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RE: not to worry, I took the plunge and walked in...

....so you don't have to or can just so you can compare notes.

What it is:
A huge cgi extravaganza. An imagined world where humanity owns worlds far flung across the "verse". Developed technologies so advanced as to be unimaginable to us Earthers. And a dark secret unknown to Earth dwellers, but if they did know all would be horrified beyond any horror known to us throughout our human history.

What it isn't:
Unlike the Star Wars franchise, this is not a children's story. More like a comic book story for 12yrs and adults who, tho out on their own and over 30 are still twelve in certain parts of their minds. It doesn't exactly tell a cohesive story. In this movie it is not readily apparent who is good...except for our protagonist, Jupiter Jones. (played by an easy on the eyes Mila Kunis) Although there is one baddie that is easy to mark. His demeanor seems depraved from the get-go. But as the movie develops it seems there are surprises that unfold and loyalties that are bought and paid for. Then some of those bargains get double-crossed. By the movie end we can spot the good characters from the bad.

I saw it in Imax 3d. The 3d effects were definitely very good at times and a bit toned down at other times. There was also one annoying effect that I presume to be part of the 3D presentation. At times in close confines where characters are interacting the near characters would be blurred out but the further away characters would be in sharp focus. Photography being a hobby of mine I identified this as the typical problems and limitations having to do with focal length of a given lens. (that area where sharp focus can only happen within a given distance from the lens.

The overall vision:
It seems the movie borrowed some of the visuals and style from the movie "The chronicles of Riddick". Just a touch of David Lynch's "Dune". And lots of original imagining from the Wachowskis.

edit:
Fwiw, I did not see any obvious clues (on the visual level) that would link this movie to their previous Matrix trilogy. However, Jupiter Jones does share a role similar to that of Neo in The Matrix...yet hers is a very different personna. Both Neo and Jupiter become saviors to their peoples.

There is one central motivation for the off-Earthers that does mimic that in the Matrix world. And Earth is being used for it. To say more would be a spoiler. There are some key parallels between essential elements of the Matrix world and this one. It just doesn't look like The Matrix.

Star Wars: Some of the background characters resemble something that may have been drawn in the Star Wars world but mainly this film has a much different look to that of Star Wars.

Star Trek: One group of characters in this jumble do resemble in appearance and demeanor a dinosaur character from the first Star Trek TV series. (imagine a world of intelligent speach capable dinosaurs) Though much better realized than the low budget television series creatures. The dinosaur-types in this movie are drawn closer to the quality level of dino's seen in Jurassic Park. Very menacing, yet somehow we don't take them too seriously. Comic book characters. Every character in this film is as from a comic book.

Non-stop action. Perhaps the action comes up so fast that one may wonder what's happening. But I suspect another viewing or two I would see that character dialogue did tell enough about what was at stake to justify what happens next in each succeeding scene. But I don't feel inclined toward another viewing. My curiosity about the film is satisfied.

The reviewers are not very generous with this film. I'd probably be more generous but I don't think I'm going to rate it at this time. What I did like was the quality of computer graphics. There are many scenes in this movie which are stunning to view.

I'll admit it; I am something of a computer graphics junkie. I really like to keep track of how the movie business continues to develop this still new (25 yrs in mainstream movies) art form.


-Steve




Edits: 02/06/15 02/07/15 02/07/15

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