I have a confession to make. I really enjoyed Jupiter Ascending. So much, I actually went to see it twice.  About half an hour into the second viewing I thought “Oh Oh. This is too soon to watch it again.” But, then I got into it again, and a lot of subtleties I missed the first time kept me entertained.

The visuals are epic, and, at least, the film tries to explore serious themes. It isn’t simply another case of “chase the mysterious mcguffin that could blow up the universe” (not that I don’t enjoy that sort of stuff). The concepts in it are no more outlandish than human-powered civilization of machines or a mysterious force manipulated by a chosen few or a spice being key to interstellar travel.

Some reviews dismissed the idea of genetically spliced individuals. I find that strange when, for example, spider goats are already a real thing.

I loved the way so many alien conspiracy theories are worked into the story such as the grays, crop circles, etc. It added an extra layer to the film. I also enjoyed the references to other films such as Flash Gordon. However, beneath this is another more philosophical layer which is well worth exploring.

Jupiter is an interesting character in that, except for her genetic make-up, she is simply a normal human being. She has no special superpowers. In fact, she is quite naive. I thought the implications for the god-like Abrasax family were interesting.

All in all, I think if you watch this film with an open mind, you will find some interesting stuff here.

Oh, and the soundtrack is excellent.