Yes folks, I know I have taken my time with the review of Jupiter Ascending, but late last night, after a long day at work, I managed to drag myself off to finally catch the movie in 3D and I was accompanied by my good mate Spencer Wilding, for a rather late evening of movie reviewing.
Many of you who read Blazing Minds will have seen the articles that I have posted up about Jupiter Ascending, specially the posters for the movie, first official trailer, character posters, the Jupiter Ascending lookbook and more exclusive clips and stills, all in the build up to the films release.
So after seeing all the promo going out, I had gotten a little excited to see Jupiter Ascending, then some of the critics reviews started going around and they weren’t giving the film a good rating, but that wouldn’t put me off from giving my own point of view of the new Wachowski movie starring Channing Tatum (Magic Mike, 22 Jump Street), Mila Kunis (Family Guy, Ted), Sean Bean (Game of Thrones, Sharpe), Eddie Raymayne (Les Miserable, The Theory of Everything) and of course my good mate Spencer Wilding as Falque.
Jupiter Ascending tells the story of Jupiter Jones (Kunis) who was born under a night sky, with signs predicting that she was destined for great things. Now grown, Jupiter dreams of the stars but wakes up to the cold reality of a job cleaning other people’s houses and an endless run of bad breaks. Only when Caine (Tatum), a genetically engineered ex-military hunter, arrives on Earth to track her down does Jupiter begin to glimpse the fate that has been waiting for her all along—her genetic signature marks her as next in line for an extraordinary inheritance that could alter the balance of the cosmos.
Jupiter Ascending CGI Worlds
So let me just say that Jupiter Ascending is no Matrix, it isn’t one of the Wachowski’s best movies, but that’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy the film, it is visual stunning with some wonderful CGI in 3D that certainly grabs your attention.
Although I did find myself slipping away from the plot of the movie from time to time and getting lost in the excitement of the wonders of the digital world and the set pieces of space craft racing around Chicago in moments of 3D splender and Channing Tatum’s bizarre hover/skate boots (I even turned to Spencer at one point and said, “Ooo I want some of those).
There were those moments when I started thinking of one of my all time favorite films, Dune, as the battle of the brothers and sister to control their worth in the planets that they “own” for harvesting!
Jupiter Ascending (Courtesy Warner Bros.)
Although the plot and script of Jupiter Ascending does have the moments where you do think to yourself, “what, really”, but putting that aside, I quite enjoyed the 2 hours, yes some of the cast may have seen a little out-of-place, I do like Mila Kunis, but every time I hear her speak, I expect Stewie Griffin to appear.
Jupiter Ascending (Courtesy Warner Bros.)
Jupiter Ascending is a typical Wachowski movie, some have completely ripped it apart, but for me, I enjoyed the movie, yes it may be aimed more at that younger audience, the 12-year-old that sit in awe at Channing Tatum or Mila Kunis and don’t really go in to the scripting of a Wachowski film.
The universe that the Wachowski’s have brought to the screen in Jupiter Ascending is huge and my point of view is that we may should have gone more with some character building than the expansion of the universe that the Abrasax family has been built upon.
Jupiter Ascending (Courtesy Warner Bros.)
Keep an eye out for Terry Gilliam as the Seal and Signant Minister, not one of Gilliam;s crowning moment, but nice to see him in front of the camera in what can only be described as a left over character from the likes of Brazil or The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.
Another surpise face to see, well almost is Tim Pigott-Smith as Malidictes, a rather strange-looking bird-type creature.
Jupiter Ascending (Courtesy Warner Bros.)
Overall Jupiter Ascending is a lot of fun to watch, keep an eye out for our good mate Spencer Wilding in his scenes, special when in comes to Spencer’s big gun (oo er misses), the film is long and the CGI is impressive, the 3D works very well, specially n chase and explosion scenes.
Jupiter Ascending probably isn’t going to be the worlds best space opera,after all there is only one of those, but it did have me laughing in parts.
If you like Tatum and or Kunis then this is one for you.
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
