Synopsis
Jupiter Ascending is a science fiction space opera released in 2015 and is directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski, the same directors as The Matrix trilogy. The film serves as an adventure where the viewer gets a taste of everything; sci-fi, royal family themes intertwined with epic space battles, and corporate conflict.
The movie revolves around Jupiter Jones, who faces challenges and monotony in her daily life in Chicago. She is an immigrant Russian and she alongside her mother and her family works as a cleaner. However, unlike most people in her position, she has a deep desire to achieve something in life but is stuck in a dead-end cycle.
Everything changes for her when she becomes the target of alien bounty hunters. After being hunted, she is saved by Caine Wise, who is a genetically modified ex-soldier hybrid of a part wolf and a human. Caine explains to Jupiter that she is the genetic reincarnation of a universe ruler’s family matriarch.
In this sci fi world, Earth is one of several planets colonized by a powerful alien family. These rulers extract planets for a rejuvenating serum that grants near-immortality to the elite. Because of her genetic makeup, Jupiter is deemed the sovereign of Earth, bringing her to the center of conflict from different branches of the Abrasax family fighting for control around her “legacy.”
In the family of Abrasax, comprising of Balem, Titus and Kalique, each of them holds different motives. Balem, the eldest, and most ruthless, currently owns Earth and is keen on Jupiter’s assassination. Titus, a charming man, attempts to woo Jupiter into a marriage that would bound Earth to him. He is also manipulative. Kalique, the kind one, explains the cruel planetary population business and commodifies people for a living.
With Jupiter caught in the conflict of war, betrayal, and complex space politics, she is left with the choice of accepting her identity and how she wants to rule. With Caine, she traverses to space palaces, battleships, and gravity defying cities.
Jupiter regains her title at the end of the story but elects to resume her life on Earth, cherishing her modest upbringing and cosmic identity as a secret. She starts a relationship with Caine, who is now fully restored as a skyjacker and soldier.
Cast and Characters
Mila Kunis as Jupiter Jones: An Earth-born woman learning she is genetically a royal is Kunis’s challenge as an actress. She brings to life a Jupiter who is down-to-earth and relatable, if at times bewildered by the absurdity of her life.
Channing Tatum as Caine Wise: Tatum’s Caine is a genetically spliced warrior and mingles Caine’s spousal devotion and protective nature with enhanced physical traits. Caine’s character is fleshed out with spliced action-hero sensitivity.
Eddie Redmayne as Balem Abrasax: Redmayne’s theatrical performance as whispering, unpredictable Balem Abrasax brings the main antagonist of the movie to life. Balem, a timeless control and eternal life obsession, is the ultimate villain.
Douglas Booth as Titus Abrasax: The tantalizing middle brother with an unsettling blend of dangerous ambition and refined manners makes Booth’s Titus irresistible.
Tuppence Middleton as Kalique Abrasax: The most obscure of the siblings, Kalique conceals the guise of a corrupted dynasty’s benevolence, making her the most enigmatic.
Sean Bean as Stinger Apini: Stinger, a former soldier and Caine’s friend, assists Jupiter and shares his knowledge of the galactic hierarchy, while offering Caine insights.
The supporting characters include a wide range of aliens, androids, bureaucrats, and space pilots that make the universe intricate and delightful as well as dangerous.
Crew and Production
Directors and Writers: Lana and Lilly Wachowski both wrote and directed the film. They integrated their philosophical approach towards science fiction with stunning visuals, as was their trademark.
Producers: Grant Hill and the Wachowskis jointly produced the film with Village Roadshow Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures.
Music: Michael Giacchino, who scored “Up”, “Star Trek”, and “Jurassic World”, is the composer. The score is rich, a blend of operatic and space-age motifs.
Cinematography: John Toll, an Academy Award winning cinematographer, the the film’s earthbound grit and the lavishness of space with sweeping visuals.
Visual Effects: The film is a showcase of cutting-edge VFX, with elaborate set pieces including anti-gravity battles, intergalactic palaces, and massive starships.
Themes
Identity and Destiny
Jupiter’s space-bound self is a reflection of deep change as a voyage of self-discovery. She is a genetically identical to a space queen, but biologically must choose whether to claim that title and if not, how she intends to redefine that. The film provokes thought if an identity is a result of choice, experience or a given birth.
- Power and Corruption
The House of Abrasax illustrates the dangers of power devoid of principles. The family’s dominion over entire planets alongside the troubling regulation of life spans reveals a system where life is reduced to a commodity, and exploitation is profit-driven. The overarching metaphor reflects the critique of capitalist corporate systems alongside the disregard of feudalistic aristocratic systems of privilege.
- Love and Loyalty
Caine’s deep emotional attachment to Jupiter is a stark contrast to the numerous betrayals she endures. Their relationship illuminates the virtue of trust, which has become rare, and highlights the manipulation and ambition that plagues the world.
- Bureaucracy and Satire
Jupiter braves a Kafkaesque space bureaucracy, which is part of the larger, more convoluted galactic structure. This daring satirical frame reinforces the idea that even the highest-known civilizations, advanced as they might be, remain bound to unreasoned systems of governance, injecting a generous dose of critique and humor.
Tone and Style
The film Jupiter Ascending is a blend of a space opera, a fantasy and a romance all poured into one. Its space opera elements of soaring ships and battles in the sky blend with intricate costumes, eerily reminiscent of ancient civilizations. While the film is, in a way, a beauty, all throughout, its breathtaking costumes, sets and action sequences, the intermingling of earnest sci-fi and campy melodrama to philosophical allegory has definitely earned the film a mix of praise and critique.
The Wachowskis had clear influences while making this film as it taps into classic mythology, fairy tales, and political allegory. Some people drew comparisons to Dune, Star Wars, and The Fifth Element, but said that this film had a more outrageous and fantastical spin.
The film blends Victorian-style nobility and futuristic technology. It creates a world where arranged marriages and royal decrees coincide with lasers, boots that fly, and barcodes of one’s DNA.
Critical Reception
Jupiter Ascending, as of now, has undergone mixed to negative reviews. Critics appreciated the world building and spatial understanding, but the overwhelming plot, inconsistent tone, and lack of development for characters are the components that were heavily critiqued.
Mila Kunis did receive some praise for grounding the film as the protagonist, but her character’s passivity during pivotal moments drew some concern. Fans of action movies appreciated Channing Tatum’s performance, but some thought that his character was portrayed too superficially. The theatrical performance of Balem by Eddie Redmayne was received as both camp brilliance, awkward, and exaggerated.
The movie did develop a cult following, and these people appreciated the brashness that the film with its original mythology and bold, unapologetic take. One of the notable aspects was that the film placed a woman of color with the “chosen one” identity in a male dominated genre.
The film struggled with performance in the U.S. box office, but it managed to gain an audience overseas as well as through streaming services. Some fans regard it as an underrated sci-fi epic in retrospect.
Conclusion
Jupiter Ascending is a controversial science fiction film. While it is consisting of sci-fi action, political intrigue, and romantic fantasy, it is a timeless film filled with ambition. Jupiter Ascending features extensive world-building and an unconventional heroine.
While it was not positively assessed at the time of release, in later years, the boldness in the film’s narrative and the innovative world has added to the film’s reputation. For those looking for a hopelessly romantic and bizarre space opera, Jupiter Ascending is a ride best experienced.
Watch Free Movies on Onionplay