Projeto Gemini

A intenção aqui era elevar um tema simples no estilo de Van Damm por um grande argumentista e por um diretor «artístico» a um drama de ação estimulante e emocional com subtexto social. E, sinceramente, não chegou a funcionar. O Smith rejuvenescido digitalmente é um personagem incrível — é suposto estar a passar pela luta interna mais intensa que exige uma atuação de qualidade, e ironicamente, com a sua mímica Shrek, ele é o pior personagem «interpretado» do filme. Um filme com um plano ambicioso é também abatido por cenas de ação digital irrealistas como se fossem dum parque temático de sobremesa de Velocidade Furiosa. No entanto, teve um começo tão prometedor, com Will sempre fresco e uma química agradável entre ele e Mary Elizabeth Winstead. (26/11/2019)

Gemini Man is a strange combination of a 90s action movie with an attempt to suggest what the future of cinema might look like, and I'm not sure I like it. I didn’t mind the B-movie story, Gemini Man is still a brisk actioner and Ang Lee handles the chases, the shootouts and the one-on-one fights brilliantly, and thankfully there's not a shortage of them, so the overall goofiness and straightforwardness doesn't particularly matter (except perhaps for the boring villain). The problem I had was more with the visuals. While young Will Smith looks really great, everything else is kind of weird. Gemini Man is visually unnaturally... clean. Especially in the exteriors, it looks more like a very well done computer game animation, which unfortunately with its bold colors sometimes resembles the worst of South American soap operas. I don't know to what extent it was 3D or 120fps, but personally I found it distracting and even annoying at some points. (09/10/2019)

Oscar-winning Ang Lee delivers a 90's style actioner, and even though the critics are grumbling, I think it's great. Will Smith is the ultimate assassin and he's just about to retire, but before he does he has to face his own younger clone who wants to take him out without hesitation. The story is interesting, but doesn't dazzle that much, which in this case I don't mind because the action scenes are almost revolutionary and technically precise. The intense music, the amazing cinematography, the utmost professionalism and precision of the two Wills captivated me with every moment and the scene with the motorbikes is one of the best I've seen in the cinema this year, but the fight in the catacombs or the rotating machine gun with lasers is also great. The acting, the action and the technical aspects of the film are impeccable and if that's enough for you, you'll be royally entertained like me. 80% (15/10/2019)

What happens to me lately is that I watch actors that I really liked as a kid in movies side by side with their own kids that look just like them in ‘90s. Kind of deja vu but it is like that. It is so evident in Gemini Man for example that it was filmed by someone experienced and that Ang Lee proved himself already during the ‘90s. As far as contemporary movies go it is more of a routine flick than something worth remembering. Action scenes are good, special effects are OK, dialogues not so good and story line is at the level of a five-year old. But OK, Hollywood wants it that way, and therefore I’m rating it with 3 stars and I think that after a few months I will forget all about the Gemini Man without a single regret. (17/08/2020)

In terms of visuals, this is a terrific film and the young version of Will Smith is convincing. The action is sweet and takes place in great locations (I keep coming across Konstanz this year). Ang Lee is brilliant. Unfortunately, the story is a classic from the nineties, celebrating its thirtieth anniversary next year. And all it needs is for Henry not to be a nice hit man. Owen is underused and the Smiths play standard roles, but Mary Elizabeth is unbelievably great. She doesn't need anyone, nothing surprises her much and she has clear professional ambitions. Gemini Man is not revolutionary; it's just a good action film. (19/10/2019)