Jupiter Ascending

Jupiter Ascending throws the entire history of science fiction at the wall in the vague hope that something will stick.

Unfortunately, I'm afraid not much of it does. Taking cues from fantasy old and new (Eddie Redmayne, although excellent, lumbers through with a crazed Voldemort voice, Channing Tatum has Spock's ears despite being an Underworld-esque Lycan wolf-man, there's a completely random elephant-faced spaceship pilot echoing Admiral Ackbar's fish-man hybrid from Star Wars) it's just all too much for one two-hour movie.

As a trilogy, or even a big budget TV series, this would do well. The 'harvesting planets for a higher race' plot line is interesting and the locales and effects (having a palace inside Jupiter's famous Red Spot is suitably evil and brilliant) are spot on.

Unfortunately, it all sweeps along a little too quickly for you to be absorbed. Mila Kunis is good throughout but you never root for her, it's not ever clear how or what she could do with this new found power she's given and she is inevitably falling into situations where she needs her life saving every five minutes.

Channing Tatum is good (although too overly made up) but, again, you're just not quite sure why you should care beyond him being the lead.

It's all good fun with amazing effects and great chase scenes (to be expected from the Wachowskis) but this goes down as a missed opportunity.

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