Asia Society presents Water and Oil: The Movies of Ang Lee; a complete retrospective from February 14-23 with select appearances by the filmmaker and collaborators.
Gemini Man
Ang Lee, US, 2019, DCP, 117 min.
Early in Gemini Man, we see Will Smith’s Marine Scout Sniper character Henry Brogan burning a picture of his final hit after the job, a spiritual flourish that reminds us whose directorial hands we’re in. “72 kills,” he tells his handler while toasting to retirement. “That shit starts to mess with you a little bit...my soul was hurt.”
Like Billy Lynn, Brogan is contemplating a path outside of the violent life he’s lead on behalf of American imperialism— and like Billy Lynn, America won’t let him. No sooner does Brogan set his sights on a quiet life by the sea than the head of a clandestine private military contractor called GEMINI orders him killed over security concerns; Brogan has learned that his last target was innocent, and has started asking too many questions. But how do you take out the best? GEMINI’s mastermind Clay Verris (Clive Owen) has secretly cloned Brogan and raised the clone himself, under the guise of a loving father who wants nothing more than for his son to become the emotionless killing machine he was meant to be.
If the idea of Will Smith being pursued by his de-aged clone sounds a tad ridiculous, doubters should rest assured that it’s also a lot of fun. Thematically, it’s also far from an outlier in Lee’s filmography: fatherhood, identity dysphoria, duty vs. personal desire, and, of course, repression all play a part.
Note: This film was partially shot and meant to be exhibited at 120 frames per second in 3D. Due to prohibitive costs and unavailable materials, we are unable to show the film in its optimal intended format. The filmmaker has requested that it be shown in standard frame rate 2D rather than standard frame rate 3D.
Water and Oil: Gemini Man
Host/s
Sun, Feb 23, 11:00 AM - 01:00 PM (EST)
To be shared on approval
40 attendees
Asia Society presents Water and Oil: The Movies of Ang Lee; a complete retrospective from February 14-23 with select appearances by the filmmaker and collaborators.
Gemini Man
Ang Lee, US, 2019, DCP, 117 min.
Early in Gemini Man, we see Will Smith’s Marine Scout Sniper character Henry Brogan burning a picture of his final hit after the job, a spiritual flourish that reminds us whose directorial hands we’re in. “72 kills,” he tells his handler while toasting to retirement. “That shit starts to mess with you a little bit...my soul was hurt.”
Like Billy Lynn, Brogan is contemplating a path outside of the violent life he’s lead on behalf of American imperialism— and like Billy Lynn, America won’t let him. No sooner does Brogan set his sights on a quiet life by the sea than the head of a clandestine private military contractor called GEMINI orders him killed over security concerns; Brogan has learned that his last target was innocent, and has started asking too many questions. But how do you take out the best? GEMINI’s mastermind Clay Verris (Clive Owen) has secretly cloned Brogan and raised the clone himself, under the guise of a loving father who wants nothing more than for his son to become the emotionless killing machine he was meant to be.
If the idea of Will Smith being pursued by his de-aged clone sounds a tad ridiculous, doubters should rest assured that it’s also a lot of fun. Thematically, it’s also far from an outlier in Lee’s filmography: fatherhood, identity dysphoria, duty vs. personal desire, and, of course, repression all play a part.
Note: This film was partially shot and meant to be exhibited at 120 frames per second in 3D. Due to prohibitive costs and unavailable materials, we are unable to show the film in its optimal intended format. The filmmaker has requested that it be shown in standard frame rate 2D rather than standard frame rate 3D.