{"id":10507,"date":"2019-10-09T09:27:13","date_gmt":"2019-10-09T16:27:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog-proxy.atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/?p=10507"},"modified":"2019-10-11T17:02:51","modified_gmt":"2019-10-12T00:02:51","slug":"gemini-man-review-three-reasons-to-see-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/gemini-man-review\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Gemini Man&#8217; Review: Three Reasons To See It"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Ang Lee\u2019s\u00a0<i>Gemini Man<\/i>\u00a0is both a futuristic taste of what 120 frames per second can do for action cinema and a confirmation of the format\u2019s current limitations (all of which Alisha broke down in <a href=\"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/the-technology-behind-gemini-man-and-future-of-movies\/\">her excellent piece<\/a> on the technology behind the movie). Outside of technical specifications,\u00a0<i>Gemini Man<\/i>\u00a0is a sappy, sentimental revenge thriller that oftentimes rocks and earns rolled eyes at the same time. Will Smith fights himself in his fresher prince form, thanks to de-aging technology that can turn back the clock with mixed results. Masked by darkness, Smith zaps back 30ish years to his spry 20s build &#8211; but in broad daylight, it\u2019s a harder sell. Especially with the vivid clarity of 120fps, which is more real than reality itself.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1080\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oJwjrBqUyzA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>As mentioned, Smith stars as government agent and gun-for-hire Henry Brogan. He\u2019s the best of the best, which means his retirement is met with some opposition from handlers and top brass. One of these men is Clay Verris (Clive Owen), head of \u201cProject Gemini.\u201d Verris fears Brogan learned classified information, so he makes the call on a \u201cclean up loose ends\u201d hit utilizing one of his best up and coming agents &#8211; a younger clone of Henry Brogan. This sets Brogan on the run from himself, accompanied by also-burned agent Danny Zakarweski (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and his war-dog pilot buddy Baron (Benedict Wong).<\/p>\n<p>Paramount Pictures will release\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.atomtickets.com\/movies\/gemini-man\/253932\"><i>Gemini Man<\/i><\/a>\u00a0this week on October 11th, which I\u2019d encourage you to watch in RealD 3D if possible. In any case, here are three reasons to watch Will Smith beat the snot out of Will Smith.<\/p>\n<h2>1. Let\u2019s Talk Tech<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_10497\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10497\" class=\"size-large wp-image-10497\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-proxy.atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/gemini-man-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/gemini-man.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/gemini-man-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/gemini-man-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/gemini-man-500x333.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-10497\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Benedict Wong as Baron and Will Smith as Henry in Ang Lee&#8217;s &#8216;Gemini Man&#8217; (Courtesy: Paramount)<\/p><\/div>\n<p>I wasn\u2019t fully convinced by Ang Lee\u2019s first attempt at 120fps,\u00a0<i>Billy Lynn\u2019s Long Halftime Walk<\/i>, but the hyper-clear frame rate boasts far more positives this time around. Action sequences are kinetic, supercharged, and the realism of it all can be sensationally gobsmacking. Brogan\u2019s tangle with \u201cJunior\u201d a.k.a. \u201cPast Brogan\u201d inside underground catacombs offers delicious visuals as pitch-blackness is broken up by ignited flares and thermal goggles. The same goes for motorcycle chases that cause a blurring effect as cameras try to keep up with full-speed intensity, adding this virtual reality pop to\u00a0<i>Gemini Man<\/i>\u00a0like you\u2019re watching in an Oculus bubble. As armored Gemini squads light up liquor stores with spitfire miniguns, you realize what Lee\u2019s self-professed \u201cwhole shebang\u201d filmmaking (4K resolution, 120fps and 3D) is capable of achieving. Quite exciting given the prospects.<\/p>\n<p>On the flipside, Smith\u2019s younger form is always better served under midnight dimness. Once exposed to daylight, amplified by Lee\u2019s 120fps, there\u2019s this synthetic smoothness Junior\u2019s appearance cannot wash away.\u00a0<i>Gemini Man<\/i>\u2019s worst sequences appear artificial, losing the grit or cinematography of, say, an explody Michael Bay epic. The smoothed rendering of glossy digital recording offers far fewer options in terms of hiding Hollywood magic, referring to squibs or pulled fight sequence punches. There\u2019s a boundary in visual cinematic representation that Lee shatters, but I\u2019m not quite sure that\u2019s always a positive advancement. It\u2019s almost as if, at times,\u00a0<i>Gemini Man<\/i>\u00a0looks <em>too<\/em> photorealistic. There\u2019s a yet unfound balance between Lee\u2019s pristine productions and current \u201cmuddier\u201d cinematics that could benefit both mediums.<\/p>\n<h2>2. Let\u2019s Talk Cast<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_10501\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10501\" class=\"size-large wp-image-10501\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-proxy.atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/will-smith-mary-elizabeth-winstead-1024x597.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"597\" srcset=\"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/will-smith-mary-elizabeth-winstead.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/will-smith-mary-elizabeth-winstead-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/will-smith-mary-elizabeth-winstead-768x448.jpg 768w, https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/will-smith-mary-elizabeth-winstead-500x292.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-10501\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Danny) and Will Smith (Henry) in Ang Lee&#8217;s &#8216;Gemini Man&#8217; (Courtesy: Paramount)<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Will Smith knows his way around buddy action thrillers, here working with Mary Elizabeth Winstead and the doppelg\u00e4nger version of himself. Winstead an agent caught up in Brogan\u2019s conspiracy, Doppelg\u00e4nger Smith his adversary. Winstead\u2019s Danny is never a romantic angle nor lesser damsel, quickly proving she can grapple with meathead assassins sans backup. It&#8217;s something Henry Brogan respects, supports, and translates into a more serious level of\u00a0<i>Bad Boys<\/i>\u00a0banter. Oh, and you get an added Benedict Wong bonus! Whether they\u2019re drinking Bloody Marys in a European spa or downing shots before bed (lots of drinking for mercenary targets), Smith\u2019s interactions are always alert and on point when the script permits.<\/p>\n<p>Lee\u2019s take on revenge and bullet-capped justice continually drives familial themes to resonate emotion. Verris\u2019 ruthless, militant \u201cfather\u201d spends scene after scene screaming \u201cI LOVE YOU!\u201d at Junior in the goofiest, overwrought tone. Brogan mournfully repeats his own regret about pursuing his deadly craft instead of a quiet, loving family life.\u00a0<i>Gemini Man<\/i>\u00a0packs appropriate ammunition, but bogs itself down under sentimentality that never rises above a thick layer of oh-so-melty cheese. Some might cackle like mad at these often misplaced scripted dramatics &#8211; as two fellow journalists did behind me all screening &#8211; but it\u2019ll certainly drive a wedge between others. Case and point, me.<\/p>\n<h2>3. Let\u2019s Talk Action<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_10496\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10496\" class=\"size-large wp-image-10496\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-proxy.atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/gemini-man-junior-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"A digital Will Smith as 'Junior' in Ang Lee's 'Gemini Man' (Courtesy: Paramount)\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/gemini-man-junior.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/gemini-man-junior-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/gemini-man-junior-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/gemini-man-junior-500x281.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-10496\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A digital Will Smith as &#8216;Junior&#8217; in Ang Lee&#8217;s &#8216;Gemini Man&#8217; (Courtesy: Paramount)<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Credit where credit is due, Smith can still tango with henchmen until they\u2019re bloody and bruised.\u00a0<i>Gemini Man<\/i>\u00a0also leans into \u201cgun-fu\u201d as Brogan is a top marksman &#8211; some rad first-person reticle views included. Smith\u2019s never better than when it\u2019s fighting against his more ambitious half, as Junior parkours his way around the battlefield and can deflect grenades with a single shot. Winstead takes her licks and doles them out readily, but I\u2019m remembering most a frantic rumble atop catacomb skulls crunching underneath another body slam. There\u2019s even some\u00a0<i>G.I. Joe<\/i>\u00a0Snake Eyes-lookin\u2019 superassassin who goes full bulletstorm hurricane, proving what 120fps can do at its best.<\/p>\n<p>Only at a few moments do the speed and lucidity of frame rates displease in the action sequences, as motocross bikes zip through traffic. Cameras try to keep pace, focused on riders, but surrounding scenery blurs into an almost cell-shaded irregularity. With the brightness of Cartagena stucco rooftops and pastel decorations, it\u2019s a bit distracting in chaotic moments. No longer can filmmakers direct attention where they want &#8211; lenses display all objects in frame with the same level of striking appearance. I\u2019m not saying 120fps is a lost cause, because Ang Lee\u2019s second experimentation is far more accomplished than Billy Lynn\u2019s previous mission. Lee\u2019s far closer to perfecting his formula, but that also includes scripting and other cinematic factors beyond visual representation. Next time, maybe all components will end in synchrony?<\/p>\n<p><em>Gemini Man<\/em> is in theaters this weekend. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.atomtickets.com\/movies\/gemini-man\/253932\">Get tickets now<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ang Lee\u2019s\u00a0Gemini Man\u00a0is both a futuristic taste of what 120 frames per second can do for action cinema and a confirmation of the format\u2019s current limitations (all of which Alisha broke down in her excellent piece on the technology behind the movie). Outside of technical specifications,\u00a0Gemini Man\u00a0is a sappy, sentimental revenge thriller that oftentimes rocks [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":10510,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[52],"tags":[40,37],"class_list":["post-10507","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-review","tag-featuredpage","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10507","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10507"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10507\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10513,"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10507\/revisions\/10513"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10510"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10507"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10507"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10507"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}