Gemini Man

A ludicrously long-range sniper assassination of a target on a moving train sets Gemini Man up in the best way possible. Could we have another top-quality modern spy film in our midst?

Unfortunately not as, after a pretty darn entertaining and fast-paced opening half an hour, the film completely loses its way.

It’s a real shame as Gemini Man has a lot going for it (despite the bad title.) It’s a jet-setting, good looking movie with an enticing premise (the only candidate good enough to take down the ‘world’s greatest assassin’ is a clone of him) and two characters played by Will Smith. It also boasts great supporting turns from Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Benedict Wong.

It misses the hurdle thanks to a number of factors. Let’s start with not building on that great premise: motivations are blurred at best and a number of mysterious, government suits spouting nonsense about secretive projects doesn’t buy us in. Clive Owen does all he can with his bland villain but his lack of purpose is baffling.

It’s also just far too neat and linear. Killing off a couple of characters early on may lull you into a false sense of security but nothing thereafter will shock you. To paraphrase The Simpsons; everything gets wrapped up in a nice little package with some frankly lazy writing towards the end.

The recent trend of using CGI to de-age is a big talking point here as well. It’s never really been executed to its full potential as of yet, instead leaving zombie-like visages of classic characters (as nice as it was to see Leia and Tarkin in Rogue One it did look a little strange.)

Here, the technology has improved a little despite Will Smith hardly needing the de-aging treatment. It works for the majority of the film but in the final scene it’s almost as if the money ran out and it looks like Smith is engaging with a videogame character, it’s shocking.

As good as the aforementioned bike chase is early on, there’s not one action scene that comes after to rival this. A film of this type will live or die on its set pieces and there’s simply nothing that will stick in the mind here.

So, an ever likeable Will Smith and a decent initial concept are not enough to save Gemini Man from the depths of mediocrity. Suffice to say that Looper, very similar in plot, is the vastly superior film and a far better use of your time.

2 stars **