What would you do if you learnt that you’re being targeted by someone who not only looks like you, but also possesses your unique qualities?
That’s essentially the premise of Ang Lee’s Gemini Man.
Henry Brogan (Will Smith) is an ageing assassin who’s about to retire when the government agency he previously worked for, sends a younger, stronger clone of Brogan to eliminate him. This is an intriguing concept, given the rise of scientific and digital technology in today’s day and age. However, beyond the overarching theme of the film, everything else, sadly, falls rather flat.
The narrative of the film is one that wasn’t quite as inspiring as I’d expected and included several plot holes that left me wanting more. Given the concept of cloning and the ethical questions that come with it, I certainly felt that more could have been done narratively and there was definitely a missed opportunity when it came to character development. If anything, it was the action that really held the film together, making Gemini Man feel like a typical mindless action film that one watches to pass the time.
Being an action film, the visuals were certainly striking and of course, it was peculiar seeing an aging Will Smith being confronted by a very young CGI’ed version of himself. Beyond that, the film was simply filled with typical action-film violence that action film fans, who prefer a film without too much ‘thinking’, would enjoy.
Despite the lack of substance, Gemini Man was still an enjoyable watch. It’s the kind of action film that one can sit back and watch without having to think, making for decent entertainment after a long day of work, or when you have nothing else on. It’s not something that I would go out of my way to watch though.