with the rest of the talented cast, especially with the movies MVP, Mary Elizabeth Winstead. She became my favorite character in the film for being both a competent agent and for actually being proactive in the story as opposed to being relegated to the damsel-in-distress, or forced romantic interest, as is still often the case in these kinds of movies.
The cinematography is incredible. Photographed by Dion Beebe, who previously shot Collateral and Edge of Tomorrow, his sense of color style has always been gorgeous to observe. Colors are bright and full bodied without being too garish. Also, his lighting succeeds in being stylish without being obvious. Not to mention, his camera movement is rarely aggressive. Even when shooting handheld, there is still a sense of stability, allowing the audience to still obsorb the action. While he may not be my favorite cinematographer (that distinction remains with Roger Deakins), I will say that I have always liked his images. He brings his "A" game to this film and it makes the film all the more enjoyable to me.
Ang Lee directed the film, and I am confident in saying that it is likely where the film gets most of its quality. As a director, Ang Lee has always been an experimentalist: trying out different and unusual things, playing with unique technology, and generally pushing the limits of what film can accomplish. Maybe not to the extreme, but just enough to make you curious. Though Ang Lee mostly does social dramas, he has dipped his toes into action before with his magnum opus Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. A film that, just like Gemini Man, has a delicate balance between action and drama. Ang Lee is a director who seems to have a great sense of enthusiasm and a zen-like approach to his films, and I enjoy watching it all unfold.
I look forward to his next movie, whatever it may be.
The special effects, and by extension, the action scenes, are mostly top-notch. I say "mostly" because there are a few times when the CGI is a little noticeable. Mostly in shots where the camera is moving quickly while following a character who is doing superhuman parkour. In those moments, it reminds me of the Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies with CGI that has not aged well. As opposed to the de-aged Will Smith, who looks surprisingly convincing. It's probably the only time that the CGI is at its best. It's just impressive enough for me to forgive some of the action scenes for going on just a little too long. Aside from those little hick-ups, it's all pretty good.
I should mention that this film has the option to see it in a unique format known as HFR (High Frame Rate). Meaning the movie was captured at a frame rate faster than the traditional 24fps, which is intended to create smoother motion and sharper images. I have not yet seen the movie in this format, but I am curious enough to see how it holds up, so I will likely see this film again in that format for a proper comparrison. Having experienced HFR before with Peter Jackson's The Hobbit, I can say that I am not a fan of HFR in general, but I do believe that it can work if utilized in the right movie. Maybe Gemini Man will be it, but I won't know until I see it. When I do, I will add a review of it to this blog.
Gemini Man is my kind of film. It playfully disregards reality with a plausible yet fantastical story held together by a talented cast & crew who all seemingly had a great time making something different. I am aware that I am likely the minority, considering the overabundance of negative criticism this film has received so far, but don't forget that all criticism is based on opinion. If all critics and film enthusiasts were strictly technical (which is impossible), all critics would say that "it doesn't matter if the movie was good or not, so long as it made lots of money." Gemini Man may not break the box office, nor will it likely change your life, but I promise you, it will not waste your time at the movies. When this movie gets released on 4K BluRay, I intend to buy myself a copy.
Is this movie worth seeing?
Yes.
Is it worth seeing in Theaters?
Yes.
Why?
Even when not being enjoyed in the HFR 3D presentation it was intended for, the movie still delivers fascinating visuals with a compelling enough story to provide a fun distraction from our unpleasant reality. Give this one a chance.
Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you all for reading.
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