'Jupiter Ascending' Blu-ray Review
"From the creators of the The Matrix Trilogy." When you hear or see those words, you start to get a little excited. Remember how in awe you were the first time you saw the first Matrix movie? The rest of the trilogy had some issues but the idea of the Wachowskis doing a sci-fi adventure was appealing. But there was something that prevented me from seeing it theaters.
I like Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis. The visuals in this movie are astounding. The movie was not well received in theaters. It just barely passed its production budget when you factor in the worldwide gross. Still, this is a movie worth checking out.
The idea here is that Earth is not alone in the universe. There has been a one family that has ruled every planet for millennia--the House of Abrasax. When the leader dies, it's time for the heirs, three siblings, to fight for control. Much to their surprise and dismay, there is another heir with a stronger claim, Jupiter Jones--Mila Kunis' character, due to her genetic legacy.
The movie takes an interesting approach when it comes time for the "aliens" to seek out their target on Earth. They simply walk around on rooftops and don't try to hide their appearance or vehicles. It turns out they can cloak themselves. If any damage is done to buildings or properties, they'll simply be repaired overnight and memories will be erased. It's a cool idea of this unknown being out there with no one realizing it, except perhaps those few that slip through and are perceived as insane.
Channing Tatum is a genetically-engineered ex-military hunter who ends up fighting to protect Jupiter. He sports a pair of hover boots that seem to work like roller blades (which is how they actually filmed the scenes). He also has a little energy shield and of course a gun.
Throughout the movie, we are taken to many locations. We get to marvel at the sights of this alien civilization. From the looks, it's exactly what you'd want to see in a sci-fi movie. With every detail you see, you want to see more. You want to know the history of it all.
Unfortunately the movie itself didn't hold my attention throughout. The two hour and seven minute movie felt like it dragged in some spots. There are some cheesy moments, but those can be overlooked. I found my mind wandering at times. With the story bubbling down three siblings all fighting for control over this dynasty, it felt like we would just have Jupiter go from being captured by one sibling, escaping, and then get captured by another. And I know Eddie Redmayne is a good actor but as Balem Abrasax, he whispered too much. His character just got annoying for me.
The movie does have its share of problems but I'm still glad I saw it. As I mentioned, there was a lot of potential here. Watching all the behind the scenes special features made me appreciate the whole production even more.
What is included on the Blu-ray?
Special Features
Jupiter Jones: Destiny is Within Us (6:56)
Mila Kunis talking about the character. Lana and Andy Wachowski. She’s a regular person that gets thrown into a crazy situation. We see how the characters are related. What the idea of home means.
Caine Wise: Interplanetary Warrior (5:18)
Channing Tatum’s role as a protector. He’s a genetically engineered human. Character designs and how his movement on screen was done. There's some behind the scenes shots with roller blades and wires.
The Wachowskis: Minds Over Matter (7:25)
The actors talk about being in a world the Wachowskis created. How they and the video effects department work to create the different worlds and settings. How they bring their imagination to life.
Worlds Within Worlds Within Worlds (9:36)
Looking at creating all the different worlds--costume making, make up, and all the little details on the different people from those worlds. They really wanted to try to create new things. We see the concept sketches for ships and planets and how they were brought to life.
Jupiter Ascending: Genetically Spliced (10:25)
Looking at creating the look of the Channing Tatum’s character plus the different aliens. With some of the aliens being animal hybrids, their looks also included their costume. There were also the giant lizard aliens which required CG and motion capture.
Bullet Time Evolved (9:35)
The planning for the action sequences. They had to figure out how to bring the gravity boots to life. They used roller blades while the person was attached to a harness and wires. They did use Channing and Mila to perform some of the stunts on the wires and hanging off a helicopter to ensure the scenes looked better. They felt audiences can feel when stunt actors are being used. Tatum actually took a crash course in roller blading.
From Earth to Jupiter (And Everywhere in Between) (9:34)
The actors set designer reflect on the script and the worlds that will be created. Everything that goes into making a movie like this. The Watchowskis take a lot of risks to create the vision they have.
It can't be said that Jupiter Ascending is a great movie. It did have some great moments in it. It was a very ambitious project and it's easy to have high expectations before seeing it. If you're a fan of the Wachowskis, there's no question whether or not you should pick this up. Again, watching the special features really makes you appreciate everything that went into making this movie happen. You might not watch it as many times as you did when you first got your DVD copy of The Matrix but you might find yourself having the urge to pop it in the background while you're doing something else. The visuals and special features are worth checking out.
Jupiter Ascending is now available on Blu-ray, 3D Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital HD.
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