JUPITER ASCENDING
US, 2015, 127 minutes, Colour.
Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, Douglas Booth, Tuppence Middleton, Nikki Amuka- Bird, Maria Doyle Kennedy.
Directed by Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski.
The title raises cosmic expectations but we are amazed to find that Jupiter is really a Russian girl who works with her mother in Chicago housekeeping, seemingly with a special flair for cleaning toilets. Well, it emerges that she is not really just a Russian girl whose father was an idealistic astronomer, her bloodline, her DNA, whatever her ancestry, means that she is a Queen of the universe, which put her more in peril than enjoying the trappings of royalty.
When the Wachowskis were working in their heyday, inventing The Matrix and developing its sequels, they were developing images and narratives which had some philosophy behind them, the nature of the cosmos, the nature of this world, parallel worlds, communications and interconnection, computer structures, the conflict between good and evil. Well, there is something of that in Jupiter Ascending, but more in a comic book kind of way rather than in relationship to any Matrix. Actually, in The Matrix, there were quite a number of unusual and symbolic names, Neo, Trinity, Morpheus - and the more prosaic Agent Smith.
One of the interesting features of Jupiter Ascending is the contrast between the worlds out there in deep space and beyond with the mundane realities of Earth in Russia and the United States. We can identify in a large way with the Earth sequences, but we look in amazement, with more than a touch of the jaw-dropping, especially in the 3D version, at the vast, almost cathedral-like buildings in the cosmic kingdoms – and which also look spectacular as they break, crumble and fall.
Space agents try to abduct Jupiter but she is rescued by Caine Wise, one of the cosmic policemen, who has ambitions for promotion, but is on hire to the various princes who rule and clash in space. He is played by Channing Tatum, looking ultra-solid, with beard, but relying on his quite impassive face for his dramatic sequences, even romance with Jupiter. He takes Jupiter to hide with Stringer (Sean Bean), but the forces from the kingdoms, some of them variations on giant animals, giant brutes, whisk Jupiter away and imprison Caine.
It turns out that these kingdoms have been harvesting humans for millennia and two princes are in fierce clash mode about who will own the earth. As with so many American films, these two villains are played by British actors, Douglas Booth (recently Romeo in Romeo and Juliet) who is the playboy type, contrasting with his more sinister brother, played by Eddie Redmayne, pre-Theory of Everything, mainly communicating in whispery voice but prone to sudden roaring. They also have a sister who keeps young- looking by bathing in the harvested energy from Earth.
When Caine Wise is imprisoned, he faces the challenge of what his future is to be and whether he is capable of loving. He is. And so, to a spectacular rescue sequence, flying and falling around the vast cathedral spaces before their collapse – and Prince Eddie Redmayne falling into the depths.
By the end of the film, while it is good to look at, one asks of this rather bombastic production, to what purpose?
1. The impact of the film? Plot and vision of the universe? Picture of the humanity? Authority, the, concrete, exploitation?
2. The impact of the officials, sets, costumes, decor? The vast buildings in space, Cathedral like, the planets and the space ships? The influence of other films like Star Wars…? The musical score?
3. The contrast with life on Earth, ordinary? Russia, astronomy, marriage and family? The thugs, the robbery? The contrast with Chicago, apartments, menial housework, the employers Western Mark the fertility Centre?
4. How credible the plot? Fantasies? The previous work of the writers-directors?
5. The Russian story, the father and his enthusiasm about astronomy, meeting his wife, her work, the marriage, the baby, ordinary life? Prospects? The effect of the attack, the robbery, killing the father? The family migrating to Chicago, their life there, for 45 in the morning, going to work?
6. The kingdom is in space, age-old, harvesting earth, getting energy, making profit Western Mark the capitalist mentality, autocratic? Titres and here’s sleuth the sulphur-confidence, memories of his mother, surrounded by women, hedonistic, the plots and ambitions, lifestyle? His sister, her age, bathing for renewing her youth and beauty? The contrast with a firm, his sudden appearance, thin, whispering, cruel, greedy, wanting to own the earth?
7. The range of strange creatures, on the planets, attack monsters? Appearing on earth, the attack on Kate, pursuing Jupiter, Jupiter and her friend, the plan for the fertility Centre, the aliens taking over the staff, the attack on Jupiter, Bailey wanting her?
8. Came Wise, warrior, status, the police, his ambitions for promotion, constructed? His coming to rescue Jupiter? His going to Stinger? Missions, employed by Titus, tracking Jupiter, saving her, hiding her with Stinger, his clashes with stinger Stinger, plates? The back story? Going back to the planets?
9. The role of Jupiter, dna, DNA, the connection, the Iranian her being the Queen? The title and the reactions? The creatures and their voices? The courtiers and their role, advises?
10. Jupiter in space, determined, fighting, wanting to go home? With Wise, with Stinger? With Titus, his plan, the sister? Ultimately with a lemon? The children and their attitude towards their mother, wanting to kill her, the motivation, Jupiters confrontation and defines?
11. Wise, his attacks, the fights, imprisoned, his determination, getting out, Stinger advising him that he had falling in love, the change in him?
12. Seems of daring action, complex, the collapse of the buildings, apocalyptic?
13. The contrast with Jupiter back home, continuing to work, Wise and his sprouting wings? The future?
14. Big, bombastic – to what purpose?
