Gemini

♣♣♣♣/♣♣♣♣♣

Police detective Manuel (Mon Confiado) conducts an interrogation session in a mental facility where distressed Julia (Sheena McBride) is confined. She is being accused of the murder of a man named Anton, but she insists that it was her twin sister Judith (Birigitte McBride) who did the crime. She even issues a grim warning that she is going to be the next victim. Eager to extract more information, the detective tells her again and again that her version of the reality is hers and hers alone, and that nobody can really say that it is not true. Together, the duo recounts the night of the incident, but navigating the mind of a troubled individual proves to be a formidable task as her recollection of the truth constantly changes with every new bit of information that comes to her mind. Who really killed whom?

There really are no complaints in the acting department. Whoever Sheena and Brigitte are, they do a pretty good job portraying the twins, and perhaps the unsuccessful attempt in figuring out which twin is which is all part of the confusing vibe that makes the film more mysterious. Confiado is also very convincing both in the drama scenes and in delivering those quotable quotes about reality. His character effectively lends a semblance of sanity to which the viewer could hold on if and when he gets tired of the confusing narrative the twins are trying to weave.

Most of the film is shot in black and white, which somehow represents the deranged mind of the confined twin. It is the rapport between the siblings that fuels the eerie vibe prevalent in the entire movie. They converse telepathically; they finish each other’s sentences; and their first menstrual cycle provokes a feverish nightmare which literally sets their television on fire. Are you intrigued yet? Of course, one could argue that all of these might just be the random musings of a deranged mind, but then again, can you really tell what is actually real in this movie? If so, then congratulations for figuring it all out!

Trying to decipher this whole puzzle is like attempting to write a coherent movie review under the influence of alcohol. The director is an expert when it comes to baffling imagery and succeeds in giving you an end product which is plain freaky and borderline surreal, as if he was paying a tribute of sorts to the likes of Un Chien Andalou or something. But then again, this is also part supernatural thriller, if you want to view it that way. As such, be forewarned that there is enough gore and violence to prevent this from being that Christmas movie everyone in your family must see. No, I don’t think your kids would get it either, so better leave them somewhere while you indulge in your curiosity.

The director cleverly uses cinematography to reflect the characters’ version of the incident in question, effectively framing each story as part of a reality which could very well be a lie. Besides, only one version of the truth shall prevail, right? The scenes, in effect, are transformed into moving works of art. The black and white sequences, as well as those with heightened hues of blue, somehow give the notion of a damaged psyche and subconsciously prompts the viewer to treat them with caution as far as their truth value is concerned. The ones in full color, though, are simply pleasant to watch and elicit a certain feeling of familiarity, leading you to believe that it must be the correct version of reality vis-à-vis the other two.

However, if you thought that colors are all it takes to figure out this enigma of a movie, then you are terribly mistaken. You see, the director throws in a freaky scene in the end which would suffice to make you once again question which is real and which is mere figment of imagination. In the end, you would still leave the cinema with a huge question mark hovering above your head, which is perhaps a good indicator that you have just seen a good psychological thriller deserving of good word of mouth. Edgy, it is indeed.