Mila Kunis’ recent science-fiction fantasy film Jupiter Ascending has not been getting the most favorable reviews—most reviews of the film are negative to mixed at best; the film has also not been a box office success, with its international and domestic box office totals just barely reaching above the film’s total budget.
But the film does have a surprising amount of traction online, where everything from websites to fan costumes and other “fandom” content is being created by countless numbers of people who actually enjoyed Jupiter Ascending. How could they enjoy a film that is, in almost every sense of the word, not a success? Let’s look at a few reasons why Jupiter Ascending is actually secretly awesome.
The world building is extensive
If there is anything that the film’s writers excel at, it’s world building. The world of Jupiter Ascending has clearly been well thought out, and actually hints at a world that is as descriptive, varied and expansive as the world found in the Star Wars or Star Trek franchises. Although most of the world building material created for the film was left on the cutting room floor, there is enough of it to give fans of the film something to digest.
The visuals were gorgeous
Many criticized the film’s stuttering plot, but most reviews—even those that outright panned the story—had great praise for the film’s visuals. Everything from the special effects, including the film’s chases and crashes, to the costumes and character design is another example of an intricate amount of work being done on the film. The film used hundreds of thousands of Swarovski crystals for its costumes, which were universally praised. The famous “Queen Wedding Dress” worn by Mila Kunis in the film was popular enough to merit several successful lines of merchandise—including a Tonner Doll and a Funko Pop figure.
The performances never take themselves too seriously
The actors in the film never seemed to take things too seriously—which in the case of Jupiter Ascending, ended up working in their favor. Mila Kunis, for example, shines even when she’s delivering out-of-this-world lines such as “I’ve always loved dogs” in what is supposed to be a flirty moment. Eddie Redmayne is another standout, with his whispery, over-the-top performance in a glitter-studded costume coming as a stark contrast to his Oscar-winning, realistic portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything. Go to this cable TV website for more entertainment options