Directors: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, Sean Bean, Douglas Booth, Terry Gilliam
Number of discs: 3
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Release Date: June 2, 2015
Running Time: 127 minutes
Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
3D: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars
Let’s start with the fact that “Cloud Atlas” was my favorite film of 2012 (and I liked “Speed Racer a lot), so I am definitely a big fan of The Wachowski films. I heard some really rotten things about this film before seeing it but I still kept an open mind when I finally got it see it. Let’s start with the fact that it is a very busy 2-hour mess of action and visual effects…but I also really liked it. It is not perfect but I thought it was just very visually entertaining and just plain stupid fun. Maybe a little too ambitious but still a really cool looking flick and entertaining flick. The Wachowski’s honestly have a vision for their films that are never understood and this one is no different. Guys, if you are looking for a cool, stylized mindless action flick starring the beautiful Mila Kunis…look no further. Ladies, Eddie Redmayne and Channing Tatum are in this…enough said.
Official Premise: Jupiter Jones (Kunis) was born under a night sky, with signs predicting that she was destined for great things. Now grown, Jupiter dreams of the stars but wakes up to the cold reality of a job cleaning other people’s houses and an endless run of bad breaks. Only when Caine (Tatum), a genetically engineered ex-military hunter, arrives on Earth to track her down does Jupiter begin to glimpse the fate that has been waiting for her all along—her genetic signature marks her as next in line for an extraordinary inheritance that could alter the balance of the cosmos.
Other than being a great flick, this also gets props for being one of the best Blu-ray I have viewed to date this year. The 1080p transfer is absolutely brilliant. The colors are so vibrant and pop right of the screen (partly due to the excellent 3D effects, of course). You can tell that a lot of time and effort went into polished these visual effects and it paid off in my opinion. Now for me the real winner of this release is the audio presentation. There is an outstanding Dolby Atmos track includes (with it’s core delivering a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 surround track). This track is insane and really shakes the walls.
The 3D presentation on the Blu-ray is also fantastic. First of all who doesn’t love the idea of a 3D space/sci-fi flick. I would easily just at the idea. Luckily this one actually works out and uses the effects to enhance the crazy non-stop action. There is nothing cheesy here with the effects, it just really adds some great depth and the extra dimension works well with the space scenes. I really enjoyed it and it is definitely my preferred choice for this film, but on a good note, that 2D presentation is equally as impressive to watch and that gets bonus points from me.
The special features are decent as well for this release but nothing outstanding. They consist of seven features that run between 5-10 minutes tops. The first is “Jupiter Jones: Destiny Is Within Us”, which is a chat with Kunis and Lana and Andy Wachowski talking about the female lead. “Caine Wise: Interplanetary Warrior” focuses on Channing Tatum’s character. “The Wachowskis: Minds Over Matter” talks about the filmmakers and their work on the film. “Worlds Within Worlds Within Worlds” digs a little deeper into the film’s background and details. “Genetically Spliced” looks into the alien creatures created for the film. “Bullet Time Evolved” looks into the visual effects and the action sequences from the production. Lastly “From Earth to Jupiter (And Everywhere in Between)” goes more into the film’s storylines and subplots.
Own “Jupiter Ascending” on Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD on June 2nd