Gemini Man: Will Smith Fights Himself In First Trailer

Who will save you from yourself?

Paramount Pictures has unveiled the first trailer for Gemini Man, the Ang Lee-directed sci-fi film starring Will Smith as Henry Brogen, an aging assassin who hopes to hang up his gun and step away from the business of killing. Before he can do that, though, Henry must face off against his greatest enemy yet: Junior, a clone of himself who is younger, sharper, and more agile. 

The trailer establishes the mind-bending premise of Gemini Man: Junior's superior Clay Varris (Clive Owen) tasks him with tracking down and killing Henry, and, despite being a powerful clone and not a mortal man, Junior has a difficult time completing his mission. This is due to the fact that Henry can predict every decision Junior makes and every move he takes before he executes them. Once Junior learns the truth behind it all, that he is a copy of his target Henry and that the two men are one and the same, the clone experiences an existential crisis of mass proportions — as does Henry, who is visibly shaken when he finally sees the face of the person pursuing him and realizes that it's his own. 

It's an incredibly interesting narrative, one that explores the meaning of the self and the natures of humanity and identity, but Gemini Man appears, based on this first-look footage, much more than that. Lee, who directed the Academy Award-winning films Brokeback Mountain and Life of Pi, has implemented sleek set pieces and unique camera angles to capture the high-intensity action sequences — and seems to have taken a fine-tuned approach in depicting both sides of the Henry/Junior coin as individuals grappling with their unusual reality. It's evident Lee is also digging deep into the idea of duality, just as he had done in the 2003 film Hulk. Combine all that with the fascinating use of CGI and live-action footage of Smith to bring Junior to life, and Gemini Man has a lot going for it. Sounds like the film will surprise us all when it debuts later this year. 

Also starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Danny, Benedict Wong as Baron, Linda Emond as Lassiter, and Theodora Miranne as Kitty, Gemini Man is scheduled for release on October 11.