By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
In the sci-fi drama
?Gemini Man,? from director
Ang Lee (?Life of Pi?), Will Smith isn?t out to save the world this time, but rather himself.
It?s all about self-preservation for Henry Brogan, (Smith) an elite government assassin with 72 confirmed kills. When his attempt at shooting a terrorist aboard a speeding train goes astray, Henry believes he?s lost his touch and decides to retire.
But it?s short-lived.
A tip from his old friend Jack Willis (Douglas Hodge, ?Joker?) and a rental boat manager (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, ?The Parts You Lose?)-- who isn?t who she claims to be--soon has Henry on the run from a biotech guru named Clayton ?Clay? Varris (Clive Owen, The Informer?) who runs a clandestine black ops unit codenamed ?Gemini.? He wants Henry dead.
How do you kill the world?s best assassin?
You make a younger, cloned version of him and set him loose.
With all the technological advances at Clayton?s disposal, he plans to create an army of super soldiers modeled after Henry.
Henry now must call on his pilot friend, Baron (Benedict Wong, ?Avengers: Endgame?) to stay steps ahead of his killer who looks just like the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Director Ang Lee?s use of digital innovation is striking throughout ?Gemini Man.? It?s a kick to watch Smith go one-on-one with a younger version of himself thanks to the use of advanced motion-capture and digital recreation technology that ?de-ages? him.
Once the action picks up, ?Gemini? soars particularly when Smith is fighting his way through exotic locales like Budapest, Belgium and Cartagena. The latter destination features a stunning motorcycle showdown between Henry and junior.
Screenwriters David Benioff (TV?s ?Game of Thrones?) and Darren Lemke (?Shazam!?) throw a few surprising wrinkles in the suspenseful mix that ties up all the loose ends nicely.
Best of all, it?s Smith who brings his bona fide movie star swagger and charm to ?Gemini Man? and makes it a riveting, high-tech thriller.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays now at 6:20 p.m. on radio station KFBK 1530 AM and 93.1 FM.
Check Out This Trailer For
"GEMINI MAN"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics? Association (BFCA), The Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC), The Alliance Of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ) and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
