I went to see Gemini Man this last Saturday.
I booked my ticket and made the plan before asking anyone else what they were up to.
It's just kind of the way I've done things over the years. You know, there is a plan, there is a goal. Nothing will get in my way. Which means I missed going to another pride parade and the people I invited to go with me to the movie already had plans. But that's the things my intrepid reader. My plan has always been the same. There's been little deviation over the years.
Be a Writer,
Watch Movies and Shows,
Play Games
Be a Super Hero.
Be an Actor
Be an Astronaut.
Be President.
Do the best job I can what ever the task.
So when it comes to how I structure my time and chase my goals it usually falls into one of these categories. Obviously some I end up "stepping on dicks" when so single minded in regards to my goals. But hey, whatever, they're my goals, not yours.
Anyways, the movie. Gemini Man.
I'm very conflicted about this movie.
For one it was a technical masterpiece. The action was beautifully choreographed, they were obviously using amazing hi speed cameras to capture every detail, The CG was so seamless that even my trained eye was fooled more than once and it was only tiny tells in the way that a face moved or the physics of a persons motions didn't quite fit rational physics, but it was so close I was able to let it go and enjoy the beautiful dance that was the action.
My complaints with the movie was in the writing. It felt very much like it was written by a non English speaker that used google translate to translate it and then had the actors smooth out the dialogue real time. Which meant that the non action sequences of the film felt heavy and slowly paced. Which is not a bad thing, but arguably, I felt that much of exposition could have been communicated through non verbal means. The strength of the film being it's choreographed physicality and whoever the decision makers were should have had Ang Lee lean into that strength.
You may be asking yourself why I included the introduction of my own personal life before leaping into the movie.
Well, for starters, it is my blog meant to be the text dump of my brain when I need an outlet other than technical writing or a place to post samples of things. But also because outside of the stilted dialogue there was real chemistry between the actors of the film. You got the sense that they understood their characters and their motivations. And, "Henry" I connected on a personal level, which is probably what made me stay through some of the more painfully plodding dialogue sections. The whole, sacrificing ones personal life in order to do something for the "greater good", not truly understanding how to sleep at night, the avoiding of mirrors, and the only real happiness coming from doing a task so well it feels second nature.
Final Arbitrary Rating
Solid C.
A technical marvel of blending choreography and CG but stilted exposition and dialogue broke the rhythm of the movie.
Definitely a "It's Sunday afternoon and I need something on while doing the dishes" kind of movie.
