Despite its negative critical reception, that didn't stop me from seeing 'Gemini Man'. The idea was really interesting and with the right execution could have been thrilling, inventive, thoughtful and emotional. Ang Lee has done some great work, 'Brokeback Mountain', 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', 'The Ice Storm' and 'Sense and Sensibility' being favourites ('Life of Pi' needs a re-watch but remember liking that too). Also don't consider Will Smith a bad actor, quite a likeable one in the right roles.
As much as it pains me to say it, 'Gemini Man' is as severely disappointing as has been said. Don't think it is that awful and there are far worse films out there, but it is a sad waste of a good idea and neither Lee or Smith are well served. Smith comes off better and compared to almost everything else he comes off reasonably well, he has been in and done worse than 'Gemini Man' ('After Earth' anyone?) but is a much better performer than this. This is a very strong contender for a career worst for Lee, actually found it more disappointing than 'Hulk' which left me in shock after watching that he was the one responsible for the four great (more than great actually) films cited.
'Gemini Man' is beautifully and atmospherically photographed and similarly boasts production and set design that had more imagination than what was everywhere else. While not much may unforgettably stand out in the music score, it at least fitted with the atmosphere, didn't over-bear that it swamped everything and sounded appealing on the ears.
Smith is a commanding and amiable presence and actually the cast did quite well with what they were given and considering what they were given, which would be beneath anybody. The ossuary brawl is spectacular.
Lee however is completely out of his depth, he fails to bring any energy or freshness to material that was in dire need of both and material too that his directing style, which has too much of a heavy hand here, is not particularly well suited for. There is an overuse of special effects and it is sad to say that it is agreed that the effects are not very good. Actually thought that they looked like they were made in a rush and on the too cheap side, like they were going for quantity and not quality. So much so that they looked fake amongst everything else, Junior was very cheap looking, and it is such a shame because the rest of the production values looked great.
David Benioff's script really sinks 'Gemini Man'. There is absolutely no substance to it, non-stop blandness more like, and quite a lot of it is very difficult to take seriously, so unnatural sounding and cheesy to the point of being juvenile. Instead of being deep in thought one is likely perhaps to be trying not to laugh, plus it can sound quite old-fashioned. The story had a cool idea but does nothing really new or imaginative with it, with some obvious and shoehorned in plot turns, only sporadically thrilling but mostly workmanlike at best (mostly lacking lustre) action (the ossuary brawl excepted) and the execution of an idea that sounded inventive on paper is too ordinary and familiar. The characters, despite the best efforts of the cast, are very sketchy in development and basically genre ciphers and not much more.
In conclusion, great potential but misses it by a mile. 3/10
As much as it pains me to say it, 'Gemini Man' is as severely disappointing as has been said. Don't think it is that awful and there are far worse films out there, but it is a sad waste of a good idea and neither Lee or Smith are well served. Smith comes off better and compared to almost everything else he comes off reasonably well, he has been in and done worse than 'Gemini Man' ('After Earth' anyone?) but is a much better performer than this. This is a very strong contender for a career worst for Lee, actually found it more disappointing than 'Hulk' which left me in shock after watching that he was the one responsible for the four great (more than great actually) films cited.
'Gemini Man' is beautifully and atmospherically photographed and similarly boasts production and set design that had more imagination than what was everywhere else. While not much may unforgettably stand out in the music score, it at least fitted with the atmosphere, didn't over-bear that it swamped everything and sounded appealing on the ears.
Smith is a commanding and amiable presence and actually the cast did quite well with what they were given and considering what they were given, which would be beneath anybody. The ossuary brawl is spectacular.
Lee however is completely out of his depth, he fails to bring any energy or freshness to material that was in dire need of both and material too that his directing style, which has too much of a heavy hand here, is not particularly well suited for. There is an overuse of special effects and it is sad to say that it is agreed that the effects are not very good. Actually thought that they looked like they were made in a rush and on the too cheap side, like they were going for quantity and not quality. So much so that they looked fake amongst everything else, Junior was very cheap looking, and it is such a shame because the rest of the production values looked great.
David Benioff's script really sinks 'Gemini Man'. There is absolutely no substance to it, non-stop blandness more like, and quite a lot of it is very difficult to take seriously, so unnatural sounding and cheesy to the point of being juvenile. Instead of being deep in thought one is likely perhaps to be trying not to laugh, plus it can sound quite old-fashioned. The story had a cool idea but does nothing really new or imaginative with it, with some obvious and shoehorned in plot turns, only sporadically thrilling but mostly workmanlike at best (mostly lacking lustre) action (the ossuary brawl excepted) and the execution of an idea that sounded inventive on paper is too ordinary and familiar. The characters, despite the best efforts of the cast, are very sketchy in development and basically genre ciphers and not much more.
In conclusion, great potential but misses it by a mile. 3/10