Director Ang Lee‘s filmography displays a wide range of quality. His notable works include masterpieces such as Brokeback Mountain, The Ice Storm, and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. However, his filmography also includes less successful projects, such as Hulk and the subject of this review, Gemini Man.
Henry Brogan (Will Smith), a seasoned government assassin, seeks to retire. He discovers that some of his past targets were not terrorists, implying he was misled into killing innocent individuals. This revelation places Henry in danger, forcing him to evade his former employer, who dispatches their top assassin. Upon their confrontation, a startling truth emerges.
Unfortunately, Gemini Man falls short of expectations. The script, which had been circulating in Hollywood for nearly three decades, feels underdeveloped and fails to deliver a modern narrative. The film’s structure and scene construction, potentially suitable for the ’90s, lack the logical coherence and informational depth that contemporary audiences demand. Furthermore, Gemini Man attempts to conceal the identity of the mysterious assassin until the end, despite its prominent reveal in the promotional campaign. The notion that Henry Brogan’s skills as an assassin would be genetically inherited also strains credulity.
Beyond the plot deficiencies, the performances in the film are equally unconvincing. The acting feels exaggerated and lacks nuance, diminishing the potential impact of crucial scenes, such as the confrontation between the assassins.
Adding to the lackluster script and acting, Gemini Man features visual effects that are among the weakest seen since Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson‘s portrayal of the Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns (2001). While digitally de-aged actors have become commonplace, the execution in Gemini Man is particularly unconvincing. The digital head often appears detached from the body, and the use of stand-ins is readily apparent. While close-up shots fare slightly better, the visual effects during action sequences involving vehicular movement are noticeably flawed.
Adding to its shortcomings in script, acting, and visual effects, Gemini Man inadvertently resembles a 4K demonstration reel, showcasing the sharpness and clarity of high-resolution displays. The film was initially produced with a frame rate of 120 frames per second, exceeding the standard 24 frames per second. This high frame rate likely exacerbated the challenges for the VFX team, requiring them to generate five times the usual amount of visual data. The increased frame rate also contributes to a disjointed aesthetic, making the film resemble a television production rather than a cinematic experience.
The UHD edition offers a pristine visual experience, exhibiting sharp detail and vibrant colors at 60fps, the current maximum for UHD and 4K devices. Dolby Vision enhances HDR, making it a strong reference for native 4K, 2160p, and 60fps content. The included Blu-ray edition retains the standard 24fps. The Dolby Atmos soundtrack is competent but not exceptional. The supplementary materials include brief documentaries that provide some information, notably a VFX breakdown revealing some of the challenges encountered during production.
In conclusion, Gemini Man is a flawed endeavor. Had it been released 25-30 years prior, it might have achieved cult classic status akin to Face-Off or Broken Arrow, even without the dual-role casting. The success of Looper in portraying a younger version of Bruce Willis through Joseph Gordon-Levitt demonstrates that Gemini Man‘s reliance on current technology is misplaced, as the technological aspects are arguably the film’s weakest element.
Despite its flaws, Gemini Man on Ultra HD 4K serves as a compelling demonstration of 4K TV capabilities, showcasing impressive picture quality. However, beyond its visual fidelity, the film offers limited redeeming qualities.
