科幻片《木星上行》

    Jupiter AscendingThe worst thing about this sci-fi movie is that human society, having been around for more than a billion years, is still ruled by a British-style royal family as if it were the 1550s.

    Here people on Earth are only “livestock*” to a ruling clan based elsewhere in the space that suddenly finds itself in a power struggle following the unexpected death of a queen of 100,000 years standing. Waiting in the wings are three heirs*. They have different ideas on how to treat* a lowly Chicago maid who has the genetic makeup* of their late mother, which technically gives the young woman the right to become queen of the universe.

    A true Cinderella, Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis) cleans toilets to earn her keep with a big Russian family that includes her mother and aunt. Her astrophysicist* father was murdered back in the old country.

    She meets Caine (Channing Tatum), who wears shoes that enable him to lift off the ground and skate between the skyscrapers*. Caine spirits* Jupiter to a farm occupied by fellow tough guy Stinger (Sean Bean), who continues to call the young lady “Your Majesty.” So Jupiter now has loyal assistance in warding off* the warriors and monsters who arrive to take her away.

    For their part, the royal siblings, who live on planets of their own, have different attitudes about how to deal with this unexpected rival*.

    The most powerful among them, Balem (Eddie Redmayne), just wants her out of the way ASAP and does all he can to arrange it. The one female heir, Kalique (Tuppence Middleton), invites the earthling as a guest. The youngest, pretty boy Titus (Douglas Booth), plans to keep Jupiter on the sidelines while beating his brother and sister.

    The final action sequence is so long that it becomes ridiculous*.

    Special effects and technical work here are second-tier, acceptable but not on a level with the likes of “Interstellar,” “Gravity” and other cutting-edge sci-fi productions.

    (SD-Agencies)