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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Friday 11 OctOber 2019
The tech is advanced, but

'Gemini Man' is lifeless

By LINDSEY BAHR since whatever version was with in a while.
Associated Press making the rounds in 1997 Henry has no choice but to
Will Smith is usually an asset — "Game of Thrones" show- go on the run, bringing the
for a movie. He's the kind of runner David Benioff shares young agent who was as-
true movie star whose cha- a story and screenplay signed to surveil him, Danny
risma can elevate even credit with Darren Lemke (Mary Elizabeth Winstead),
the most mediocre mate- and Billy Ray — but it still along because, well, there
rial. You'd think then that it has a dated core, and not has to a potential love in-
would be a good thing to in a good, self-consciously terest in a movie like this, so
This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Benedict have not just one but two retro way. why not?
Wong, left, and Will Smith in a scene from the Ang Lee film Will Smiths in a movie if you Smith, at his current age, This won't come as a sur-
"Gemini Man." can. That was at least part plays Henry Brogan, a tal- prise to anyone who has
Associated Press of the idea behind "Gemini ented assassin employed seen any sort of "Gemini
Man ." The action film from by the U.S government Man" marketing, although
Ang Lee also uses state of who just wants to retire. the movie seems to think it
the art de-aging technol- The film begins with his last is a surprise, but they soon
ogy to create a basically job: He has to assassinate discover that the person
believable 20-something someone on a full speed Henry's being hunted by is
version of Smith and has bullet train while perched a much younger version of
billed itself as a "true event on a hill outside. Brogan is a himself. "Junior" (a de-aged
film" that "redefines action one-in-a-million sniper, you Smith) is part of a shad-
cinema." see, and a bunch of other owy program run by Varris
Those are some lofty claims, guys failed where he suc- called Gemini. The con-
but unfortunately its biggest ceeded. struct of "he knows every
accomplishment seems to But of course hanging up move I'm going to make" is
be in sapping all the charm his hat afterward for a quiet an interesting one, but this
out of Smith (twice!). For all life of fishing isn't as simple film barely does anything
the hype about the mod- as he hoped. He soon finds with it. It's too busy inexpli-
ern technology, the story is out that he's being moni- cably continent hopping
curiously stale and at times tored, and then hunted and giving Winstead, Smith
feels like a mashup of oth- by his former employers and Benedict Wong one-
er, better movies. It makes including a bureaucrat liners even they can't sell.
more sense when you learn played by Linda Emond Lee once again is using
that "Gemini Man" was writ- and a private contractor the high frame rate he de-
ten over 20 years ago and named Clay Varris (Clive ployed in "Billy Lynn's Long
has gone through enough Owen), who is one of the Halftime Walk" (which I
possible directors and stars most one-dimensional liked more than most) but
to fill out a baseball team. "bad guys" we've had the it's even more distracting
Certainly it's been updated privilege of spending time this time around. q

Michael Sweet goes to 11 on 'Ten'

nine previous solo albums lad, and no one does them
and extensive discography better than Sweet. This time
with the trailblazing Chris- it's "Let It Be Love," a wor-
tian heavy metal band thy successor to the MTV
Stryper. smash "Honestly" and 1990's
It almost seems like the "Lady."
high-octave vocalist and Sweet also brings in a
guitar maniac is keeping truckload of metal friends,
'80s heavy metal alive all on including cameos from
his own, given his frenetic members of Whitesnake,
output and the consistent L.A. Guns, Fozzy and Arch
quality of each release. Enemy. "Son of Man," a
This cover image released by
Rat Pak Records shows "Ten," His 10th solo album begins duet with Todd La Torre of
a release by Michael Sweet. with a heavy dose of trans- Queensryche, is everything
Associated Press planted Stryper DNA on a heavy metal song should
"Better Part of Me," which be: fast-paced, drum-
By WAYNE PARRY is built around the intro riff heavy and with unfathom-
Associated Press from 1986's "More Than A ably shredding guitar by
Michael Sweet, "Ten" (Rat Man." Andy James. It sounds like
Pak) It's remarkable how well what might be expected
It's called "Ten," but this Sweet's voice has held up if Sweet sang with Motor-
goes to 11. over nearly four decades, head while Yngwie Malms-
This album is among the with scant rest between teen played guitar.
best work Michael Sweet discs and tours. It all adds up: "Ten" is easily
has ever done, and that's A time-honored tradition of one of the best hard rock
saying quite a bit given his '80s metal is the power bal- albums of 2019.q