Despite being predictable Will Smith makes Gemini Man worth watching.

My requirements to enjoy a movie: fascinating premise, execution of the premise, good acting, and for an action film, it to be about more than the body count. Gemini Man met all these requirements and exceeded my expectations with the CGI, the action, and stunt work. I’m in the minority as most reviews are negative due to the writing; however, all reviews praise Will Smith’s performances.

Will Smith stars as Henry Brogan; an elite assassin for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), a top-secret department of the US government. He decides to retire after his last mission, while completed, isn’t up to his exacting standards. Brogan meets with an old colleague who informs him that his last job were not the bioterrorists that the file made them out to be. Brogan soon realizes that he is under surveillance by his former employer and then targeted for execution for what he now knows. When the first assassination attempt fails, the director of the DIA agrees to let Clayton “Clay” Varris, director of the black-ops wing of the DIA that has been researching cloning humans, handle Brogan’s assassination. Varris sends Junior, also played by Will Smith, through de-aging CGI, to handle the mission.

Gemini Man has been twenty years in development has had numerous directors and actors attached throughout that history. The version opening in theaters on Friday, October 11^th, is directed by Academy Award-Winning  Ang Lee and written by David Benioff, Billy Ray, and Darren Lemke. This team created a tight 117-minute film with not one minute wasted. For example, only 30 minutes into the film, Junior and Brogan have their first gunfight. Another production team would have tried to stretch the first sighting out for an hour and truncated the resolution into the last 30 minutes.

Does the film have flaws? Yes, the movie was predictable in places. However, they did stay away from a familiar movie trope:  woman as mothering caretaker or love interest. The principal women in this movie are here for a reason. Janet Lassiter is the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency that puts the initial hit out on Brogan. Then there’s Danny Zakarweski a DIA operative sent to spy on Brogan. Neither of these women are there for objectification, love, or nurturing of these men.

When I saw the trailer for Gemini Man over the summer, I was instantly intrigued. Even with its flaws, I enjoyed the movie. Will Smith gives his all in both roles making the adjustments for the mid 20s Junior compared to the older Brogan. The action sequences are believable, the cinematography is excellent, and the CGI is impressive. This movie is a fun ride and worth the trip to the theater.

4 out of 5 clones