Netflix is becoming a lifeline for many movies that, for one reason or another, didn’t make a big impact at the box office. While going to the cinema is something that is increasingly challenging for the audience — except for notable exceptions — there are many films that end up finding their best life on the streaming platform.
This is something that has happened with dozens of feature films, but there’s one that is now thriving more than ever thanks to Netflix: Gemini Man. The movie starring Will Smith — in a dual role — was a major box office and critical failure. However, it has been in the global Top 10 of the streaming service for several weeks now, allowing many people who didn’t see it initially to give it a chance.
Gemini Man gains the strength it lacked at the box office
During the last week from October 9th to 15th, Gemini Man has been watched for 10.3 million hours and has received a total of 5.3 million views, ranking third, only behind Netflix’s new originals Reptiles and Fair Play. No other movie currently in the Top 10 has been on the list for a longer time, making it a total success for the platform.
The film, directed by Ang Lee (Life of Pi, Brokeback Mountain, the first Hulk), was released in 2019 as a visual effects epic, pitting the contemporary Will Smith against a younger version of himself from the past. The synopsis is as follows: “Henry Brogan is a hitman who decides to retire because he has grown old. But this won’t be so easy for him, as he has to face his much younger clone.”
Beyond Will Smith, the movie features Mary Elizabeth Winstead (also in the latest Scott Pilgrim), Clive Owen, and Benedict Wong in a film packed with action and emotion.
