Trailer Review: Jupiter Ascending (2014)

The Wachowskis are visionary directors and their science fiction films often have big ideas and gorgeous special effects. Now the trailer for their latest sci-fi epic, Jupiter Ascending is online.

Jupiter Ascending stars Channing Tatum as a genetically-engineered soldier from space who comes to Earth to find Jupiter Jones played by Mila Kunis. Jones is getting by working menial jobs until she is found by Tatum’s character, Caine who informs her she is a target for assassination. It turns out Jones is the heir to the throne that runs the universe and the current Queen on the throne wants to kill her.
The queen fears that her reign will come to an end and she will be replaced by Jones unless the latter is wiped out.

The plot sounds like standard sci-fi/fantasy stuff where an unassuming person is told they are the chosen one and will do something important. It’s a trope fans have seen many times before, however The Wachowskis have a knack for coming up with interesting plots and complex fantasy worlds so hopefully they will do something interesting with the story. It’s also fair to say that few movies have such an epic scale and even fewer feature a plot involving a queen that rules over the entire universe.

There are plenty of action scenes in the trailer and the special effects are marvelous as expected. Few details are given about the story and Jupiter’s destiny is only revealed in hints scattered throughout. This approach can be a bit confusing however as the trailer throws a lot of action at the viewer without any context. The viewer may be left scratching their head wondering why one guy is fighting another and what Caine is meant to be doing. In a nutshell, the trailer has some nice looking action scenes, cool costumes and set design but little substance. This is rather surprising as The Wachowskis are capable of directing films that offer both style and depth. It’s only a trailer though and the feature film itself will hopefully have plenty of depth and an interesting story to tell.

Mila Kunis has a big role here and it is unclear if she has the screen presence and acting chops to pull it off. Time will tell if she can deliver a solid performance but she may surprise naysayers who think she hasn’t got the skills to do a good job. She will also be supported by a good cast including Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, James D’Arcy and even Terry Gilliam who appears in a role.

Eager fans can can see the film when it is released on July 25th, 2014 so check out the trailer and share your thoughts.