While Will Smith’s star may not shine as bright as it once did, the usually bankable actor is still showing up in plenty of projects. But over the last several years it’s safe to say he has had more misses than hits. Movies like “Suicide Squad”, “Collateral Beauty”, “Focus”, and “Bright” were each ambitiously different yet they all missed their mark.

Unfortunately “Gemini Man” doesn’t exactly upend that trend. Smith’s latest isn’t a bad movie. It’s just aggressively average. It can be quite stunning especially during a couple of Oscar-winning director Ang Lee’s dazzling action sequences. But Lee’s reputation as a visionary filmmaker can only take the movie so far, and it can’t save “Gemini Man” from scattered bouts with blandness.

The story is held up by several familiar pillars. Smith plays a former special-ops soldier turned government assassin named Henry Brogan. As you might expect he’s the best in the world at what he does. But at 51-years-old his reflexes are slower, his body is tiring, and the ghosts of those he has killed are catching up to him. Needless to say, it’s time for retirement.

But you know these shady government types. They can’t let one of their greatest assets live happily ever after, especially when (unbeknownst to Henry) it turns out he is the genetic blueprint for the Super Soldier Progr….errr, Gemini Project. Clive Owen plays the ruthless director of the rogue program who sends his prized experiment, a younger and faster clone of Henry, to take out and replace his older self.

With the help of some often great but too often obvious CGI, Smith plays both his character’s older and younger versions. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is given an initially interesting but eventually thankless role as intelligence officer Danny Zakarweski. She is tasked with secretly keeping tabs on Henry until her cover is blown and she’s deemed to be a “loose end” by the government. She ends up partnering with Henry, helping him in his globetrotting search for answers and unavoidable face-off with his younger self.

There’s a strangely casual pacing to “Gemini Man”, not lethargic but not peppy either. There are a couple of exceptions, namely an exhilarating motorcycle chase in Columbia and a particularly good fight scene in some Budapest catacombs. Otherwise Lee pretty much strolls towards his inevitable action-packed finale. It’s also a very restrained action picture with Lee often pulling his camera away from the violence in strict PG-13 fashion. I’m not saying it needed grittier action, just maybe a few less obvious cuts.

“Gemini Man” ends up being a serviceable action thriller but not an especially fresh one. It does a lot of things simply okay and leaves you wishing for more in other areas (a snappier pace, some emotional heft from elder Henry, more for Winstead to do past the first act). By the time its nice and tidy ending hits you’re left with a fairly fun but unremarkable experience. I’m glad I saw it, but will I remember it next week? Probably not.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

Over a span of three months each Wednesday will be Denzel Day at Keith & the Movies. This silly little bit of ceremony offers me a chance to celebrate the movies of a truly great modern day actor – Denzel Washington.

The story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment is a powerful and inspirational piece of Civil War history. Authorized by Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, the 54th Massachusetts was the second African-American regiment to fight for the Union Army. Despite facing hardships from both the North and South, the 54th persevered and played significant roles in several key battles.

“Glory” chronicles the formation, training, and service of the 54th Massachusetts under the leadership of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. The son of prominent abolitionist parents, Shaw (played here by Matthew Broderick) agreed to take command of the all-black 54th and prepare them for battle. The South gets wind of the Union’s recruitment of black soldiers and issues an order declaring they be taken back into slavery and the white officers who lead them killed.

And it’s not like the 54th has it easy on the Union side. The troops find themselves looked down on by white soldiers and officers, denied shoes and uniforms, paid less because of the color of their skin, even exploited to work as laborers rather than soldiers. Inspired by their passion and driven by their resilience, Shaw fights the prejudiced military traditions and an even more biased chain of command to give his soldiers the opportunity to fight and for what they believe in.

From the very start the casting of Matthew Broderick feels off. It isn’t an inherently bad performance on his part nor does the writing let him down. He just doesn’t feel right for the role and his portrayal of Shaw doesn’t give us a firm idea of who his character is. Is he weak? Is he strong? Does he know what he’s doing? Is he in over his head? You’re never quite sure where to land on him and Broderick doesn’t seem to have the personality or gravitas to help us figure it out.

It’s a much different story when we are with the soldiers of the 54th. That’s when the performances absolutely shine. Tops on list is Denzel Washington who gives a star-making turn as Private Silas Trip, a straight-shooting realist who ran away from his Tennessee slave owners at the age 12. Washington won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for the role and commands every scene he’s in. I would have given him the award for one scene alone where he is being disciplined for breaking a military rule. It’s powerful stuff and charged with raw, unflinching emotion.

We also get the sturdy and always dependable Morgan Freeman. He plays former gravedigger John Rawlins who is well respected among the troops. Andre Braugher is excellent as the booksmart Thomas Searles. He’s a Northern free man and childhood friend of Shaw who has the will but may not be physically equipped for battle. And Jihmi Kennedy is really good playing a big-hearted but naïve young enlistee.

The film is directed by Edward Zwick in what was only his second film. It was written by Kevin Jarre whose previous film (“Rambo: First Blood Part II”) couldn’t have been more different. Yet the two combine to craft an illuminating picture that is both surprising intimate and strikingly cinematic. Add in Freddie Francis’ glorious Oscar-winning cinematography and the (mostly) superb score from the late and great James Horner.

By the time “Glory” gets to its gripping Charleston Harbor finale I was thoroughly invested in these men who make up the heart of this remarkable story. The final 15 minutes pack a visceral and emotional punch that only works because of the great character work that preceded it. There are moments where the sentimentality gets a little heavy and it would have been nice if Zwick and Jarre would have explored multiple perspectives. But those things don’t strip “Glory” of its value. It’s still a moving piece of historical drama and an evocative human story of men whose fight wasn’t strictly reserved for the battlefield.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Jeremy Saulnier’s mesmerizing 2013 film “Blue Ruin” was (as MTV.com’s Kevin Sullivan astutely put it) a prime example of “what Kickstarter is really capable of when it comes to movies”. Saulnier’s crowdfunded American thriller not only managed to get made, but it was one of the best film’s of that year.

His follow-up came with 2015’s “Green Room” which features a bigger budget (though still modest by today’s standards) and a broader cast of talent. The film is listed as a horror movie yet it plays out like an insanely intense survivalist thriller. It employs a familiar framework found in many horror movies yet it is very much its own crazy unique thing.

In one of his final roles Anton Yelchin stars as a bass player for a punk band who gets by playing hole-in-the-wall clubs around the Pacific Northwest. Flat broke, they agree to take a gig at a neo-Nazi pub deep in the forest near Portland. The setting alone is uncomfortable and a bit frightening. But things really go south after the band witnesses a violent backroom crime. Along with another witness (Imogen Poots), the band find themselves holed up inside the bar while outside the subtly sinister club owner (a brilliant Patrick Stewart) gathers his army of hatemongers to clean up the messy situation.

From there Saulnier throttles up the survival element and a sizzling white-knuckled tension drives every scene for the rest of the way. And you’ll quickly notice (especially if you haven’t seen “Blue Ruin”) that Saulnier can really build and sustain suspense.

Also prepare to be shocked. The movie’s second half is savagely brutal and the violence often hits with a bloody primal jolt. But Saulnier manages to walk an important line and doesn’t allow the violence to become gratuitous despite being incredibly graphic. It feels right – jarring in the best way and in tune with the ugliness of the situation and setting. It won’t be for the squeamish but it’s very effective.

For many “Green Room” seemingly came out of nowhere. But for fans of his previous film it only solidifies Jeremy Saulnier’s status as a formidable filmmaker worth following. It features fine performances throughout (sadly one of the final ones from Yelchin) and a superb turn from Stewart. As a whole the story is pretty simple, even a bit familiar. But once you dig in, you realize this thing has a pulse all its own. And once you’re in its grip it doesn’t let go.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Over the years Isabelle Huppert has proven herself to be an incredibly versatile actress. With over one hundred movies to her credit the 65-year-old Huppert has done a little bit of everything. She is certainly no stranger to playing unhinged and unsettling characters. Look no further than her role in Michael Haneke’s “The Piano Teacher” – still one of the most disturbing movies I’ve ever watched.

Huppert taps back into that outright derangement with her new film “Greta”. It’s not as nuanced as the role she played in “The Piano Teacher”. This is a much more straightforward psychological thriller and her madness comes into focus pretty early on.

Chloë Grace Moretz plays Frances, a young woman who has recently moved to New York from Boston following the death of her mother. She shares an apartment with her best friend Erica (Maika Monroe) and waits tables at an upscale Manhattan restaurant. Her father (Colm Feore) has moved on with his life which has caused tension between the two. Frances hopes her new start will help her cope with the loss of her mom.

But then she finds a purse left behind on the subway. Turns out it belongs to a lonely piano teacher (ironic) named Greta (Huppert). A kind-hearted Frances finds an address and takes the purse to a surprised and relieved Greta. The two end up hitting it off, each seemingly filling a void in both of their lives. But when Frances makes an alarming discovery she cuts ties which pushes the obsessive Greta over the edge.

Moretz does a good enough job but a large chunk of the script keeps her handcuffed. Several of Frances’ scenes with Erica and all of them with her father come across as shallow and they leave out some potentially good character development. It’s as if director and co-writer Neil Jordan wasn’t interested in letting Moretz dig further into her character’s background. The overwhelming focus is on Frances and Greta which admittedly is the strength of the movie.

It is Huppert who makes it all work mainly because she is so convincing. Her turn from uncomfortably obsessive to full-blown maniacal is utterly seamless. She delivers such a genuinely unsettling character who melds right into the New York City canvass due to her unassuming appearance and mild-mannered demeanor. Even when Greta comes unglued Huppert maintains an element of that creepy gentle facade. It’s a really good performance.

Almost inevitably things get pretty crazy in the film’s final act which I feel works pretty well. The problem is there are some gaping holes in logic that are simply too hard to overlook. Still “Greta” manages to deliver what most fans of the psychological thriller genre are looking for. I was still left thinking it could have better. At the same time I admit to being entertained by its madness.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

Has any filmmaker had a more up-and-down career than M. Night Shyamalan? When he hits his target the results are often magical. But when he misses he tends to miss badly and some of those pictures have turned out to be unbearable disasters. Yet he still pushes out his brand of movies and many of us still watch his films hoping we’ll get one of the good ones.

His 2016 picture “Split” was one of the good ones. It was a crafty thriller featuring a fabulous James McAvoy performance. But Shyamalan’s biggest twist came in the film’s final moments – a super cool surprise connecting “Split” to his 2000 movie “Unbreakable”. That brings us to his latest project “Glass”, his first dive into this wild and unexpected shared universe.

As someone who really went for his big twist, I was excited for “Glass”. It had huge potential both as an individual film and as a franchise launching point. Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, and James McAvoy are all onboard as well as the return of some key characters from the two earlier films (Anya Taylor-Joy from “Split” and Spencer Treat Clark from “Unbreakable”). Yet despite having all the pieces in place for something really special, “Glass” turns out to be a hard nut to crack.

Sarah Paulson is a new piece in Shyamalan’s 130 minute puzzle. She plays Dr. Ellie Staple, a psychiatrist who specializes in treating patients with delusions of being superheroes. Turns out Philadelphia has just the test cases she’s looking for. With Elijah Price (aka Mr. Glass) already in custody, that leaves Kevin Wendell Crumb (McAvoy), a man with 24 distinct personalities known as The Horde, and David Dunn (Willis), a home security salesman who moonlights as a mysterious vigilante.

As the trailer so clearly reveals, Dr. Staple gets her wish. Kevin Crumb and David Dunn are apprehended and sent to Ravenhill Psychiatric Hospital where Elijah has been kept since his arrest 19 years earlier. Dr. Staple is given three days to ‘cure’ them by deconstructing their delusions and disproving their so-called superpowers.

Of course this all plays into Elijah’s hands who (if you recall from “Unbreakable”) believes comic books are a reflection of the real world. His goal has always been to prove to the mankind the existence of super-powered people. And now he finally has his three essential pieces in one place – a hero, a super-villain, and the mastermind.

All of this allows Shyamalan to dig into what interests him most – psychological face-offs over physical ones. I can see this disappointing those with more action-packed expectations. This is not that kind of film nor is it remotely similar to what currently passes for superhero movies. The modest $20 million budget all but spell it out. “Glass” is very much the anti-blockbuster that sets its own rules and proudly sticks to them.

Yet with all of its promise and ambition, “Glass” sometimes has a hard time getting all of its pieces to fit. For example there are some noticeable holes in the story’s logic. There are also some glaringly obvious questions you would expect to be asked or answered by different characters along the way. Shyamalan attempts to offer some explanations to these things but I’m not sure he quite covers it all.

The performances are strong across the board. James McAvoy is given the most to do which is nice considering how good he was in “Split”. My only beef is that he bounces between personalities too frequently. There’s a perfectly satisfying reason for why he does so, but it leaves little time for him to dig deeper into any of them. Jackson and Willis are a lot of fun, Clark adds some extra heart, and Taylor-Joy is good even though some of her character’s motivations are a bit suspect.

Defining how I feel about “Glass” has proven to be a lot tougher than I thought it would be. I left the theater conflicted, but 24 hours later I felt I had a better grasp of what Shyamalan is going for. “Glass” is far from being the dumpster fire some proclaim it to be, but it’s no perfect film either. Still I think there is something to Shyamalan’s slow-boiling psychological approach and there is some real craft behind his visual technique. As it turns out “Glass” actually worked for me and I’m anxious to see it again. But it took some time to get there and I still find myself mulling over the final act..

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS