Gemini Man (2019) * *

Directed by:  Ang Lee

Starring:  Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen, Benedict Wong

The talent involved in Gemini Man does not prevent it from feeling like a generic action movie which never rises above the concept level.    If you haven't seen the trailers, which practically give the entire plot away, retired government assassin Henry Brogan (Smith), is targeted for killing by
the nefarious Clay Verris (Owen) and Henry's own clone, who was created in a lab twenty-plus years ago unbeknownst to Henry.    To Clay, Henry's younger clone is the perfect weapon.    He has Henry's skills without age or personal baggage.    A smart idea on Clay's part, but after all is said and done, Clay should've sent someone else to off Henry.

Gemini Man is directed by Ang Lee, whose diversified career of tackling challenging projects makes me wonder why he thought this movie would be a fit for his talents.    It's like watching a concert pianist play Chopsticks.   Sure, it's adequately done, but shouldn't he be doing something more challenging?   Gemini Man is a CGI free-for-all, with many of the action scenes shot in the dark making it hard to decipher who is doing what to whom.   The de-aging process which turns fiftyish Will Smith into the twentysomething version of himself is well done, but it is done at the service of a predictable story.   There is very little we don't see telegraphed from a mile away.

Will Smith is at home in a movie like this, though it doesn't exactly expand his considerable range.  He is provided a perky female sidekick (Winstead) and another loyal friend from the old days (Wong-who is the comic relief and damn good at it).    It's those three against Owen and his private army who would be mistaken for storm troopers in any other movie.   If you realize how much Clay committed personally and professionally to see this whole clone thing through, you wonder if it was really worth it.    He did all of that on the off chance that he would have to kill Henry twenty years into the future? 

The CGI on some of the fight scenes is clunky, harkening back to the early days of the technology. 
Things blow up, bodies fly around, and characters engage in fistfights which would break hands and bones.   There is little to distinguish Gemini Man from other action films in which the government thinks it's a great idea to kill one of their own.