Film Preview: Jupiter Ascending (2015)

Poster

Poster #3

Additional posters can be found below.

Trailer Link

Release Date:

July 25, 2014

Synopsis:

From IMDb: “In a universe where humans are near the bottom of the evolutionary ladder, a young destitute human woman is targeted for assassination by the Queen of the Universe because her very existence threatens to end the Queen’s reign.”

Poster: B (2) / B- / B (4) / A- / A / A / A- / C

Review: (#1-#2) This poster pair has the creative chutzpah to justifying creating a character poster. The costume design also showcases that these two individuals are of different worlds, which establishes a key element of the film’s premise.

(#3) A traditional, epic poster design for a sprawling sci-fi feature. It’s what I would expect, but that doesn’t make it original or inventive. The prior designs were more interesting even if not perfect.

(#4-#7) This set of four character posters is carefully individualized, colorful and beautifully detailed. (#8-#11) Occasionally, films permit artists to run wild with their artistic interpretation of the films in poster form. Typically, as in this case, those results are rather spectacular and distinctive. (#12) This poster (which is much taller than displayed below) is an interesting exercise, but not particularly rich in detail.

Trailer: B- / B / B

Review: The Wachowskis are nothing if not stylish; however, the trailer doesn’t really set us up for more than generic theatrics. Mila Kunis hasn’t had a lot of success as an actor with genre performances and the plot doesn’t seem that interesting as displayed in this first trailer.

(#2) A slightly improved trailer than the first, it gives more information to the audience, but doesn’t overstay its welcome. It does overload the visual senses, but it establishes the visual pluck The Wachowskis employ with all of their films, which should be enough to bring a small audience back to their stable after pushing them away with their prior two efforts.

(#3) It appears we’re finally getting the larger picture of what this film will be about. While the first trailers likely led to disinterest, this one should appeal to those who need more information before processing the desire to see a film. It works for that, but that’s not saying a lot.

Oscar Prospects:

I expect this will be successful mostly in the creative categories, unless it’s the best film the Wachowski’s have ever made, then it might be more of a competitor than that.