When Gemini Man, a project more than two decades in development, finally hit screens in 2019, audiences were left bewildered. Originally crafted in 1997 by writer Darren Lemke, it famously languished in production limbo for 20 years, with Hollywood heavyweights Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson and Sean Connery all attached at various points before action star Will Smith eventually took the lead.
The plot centres on Henry Brogan, a 51 year old retired assassin who finds himself hunted by a 23 year old clone of himself—created through a sinister biotechnology programme known as the Gemini Project. Boasting cutting-edge deepfake technology that controversially “de-aged” Smith and shot at an unprecedented 120 frames per second compared to the standard 24, reviewers initially dismissed it as bizarre, disorienting and unconvincing, despite its explosive action sequences.
However, the film—helmed by two-time Oscar winner Ang Lee and featuring Smith alongside Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen and Benedict Wong—has gradually been reassessed as an overlooked sci-fi gem. This evening, it returns to Channel 4 for viewers to judge for themselves, reports the Mirror.
Critical assessments on Rotten Tomatoes remain predominantly harsh, with one reviewer quipping: “Even two Will Smiths can’t save this sinking ship.”
Yet others have hailed it as an “entertaining crowd-pleaser” and lauded Smith as “thrilling to watch”. One fan, posting under the username A. S.
K K, defended the film against its early detractors, declaring: “A perfect example of the fact that critics have no idea what movie audiences like!” One viewer praised it as “visually cool and surprisingly fun” with “a bit of heart as well”.
However, not everyone was impressed. Viewer Nawt W gave the film a mere two stars, remarking: “If you watch this movie long enough, you will get the feeling that this storyline just sounds like something Jean-Claude Van Damme would be featuring in back in the 90s.”
Film critic David Griffiths had his say: “It is easy to see that what Ang Lee wanted Gemini Man to be an action film that changed the face of cinema, what he has created though is a film so bad that it is likely to become a cult classic for the same reason The Room has become a must-see film,” referring to Tommy Wiseau’s infamous 2003 drama.
Despite the mixed bag of reviews following its 2019 release, ‘Gemini Man’ still managed to secure a nomination for Best Science Fiction Film at the Saturn Awards, ultimately losing out to ‘Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker’.
Gemini Man runs on Channel 4 and Channel 4seven tonight at 11:05pm.