The film is based on the book of the same name by Yann Martel and was considered by many to be unable to be transformed into the film medium; Ang Lee has proven them to be wrong. The film comfortably transitions from live action story telling to an imaginary CGI universe that is so bold and beautiful you often wish the film resided only in that world.

The story revolves around the life of Pi Patel (played as a youth by Gautam Belur, Ayush Tandon and Suraj Sharma and as an adult by Irrfan Khan) and his trials and tribulations as he leaves his home in India and is then cast out onto the ocean in a lifeboat filled with animals after his freighter is sunk. One of the tiny lifeboat’s occupants is a full size Bengal tiger that is masterfully recreated in CGI. Never for a moment does it look created by only zeros and ones.

There is so much sub-text in the story (some subtle, some a little too obvious) that it gives the adventure a depth not often experienced in films of this type. It’s so easy to get lost in the gorgeous visuals that the story at times takes a back seat to the eye candy. Life Of Pi will be one of those films that will be welcomed on DVD for many return viewings.

Rob Hudson
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For as much as the computer technology to make the actors look like younger versions of themselves has been heralded, in practice it turns out rather odd looking. When viewing the younger version of Henry Brogan (Will Smith), it almost looks like he’s overdone the botox. There is little emotion seen. The extremely high resolution of the film does not help this anomaly either.

Director Ang Lee holds nothing back with the action sequences and many of them are amazing to look at. One action scene set in a convenience store is particularly impressive with lines of tracer fire criss crossing the air and explosions filling the scene with visual information. The sound design also helps to sell the impact.

What little story there is, a retiring assassin has to fight a cloned version of himself is perfectly adequate to stitch together all the action scenes. At times spectacular to look at and with some rather gripping action sequences, Gemini Man tries to set a new standard for the level of immersion that the 3D format is capable of and should help to raise the bar on the popcorn movie.
Rob Hudson
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Gemini Man is an innovative action-thriller starring Will Smith as Henry Brogan, an elite assassin, who is suddenly targeted and pursued by a mysterious young operative that seemingly can predict his every move.

The film is directed by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Ang Lee and produced by renowned producers Jerry Bruckheimer, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger. Also starring are Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen and Benedict Wong.

Gemini Man will be released in Australian cinemas October 10!
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Gemini Man is an innovative action-thriller starring Will Smith as Henry Brogan, an elite assassin, who is suddenly targeted and pursued by a mysterious young operative that seemingly can predict his every move.

The film is directed by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Ang Lee and produced by renowned producers Jerry Bruckheimer, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger. Also starring are Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen and Benedict Wong.

Experience the visual spectacle of GEMINI MAN, starring Will Smith, in cinemas OCTOBER 10.
www.facebook.com/ParamountPicturesAU

The film is directed by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Ang Lee and produced by renown producers Jerry Bruckheimer, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger. Also starring are Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen and Benedict Wong.

Gemini Man will be released in Australian cinemas October 10!
www.facebook.com/ParamountPicturesAU

The film is directed by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Ang Lee and produced by renown producers Jerry Bruckheimer, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger.  Also starring are Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen and Benedict Wong.

“This story is not one that could have been told with cinema as we know it. However, thanks to incredible new digital technology, not only can we finally see both younger and older Will Smith embodied together on screen, but we can also experience the story in a deeply immersive way. It is my great fortune to be able to experiment and test the limits of what new digital cinema has to offer us. No less so to be able to work with two Will Smiths – One beautifully sophisticated, the other exuberantly honest. In my opinion, this is Will at his very best, and when the two come together, it is something truly magical. Further, the immense effort and technical skill of the crew in creating a new aesthetic, between the cinematography, art department, visual effects, and technical team, was both inspiring and heartwarming. I truly hope that this movie delivers a completely new theatrical cinematic experience to audiences across the world.”
– Ang Lee, Director of GEMINI MAN
 
“The emotional and physical challenges of making this film have been the most demanding of my career. Ang is pushing the limits to give people an experience in the movie theater that you can’t get anywhere else. This is not only an action film, but an exploration of what one’s younger self can ultimately teach one’s older self. I’m 50-years-old now, and the irony of becoming 23-year-old Junior in this film is that 23-year-old me wouldn’t have been ready for this experience or to take on this role. Our hope is that this story provides something for everyone — never before seen cinematic wizardry, nuanced, relatable characters and next-level action.”
– Will Smith, Starring in GEMINI MAN

Gemini Man is in Australian cinemas October 10!
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Three-time Academy Award® winner Ang Lee brings his extraordinary vision to Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, based on the widely-acclaimed, bestselling novel. The film is told from the point of view of 19-year-old private Billy Lynn (newcomer Joe Alwyn) who, along with his fellow soldiers in Bravo Squad, becomes a hero after a harrowing Iraq battle and is brought home temporarily for a victory tour.

Through flashbacks, culminating at the spectacular halftime show of the Thanksgiving Day football game, the film reveals what really happened to the squad – contrasting the realities of the war with America’s perceptions.

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Competition will be drawn 26 November – winners will be notified by mail.

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