I've heard both very positive and highly critical reviews of Jupiter Ascending, but I think the reality is somewhere in the middle. I enjoyed the film, but it definitely isn't one I'll be rushing back to watch.

The plot is interesting enough, though feels quite derivative of The Matrix, which is a shame considering they're both Wachowskis films. I mean, at some point I'd like to see a move by the famous duo which doesn't place humanity at the centre of a plot to use us for fuel. That said, the intergalactic world of near-immortal god-like people was beautifully designed and quite intricate at times. I liked that immortality had lead to a slightly more nuanced 'world' for once, where hedonism was absolutely indulged in but ultimately had worn off millennia ago to be replaced with various other, longer-term appetites which varied between characters. That feels a lot more likely than the infinite life = infinite pleasure concept which is often bandied about amongst science fiction works.

I also enjoyed that this ancient intergalactic civilisation was neither perfect nor thought of itself as such. It was aware that it had failed at times in the past, such as with creating genetically engineered super soldiers which couldn't be controlled, and allowed the audience to directly see some of the results. Again, though, a lot of these ideas felt derivative. The correlations between Jupiter Ascending and certain parts of the Hunger Games world are likely coincidental, given the timelines involved for both projects, but use of angel imagery, anti-gravity devices and genetic splicing (especially with misrepresented 'wolf life' traits) all feel a little well worn if you're even just a passing fan of the genre.

In honesty, then, the plot and world aren't too special. They're passable, entertaining enough and never particularly irksome, but they also won't be particularly influential. In reality, much of what steps the film up from simply mediocre are the performances and special effects. The latter are simply stunning, with some clever-enough ideas executed well beyond their requirements, such as the blue plasma bursts on the anti-grav boots. As mentioned above, the set building, costumes and general world as shown by the film is visually stunning and if you enjoy that side of film making Jupiter Ascending will not disappoint. Stuck on top of the pretty veneer are some pretty fun performances from most of the lead actors. Both Channing Tatum and Sean Bean (who doesn't even die!) are well cast as low-class but highly trained police and bring a much higher level of humanity to their characters then the script alone would have conveyed. Eddie Redmayne is characteristically brilliant, giving the megalomaniac dictator role a slightly off-hinged and disconcertingly quiet spin. It doesn't work in every scene but when it hits home it makes him far more sinister then I think anyone else could have managed – definitely not your stereotypical sci-fi bad guy. Then there's Mila Kunis, who frankly does extremely well to breathe a bit of life into a character whose main purpose is to be the largely characterless audience analogue, another tired genre trope. Again, none of these characters are going to stick with me for much time (with the possible exception of Redmayne's performance) but they're, frankly, far better then the script and plot deserve and lift the film up from being completely mediocre.

What you're left with is an entertaining, overlong and trope-filled science fiction epic with some clever action sequences and just enough by way of plot to keep you happy. The pacing is done well, the score is forgettable but fitting and the direction is barely noticeable, which is neither good nor bad. If you like the genre you'll enjoy the film but if it isn't your cup of tea then definitely one to skip.