From the looks of things, Jupiter Ascending isn’t going to go down in the history books next to The Matrix in either critical appreciation or commercial success. And maybe that’s too bad.

Jupiter Ascending has its problems, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t a fun, entertaining movie with a lot of ideas and a lot heart. It reminds me of The Fifth Element, and that was hardly popular when it came out in 1997. Many people thought it too weird, while being overly pretty but ultimately empty, and a lot of that’s be levelled against Jupiter now, so from my point it’s in good company.

The Wachowskis are interesting filmmakers, and their last film, Cloud Atlas, was based on a movie that everyone said was unfilmable, but they still made something fascinating and compelling out of it. Even their supposed bombs, like parts 2 and 3 of The Matrix trilogy and Speed Racer, are now better thought of in hindsight. It would have been nice if Jupiter could have been a smash hit, especially considering the dearth of original big budgets works in Hollywood, but perhaps cult status is a nice silver medal.

Read my full review of Jupiter Ascending on Nerd Bastards.