Wil Smith has now reached the age where he’s actually
considered an older star in the film business. While he should be settling down
for softer roles in comedies instead he continues to put out action films and
does a fine job of it. But are audiences still with him? Box office receipts
for his latest effort GEMINI MAN would say no but now that it’s on disc, should
that have been the case?
Smith stars as Henry Brogan, an ex-military sniper now
working for the DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency). He continues to be their
best assassin and shows why in the opening of the film when he takes out a
target on a high speed train from 2 kilometers away. After this operation
though he decides he wants to retire.
After making this decision he is contacted by an old
military friend named Jack (Douglas Hodge) who lives on a boat. Checking in at
a boat rental spot he’s used before he meets Dani (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who
says she’s a student working there for the summer. Jack tells him that he was
given bogus information on his hit. The man he killed was not a terrorist but a
scientist returning to Russia. Jack tells him if he wants more information to
contact his informant, a man named Yuri in Europe. When Brogan returns his
boat, he tells Dani that he knows she’s been sent to follow him. Over dinner
that night she is forced to admit it.
That night Brogan finds out that leaving the DIA is not as
easy as he anticipated. A team shows up at his home intent on taking him out,
but he dispenses with them. He contacts the spotter he used on his last mission
and listens as he is killed. And Jack and his mistress are killed aboard their
boat. He shows up at Dani’s to let her know she too is a loose end and the pair
take out the team sent to kill her too. Brogan contacts an old friend and
colleague named Baron (Benedict Wong) and they head to his place in Bogota.
Another attempt is made on Brogan’s life in a high speed
chase that ends in a full throttle hand to hand combat but police arrive to
stop the killer who escapes, a killer who looks much like Brogan but younger.
With Baron’s help, Brogan and Dani get to meet with Yuri and he’s informed that
the man behind it all is Clay Verris (Clive Owen), a former black ops agent and
owner of his own paramilitary group who once commanded Brogan.
Another attempt on his life is made and fails once more. But
Dani has found something that Brogan needs to know. It seems a hat left in
Bogota from the killer had enough DNA that she could have it checked. That DNA
is an exact match for Brogan. The reason his killer looks like him is that he
is a younger clone version of himself. Who better to kill him and someone who
knows and thinks like him?
The film moves from there with plenty of action that is a
thrill ride from start to finish. The pace rarely lets up and when it does it
takes the time to provide pertinent information rather than just filler to
extend the length of the film. That’s a sign of solid storytelling and
something that director Ang Lee has been known for with all of his films.
The action sequences of the film are top of the line with
some amazing motorcycle stunts and hand to hand fight sequences that are
stunning to view. There is little doubt that this movie kept stunt people
working for months to achieve the series of events that take place on film
here. Why they are still not recognized by the Oscar folks remains a mystery.
The effects work is what most people have talked about with
this film though and deservedly so. The new technique of “de-aging” actors is
being used quite a bit. They did it with Kurt Russell in GUARIDANS OF THE
GALAXY 2 and it’s been the talk of Hollywood with Martin Scorsese’s THE
IRISHMAN. But this film not only uses the “de-aging” on Smith he also is pitted
against himself in various fight scenes as well. That they can do that as
seamlessly as they’ve done here is amazing. The only drawback is a fear of film
makers overusing this new effect in the future.
Why didn’t this film do as well at the box office as
expected? I couldn’t give you a solid reason. It provides everything that
previous efforts in the action genre Smith has given us in the past. Could it
be that his fans have aged and don’t expect to see him like this now? There’s
no telling but maybe we’ll see with the release of the upcoming second sequel
to BAD BOYS that’s coming out soon. In the meantime for a fun night of action
fueled entertainment I would highly recommend this movie. I found it to be
better than I expected it to be.
No comments:
Post a Comment