The Addams Family return for a new generation and Will Smith battles himself from a younger generation.
My introduction to the Addams Family was not with the original comic strips of Charles Addams or the live-action movies from Barry Sonnenfeld. The earliest memory I recall was the Scooby-Doo crossover episode, the animated series from the nineties and a live-action series that also ran in the nineties.
Living horribly but happily in their humble horrid home on a haunted hill, the Addams' get ready for their family reunion. Gomez (Oscar Isaac) prepare's his son Pugsly (Finn Wolfhard) for his Mazurka, a rite passage for a young male Addams. Wednesday (Chloë Grace Moretz) takes in interest on the outside world much to the worry of Morticia (Charlize Theron) who in the prologue reveal's how she and Gomez where chased out their hometown due to their mysterious and spooky ways. As preparations go underway, the Addams notice a new suburban town nearby run by a reality TV host (Allison Janney) who doesn't take a liking to the macabre Addams and especially when Wednesday befriends her daughter (Elsie Fisher).
When it comes to the Addams themselves they are enjoyable. From the chemistry between Gomez and Morticia, Pugsley trying to make his father proud, Wednesday rebelling by wearing pink and Lurch and Thing stealing the show. Great voice casting that also include's Nick Kroll as Uncle Fester, Bette Midler as Grandmama, and Snopp Dogg as Cousin It. Cameos from Martin Short and Catherine O'Hara are a major plus.
The animation on the Addams is nice but when it comes to the regular denizens in terms of character designs they make the Addams look normal. The mouths are especially weird that it seem's to have come from Kroll's adult cartoon
Big Mouth. Was he given permission to oversee the animation at some point? This may work in Kroll's show or in the director's last film
Sausage Party, both being crude comedies but not here. I've seen
Monster House with more appealing designs.
Nothing about this town stands out. We don't know anything about the people or what they think about the Addams with the exception of the villain. We do have a scene where the Addams first arrive at the town and Wednesday going to Junior High School but the movie doesn't go further beyond that. The plot is generic and drags from heavy-handed troupes like daughter knows best, bland supporting characters, a climax that recalled
Mr. Peabody and Sherman's preachy presentation and several jokes that don't land.
The Addams Family is clunky but is able to retain some of its kooky and creepy charm.
Final Verdict: C
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Movies that tackle cloning (Moon) or having your old-self fighting your younger-self (Looper) is nothing new. What does Gemini Man offer to the table? You have Will Smith as a professional hitman ready for retirement only to be hunted by a clone of his younger self. With the help of an agent (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and an old comrade (Benedict Wong), its Fresh Prince vs. Fresh Prince, as the clone's creator (Clive Owen) watches from afar.
Ang Lee is no stranger on pushing the limits of filmmaking. From the breathtaking choreography and martial arts of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to the visually stunning and realistic Life of Pi. With Gemini Man, this is Lee's second film after Billy Lynn's Halftime Walk, to be shot in 4k 3D. A daring feat but with very few theaters presenting such resolution, audiences won't see the film the way Lee intended it to be.
I saw the film in 2D IMAX and while it didn't deteriorate my viewing experience, Gemini Man doesn't do anything revolutionary that the Marvel films haven't done when it comes to de-aging effects. The pacing can get tedious and feel's like a generic action movie from the nineties, which coincidentally was set to be made during that decade but due to not having the technology at the time was put on hold for twenty years.
There are several things that salvage the movie with Will Smith being one of them. As long as you have him smile, then your movie has hope. The interactions with old and young Smith is intriguing even when the CGI is noticeable at times. The action is decent with the ending climax highlighting Lee's strengths and any scene taking place in the water show him applying his Life of Pi skills.
Gemini Man's aim might be off-target but passes as a passable picture.
Final Verdict: C+
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