JUPITER ASCENDING (2015)

Summary:

Jupiter Jones is an unassuming cleaning lady on Earth, living a life of mundane chores and unfulfilled dreams. Unbeknownst to her, she possesses the exact genetic signature of Seraphi Abrasax, the deceased matriarch of the universe's most powerful and ancient dynasty. This makes Jupiter the rightful heir to vast cosmic fortunes, including ownership of Earth itself, which is revealed to be a "farm" cultivated for its sentient life to produce a youth-preserving serum for the galactic elite.

Her extraordinary lineage thrusts her into a dangerous intergalactic conflict when genetically engineered soldier Caine Wise arrives to protect her from the ruthless machinations of the Abrasax siblings – Balem, Kalique, and Titus – who each vie for control of their inheritance, and by extension, Earth. Jupiter must navigate a visually stunning but perilous universe, discovering her true destiny and fighting to save not only herself but also humanity from a horrifying fate orchestrated by the ruling alien families.

Keywords: Jupiter Ascending, 2015, Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Wachowskis, Sci-Fi, Action, Space Opera, Genetic Heir, Harvesting.

Plot:

The story begins with the tragic romance of Aleksandr and Saraphi Jones, Jupiter's parents. Aleksandr, an astrophysicist, is murdered during a robbery in Russia, leaving his pregnant wife, Saraphi, to flee to America. Jupiter Jones is born on a ship crossing the Atlantic, under a sky full of stars, a detail that will later prove significant. Growing up in Chicago, Jupiter lives a monotonous life, working as a cleaning lady alongside her mother and aunt. She despises her life of scrubbing toilets and dreams of owning a telescope, yearning for something more than her terrestrial existence.

Her life takes an abrupt turn when she attempts to sell her eggs for money, a desperate measure to fund a telescope purchase. During the procedure, the doctors and nurses reveal themselves to be alien "Reapers," grey-skinned creatures intent on killing her. She is dramatically rescued by Caine Wise, a genetically engineered ex-military hunter with winged boots, who swiftly dispatches the Reapers. Caine reveals that Jupiter is of immense importance to the galactic community, possessing a unique genetic signature.

Caine explains that he was sent by Stinger Apini, a fellow "splice" (a human-animal hybrid) and former Legionnaire, to protect her. Jupiter is taken to Stinger's hidden base, where she learns about the vast, ancient galactic empire ruled by a few powerful families, the most prominent being the Abrasax dynasty. She discovers she is the perfect genetic duplicate of Seraphi Abrasax, the recently deceased matriarch of the dynasty, making her the rightful owner of Earth and many other planets. This revelation immediately puts her in conflict with Seraphi's three ambitious children: Balem, the eldest and ruthless industrialist; Kalique, the elegant and calculating sister; and Titus, the charming and manipulative youngest brother. They are all vying for control of Seraphi's vast inheritance, which includes Earth.

The Abrasax family's wealth is built upon a horrifying secret: they "harvest" sentient life from planets to create a youth serum that grants them immortality. Earth, it is revealed, is merely a highly profitable "farm" nearing its harvest date. Each of the Abrasax siblings has a different agenda for Jupiter. Kalique initially lures Jupiter to her opulent estate, offering a glimpse into the luxurious life she could lead and explaining the nature of the serum, subtly trying to gain Jupiter's favor. Balem, the most direct and brutal, sees Jupiter as a threat to his claim on Earth, which he intends to harvest soon, and repeatedly sends bounty hunters to capture or kill her.

Titus, however, employs a more insidious strategy. He rescues Jupiter from Balem's forces and brings her to his extravagant space station. He charms her, offering protection and a proposition of marriage. His true intention is to marry Jupiter, thereby gaining legal control of her inheritance (including Earth), and then have her "accidentally" killed. Caine, who has a complicated past with Titus and was once his loyal soldier, is deeply suspicious of Titus's motives. He tries to warn Jupiter, but her longing for a better life and Titus's charisma make her hesitant to fully trust Caine, whose past actions (including his "disgrace" and loss of his wings) are still somewhat mysterious to her.

Jupiter begins the elaborate, bureaucratic process of claiming her inheritance, a process designed to be so convoluted that most heirs give up. This sequence highlights the absurdity and entrenched power of the galactic elite. During this time, Caine's loyalty to Jupiter is unwavering. His past is slowly revealed: he was disgraced and had his wings removed for a past transgression involving Titus, but his core moral compass remains intact. He eventually learns of Titus's plot to kill Jupiter during their wedding ceremony.

As the wedding ceremony commences, Caine, with the help of Stinger and his daughter Kiza, stages a daring rescue. He crashes the ceremony, exposing Titus's plan and saving Jupiter just moments before she is to be sacrificed. Titus is left disgraced and vulnerable to his siblings. However, Balem, ever the opportunist, seizes this moment. He orchestrates the abduction of Jupiter's family from Earth, luring Jupiter to his massive processing plant/refinery located within the Great Red Spot of Jupiter. This is where he plans to harvest Earth, and intends to kill Jupiter to eliminate any claim to it.

The climax unfolds as Caine, Stinger, and a small team of allies launch a desperate infiltration of Balem's refinery. The mission is fraught with danger, involving intense aerial dogfights through asteroid fields and gravity wells, and close-quarters combat within the sprawling, industrial complex. Jupiter, despite her lack of combat training, shows remarkable courage and resourcefulness. She eventually confronts Balem in his throne room, where he reveals the full horror of the harvesting process and his twisted philosophy on life and death. Balem, driven by greed and a profound sense of entitlement, believes that harvesting is the natural order of the universe, a cycle of life and death that benefits the powerful. He also reveals his jealousy of his mother's affection for Jupiter's genetic template.

In a brutal and personal struggle, Jupiter manages to defeat Balem, pushing him into the plasma core of his own refinery, which subsequently explodes. With Balem's death and the destruction of the refinery, the immediate threat to Earth is averted. Jupiter officially claims her inheritance and, understanding the true nature of the galactic economy, declares Earth a protected planet, forever safe from harvesting. She returns to her life on Earth, no longer a mere cleaning lady but a queen in her own right, though she chooses to keep her cosmic identity a secret from most. Her dreams of looking at the stars are now a reality, and she has Caine Wise by her side, his wings restored, symbolizing his redemption and their unique bond. The universe, though vast and dangerous, now holds a new meaning for Jupiter, who has found her place within it.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Mila Kunis as Jupiter Jones
• Channing Tatum as Caine Wise
• Sean Bean as Stinger Apini
• Eddie Redmayne as Balem Abrasax
• Douglas Booth as Titus Abrasax
• Tuppence Middleton as Kalique Abrasax

Crew:

• Directed by: The Wachowskis (Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski)
• Written by: The Wachowskis (Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski)
• Produced by: Grant Hill, Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski
• Music by: Michael Giacchino
• Cinematography: John Toll
• Edited by: Alexander Berner

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: February 6, 2015
• Language: English
• Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Adventure, Space Opera
• Running Time: 127 minutes
• Accolades: Eddie Redmayne won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor.