Reviewer's Bias*
Loves: The Matrix, Mila Kunis
Likes: Audacious visual filmmaking, sci-fi, Channing Tatum
Dislikes: Disjointed stories
Hates: Michael Bay Syndrome

The Movie
If you removed The Matrix from the Wachowskis' resume, it's not likely they would maintain their reputation as visionary filmmakers. Sure, they would still be responsible for a brilliant little indie in Bound and some visual spectacles in Speed Racer and Cloud Atlas, but they've never been able to come close to the culture-shaping juggernaut that was their leather-clad kung-fu/sci-fi blow-out. Their latest film, Jupiter Ascending shows the same panache as their previous work, but there's a sense of fun or perhaps frivolity to it that is intriguing, as it lends genuine humanity to what could have been another Wachowski-brand sci-fi fight fest, almost like one of their films was spliced with a sitcom, right down to the will-they/won't-they/Sam-and-Diane relationship between not-so-average human Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis) and Caine (Channing Tatum), a genetically-modified hunter tasked with finding her. The effect is unusual and often off-balance, but usually interesting, especially since it looks as good as the Wachowskis are capable of making a film look (reconnecting here with Cloud Atlas and Iron Man 3 DP John Toll.)

A woman of humble beginnings, Jupiter is a housecleaner, living a very mundane existence when suddenly she's threatened by space aliens. Caine, with his super-nifty rocket boots, comes to the rescue, and nothing, as the song goes, will ever be the same, as Jupiter is thrust into the middle of an interplanetary sibling squabble between the three heirs of the Abrasax clan: soft-spoken Balem (Eddie Redmayne), hedonistic Titus (Douglas Booth) and the daughter Kalique (Tuppence Middleton.) Each has a personal interest in Jupiter that will come to the fore as she learns she can't trust anyone except the strong, yet emotionally-broken Caine, with the revelations about the Abrasaxi's motives setting the stage for the film's final dramatic push. Though the legal and contractual elements the film gets sidetracked into (and simultaneously parodies in an homage to Terry Gilliam's Brazil [with the man himself on board]) have been compared unfavorably to the miserable negotiations of the first episode of Star Wars, here they are much more entertaining and certainly more intrinsic to the overall plot of the film and its core action. That the legal wrangling involves whispering lunatics and Space Caligula doesn't hurt either.

As the leads, Kunis and Tatum are good fits, with both capable of playing the sci-fi material straight, without keeping the romantic parts of the story from being believable. Kunis feels like the key, as her smart-ass persona is the perfect go-between for the worlds the film straddles. There's an exoticness and a likability to Kunis that makes that kind of positioning possible, while Tatum handles the action-movie star turn the way you'd expect from Magic Mike himself. If anyone was going to play this character in battle and in close-quarters with Kunis, Tatum was a fine choice. The rest of the cast of space folk is having a grand time with make-up and cosmic overacting, particularly Redmayne, whose languid, barely-perceptible delivery (indicative of a world-weary elite) walks a tightrope in terms of seeming affected, before eventually falling into over-the-top ridiculousness.

Thankfully, with the presence of the somewhat comedic atmosphere and Kunis' presence, the tone of Jupiter Ascending isn't nearly as heavy or pretentious as some previous Wachowski creations, with the philosophy kept to a minimum, focusing mainly on the meaning of existence (since Jupiter has some identity issues to deal with and there's a subplot straight out of The Matrix about mankind's purpose.) This is really a slam-bang space-set action picture full of out-there sci-fi (including cross-species splicing and genetic reincarnation) but it's nothing fans of the genre haven't dealt with before, and the results, though a touch disappointing considering the greatness the Wachowskis once achieved, are well worth it.

The Disc
The film arrives on one Blu-ray and one DVD, which are packed in a standard-width, Blu-Ray keepcase, itself held in a foil-embossed slipcover. The standard static Warner Brothers menu offers a choice to watch the movie, select scenes, adjust the set-up and check out the extras. Audio options include English TrueHD 7.1, English DVS 5.1, and French, Spanish and Portuguese Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks, while subtitles are available in English, English SDH, French. Spanish and Portuguese.

The Quality
Watching the insane action and gorgeous imagery that makes up the look of Jupiter Ascending, you really come to appreciate the quality of the 1080p, AVC-encoded transfer on this Blu-ray, as all the work that went into the film can be seen at home, thanks to an absolutely beautiful presentation, boasting bold, rich color, an outstanding level of fine detail and solid black levels which combine to make for a image to behold. The crisp video has no problems with digital distractions either, standing up to challenge of presenting the non-stop action and making the film a gem to observe.

The Dolby Atmos 7.1 track for the film translates to a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 track, which offers all the audio thrills you'd expect for a film like this, with powerful sound that captures all the action, driven by the low-end, which adds weight to every blast of a gun or engine. The soundfield is extremely active, with atmospheric sound and effects moving throughout the surrounds, making the big air battles an enveloping experience. Despite all the aural action going on, the mix never gets muddy, with distinct separation in the elements, including a soaring score and clear, well-defined dialogue (a key considering some of the jargon being spoken at times.)

The Extras
The extras here are made up of seven relatively brief featurettes, which cover the usual topics you'd expect, and because they are culled from the same set of interviews, there's some minor repetition. Things get started with "Jupiter Jones: Destiny is Within Us" (6:56) and "Caine Wise: Interplanetary Warrior" (5:18), one piece for each of the leads. With the stars and the Wachowskis on hand for interviews, the characters and the stars' shooting experiences are explored, including the influences on the story, such as Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, all of which are noticeable in retrospect. The lengthy production gets some time as well, with a look at how Tatum shot on rollerblades to achieve his character's movements.

"The Wachowskis: Mind Over Matter" (7:25) puts the focus on the writers and directors and how they create a film, through interviews with the two of them, as well as with the cast and Gilliam, who overs a few of his thoughts on their work. Their directorial efforts are further detailed in "Bullet Time Evolved" (9:35), a peek at the film techniques used in Jupiter Ascending, like the green screen work that went into the battle sequences.

The galactic scope of the film is the subject of "Worlds Within Worlds Within Worlds" (9:36), which examines the creation of the movie's universe, through the costumes, vehicles and sets, including looks at concept art for the film. Similarly, "Jupiter Ascending: Genetically Spliced" (10:25) looks at the various creatures that populate Jupiter's world, in terms of how they were designed and the special effects that went into portraying them.

Wrapping things up is "From Earth to Jupiter (and Everywhere in Between)" (9:54), which is something of an overview of all the ideas at play in the film. If anything wasn't clear in the film's story, this featurette should untangle your questions.

Also included is a code for an Ultraviolet stream/download.

The Bottom Line
Perhaps expectations remain too high, inspired by lingering memories of The Matrix, but because of that Jupiter Ascending is somewhat disappointing, while still being an interesting watch, with excellent visuals. The Blu-ray delivers the sensory experience you want from this kind of movie, though the decent spread of featurettes is a bit too EPK in nature. Over time, the audacious elements of this film should age well, but even today it's an entertaining two hours.

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*The Reviewer's Bias section is an attempt to help readers use the review to its best effect. By knowing where the reviewer's biases lie on the film's subject matter, one can read the review with the right mindset.