MOVIE REVIEW: Gemini Man

(Through The Ghost - Shinedown)

So, there's this scene in Ridley Scott's 'Gladiator' where the hero is standing around in an arena surrounded by people who are a little stunned by the show of savagery that he's just given them.  After he's put down the tools of his trade, he shouts at them, "Are you not entertained?  Is this not why you are here?"

I sort of felt like him when I walked out of Gemini Man.

Anyone who has looked at reviews for this film online will see that it's getting absolutely torn apart for a few very specific reasons.  Having gotten out of the theater less than an hour ago, I can honestly say that I have no bloody idea what they're on about.

The short version?  The short version is that this is a good movie.  Go see it.


The longer version?  The longer version isn't that much longer, really.  Gemini Man gives all of its secrets away in the trailers, so there aren't many by the time you get to the theater.  Fortunately, that takes very little away from the film itself.

The plot for Gemini Man is simple.  Man becomes good killer.  Man kills for the government.  Government clones man to make better, younger killer.  Government sends younger killer after older killer.  Conflict ensues.

No, it's not the plot that makes this movie so enjoyable.  The plot is reasonably predictable, and the movie is without a twist in sight.  Instead, the joy of this film lays in the way it tells a very predictable story.  Will Smith is a star, and the supporting cast for the film does so excellently, especially Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

There's not much to say beyond that.  It's a Jerry Bruckheimer film, the man who did Michael Bay better than Michael Bay before Michael Bay.  It's well-paced, filled with thoroughly enjoyable action sequences, and bridged with more than acceptable dialogue.  The technology that's used to produce a younger Will Smith is impressive.  It's the subject of much debate online, but I would suggest here and now that if someone watched that movie without knowing it was CGI, they wouldn't know it was CGI.  People are bitching about it because they know about it, and thus must bitch.

Somewhere along the line, folks forgot why they started going to the movies, and that different people enjoy different things.  The critics are tearing this film apart online because I think that's all they know how to do anymore.  That's a shame, because this is a perfectly acceptable fall action film.  Heck, it's even better than that.

It's a good movie.


A few final, spoilery thoughts:

- First, freakin' Mary Elizabeth Winstead.  I am so happy about the fact that they made her smart, competent, dangerous, and not at all cliche.  I'm happy that they didn't turn her into a sex object with no service to the plot.  I'm happy that in the one scene where she has to skin down to her unmentionables, the camera chooses not to dwell on that, and does so in service to the plot.  YES, YES, YES.
- Part of what made 'The Last Witch Hunter' so cool was Vin Diesel's absolute comfort in his own skin as Kaulder.  Will Smith exudes that in this film.  He's older, wiser, knows where his limits are, his faults and his strengths.  He backs up charisma with age and wisdom, and he does it WELL.
- WONG!

That's pretty much it.  This was a good flick.  Go see it.