Jupiter's Moon (2017) User Reviews

7.5 Stars - Ignore the angry right wing trolls who didn't even watch the movie

[TheUserIDYouEnteredHasAlready · 7/10 · 4 June 2019]

Excellent acting from first-time and veteran Hungarian and Syrian actors. The cinematography and effects were top notch. The script is where the weaknesses start to take over, but miraculously it never strains believability too much.

MILD Spoilers ahead:

As far as the alleged political messages - there ARE NONE. There is no "demonization" of the countries that take in or refuse refugees. There is simply a realistic depiction of how refugees are dealt with in Hungary. If showing reality for what it is (minus a flying kid) is "left wing agitprop" then you can safely discount what any reviewer - professional or hobbyist - has to say. Seriously, this is not a "political" movie at all. A young Syrian refugee and his family encounter some harsher than usual border enforcers and he then attempts to gain entry to the EU through whatever means he is presented with.

Again, there are gaps in the plot/story but nothing too bad. The city of Budapest is featured prominently and other than the supernatural elements at work, the movie is MOSTLY believable. Give it a try and bring an open mind. You will not be preached to, contrary to some reviews by people who have obviously not watched it, and to whom being an IMDB activist is more important than reviewing titles.

Propaganda? Get a life, this is just an entertaining movie.

[deloudelouvain · 6/10 · 2 August 2019]

People that reviewed this movie with the lowest score possible are all right wing trolls, you would think a movie site like IMDb would not have to deal with those idiots but here you go. Jupiter's Moon is well made, with at times a very nice cinematography, a bunch of unknown-to-me actors that did a very good job playing their characters. The story is interesting to follow even though it has his flaws. Not all is perfect or makes sense all the time but the movie is captivating enough to keep your attention all the time. Don't listen to those idiots that see politics in everything and that feel the urge to spit their negativity anytime they can.

Was okay

[jonsilcox · 5/10 · 9 June 2020]

This movie doesn't have a lot going for it, but it's ok. It didn't make much sense, and isn't true science fiction. I tried to like it, and tried to enjoy it, but it didn't get any better as it went along. I thought it was fairly predictable. The acting and cinematography were the lone bright spots, but they weren't enough to carry the movie. There were political messages, but I overlooked them. I was hoping for more, but it was ok.

Nathan Petrelli, eat your heart out!

[gridoon2024 · 6/10 · 21 February 2018]

Strikingly original concept, which boldly merges the gritty with the fantastical. Extremely well-directed: the flying/floating/swirling scenes, the car & the foot chase, the panoramic city shots, they all rival (if not surpass) any Hollywood blockbuster. They are astonishing. The problem is with the script development: it's overlong, uneven and somewhat unfocused. Nevertheless, the film is so technically accomplished that before it had even finished I said "this could be Kornél Mundruczó's ticket to Hollywood, if he wishes it to be". Then I checked IMDb and, what do you know, somebody agreed with me: now he is making a film with Gal Gadot and Bradley Cooper! **1/2 out of 4.

Impressions on the general mood in Hungary

[huberzol · 6/10 · 9 January 2019]

Who would have thought that the first Hungarian superhero would be a refugee? Jupiter's Moon (Jupiter holdja) is not just another movie about men flying around in capes, but about a Syrian boy with mysterious supernatural abilities. The director, Kornél Mundruczó, is famous for his social awareness and his films frequently show the struggle of underdogs. The director decided to focus on the subject of immigration after the chaotic scenes at Budapest's main railway station Keleti pályaudvar in 2015. Mundruczó portrayal does not judge the particular situation and avoids the direct political resonances, but instead he shares his impressions on the general mood in Hungary.

Half fantasy, half drama, Jupiter's Moon is a unique blend of breath-taking action scenes and dark satire questioning the nature of fate and beliefs. The title refers to Jupiter's moon called Europa, reflecting on the current questions our continent needs to face. The story starts at the southern border of Hungary, where the Syrian boy, Aryan, is shot by the border patrol and suddenly starts to float through the air. The refugee camp's Hungarian doctor discovers the strange event and tries to help the boy. The doctor however has ulterior motives and hope to make money from the miracle. The two travel to the capital and meet with very different people who are seeking some kind of salvation.

Set somewhere in the near future, the neon-glowing Budapest is different from what we know today. There is a heavy police presence, disturbing noise and blinking lights everywhere. The audience can feel the paranoia in the air coming across the screen.

The movie is clever enough not to explain the extraordinary and shows us a sharp tableau of an odd journey. The unexpected friendship holds the story together, but every scene and character reflect on the general fear of the unknown. Jupiter's Moon is gritty, heavy and unsettling, but also thought-provoking and rare. Mundruczó successfully captures the turbulent times we are living in.

Engrossing to the end

[tomdickson · 7/10 · 18 June 2017]

Part of SFF late arrivals from Cannes. Think Botticelli by Tarrantino. You'll suspend your disbelieve and fly away with this story or never really get it. I happily went along with the angel as I watched the desperation of people to get outcomes and believe in a God. The camera work, direction, acting are all write capable. Timely film when we see what has happened since the west decided to sort the middle east out. Hungary took a particularly strong potion on this and the film may be making a point, but there are so many angles in this story. Strap your seat belt on and enjoy the ride.

Some very good cinematography

[calorne · 5/10 · 6 August 2020]

What really caught my eye in this film was the cinematography, especially so a car chase and some foot chases that were very exhilarating to watch. I am not quite sure how they were done but they were excellent.

The plot was rather hard to understand and there were two betrayals and a reprieve that didn't sit right for the characters who carried them out. Additionally, for me the levitating got a bit old and samey very quickly. I think it would've been more effective if he had levitated just the once at the end and the story had been rewritten to build up to that.

A "noir" movie

[AliensReservoir · 8/10 · 19 April 2019]

My review is not political nor about propaganda as i saw some, I don't care about those I just wanted to see a movie, and Jupiter's Moon is a movie, not a documentary!

So, the story was well written and took a direction I did not liked, but is for that a bad movie? No! it's a very good movie and the story hooked me up to the end.

Acting: A very good surprise, Those are real actors, all of them! Acting was great in all sense and all way. Hungary has GREAT actors, period.

It's "noir", i am not a fan of noir movies, and did not expect this movie get on this side, but overall it was a nice noir movie.

In my opinion It's a 6/10 star movie, but like I said above the acting was very good so an easy 8/10 for the actors, they deserve it ;)

A different view

[lallo-2 · 7/10 · 10 March 2019]

If you want to watch a movie telling a story, a different story, this is your movie.

The plot is not complex and sophisticated but I don't want to spoil it. Maybe not so rushy and barelu emorional in some parts, but you want to know how it ends.

Best way is to watch it.

Well shot and acted but very grim

[douglasgcoc · 4/10 · 8 October 2018]

Great camera work and as a film a quite original idea with some thoughts to ponder but very bleak. Aryan Dashi, the refugee, is the sole sympathetic character with maybe also the struck-off doctor looking after him, initially for exploitation, redeemed at the end. I have been to Hungary years ago and saw good things but this film wouldn't attract me!

Another jewel in art movies

[szilveszterdomotor · 8/10 · 17 January 2018]

This movie as a Hungarian makes me a little bit nervous from the begging , the writer represent the country like it was in 1980-1990, I think the contrast about the reality and the presented Hungary is so big. Why I say this is a pure art movie: There is no chained explained story line, the script always blowing bubbles and they just "levitate" away. I think if it would not be advertise I would not watch it as Hungarian art movies are not touching my soul. I could see the presented contrast and puritan environment highlight out huge social problems, I think sometimes bit drastically , you will see episodes, which make no sense to this "minimal" story line, but blowing huge balloons blown.

I guess more than 50% of this movie is pure critics about the humanity, and compare global issues with personal problems, and sometimes the personal problem grows global. I am not sure if I could understand the whole movie, as it need a lot focus, and as it has no linear easy story line, but I think no one will as you can't find something, which is not in the movie:).

As a Hungarian I suggest it everyone who a little bit interested in drama, it will not move you closer to my country, but there are couple episodes of the movie, which will bind you to the monitor. I am rating the best parts of the movie, not the majority, 8 rating is the max in the movie, average i would rate it 5, from Hungarian movie industry it is the best movie in the last 2-3 years!

A film full of story

[euroGary · 7/10 · 9 January 2018]

Well, this is a strange one: it seems to be part sci-fi fantasy, part religious allegory and part political polemic about the treatment of refugees.

Syrian refugee Aryan (played by Zsombor Jéger, who is not Syrian but Hungarian) is shot by police officer László (György Cserhalmi) while trying to illegally enter Hungary. But instead of dying he levitates. Winding up in a refugee camp, his 'super-power' is discovered by doctor Gabor (Merab Ninidze, currently appearing in the BBC's 'McMafia'). At first, Gabor sees Aryan chiefly as an opportunity to get cash from the religiously gullible, but gradually he grows to sympathise with the boy's plight and resolves to help him search for his missing father. But grizzled cop László is determined to stay on their trail, particularly when Aryan is implicated in a terrorist atrocity.

It is difficult to tell how well the Hungarian Jéger plays a Syrian, but he makes a sympathetic enough hero. Cserhalmi is appropriately focused as the obsessive László, determined to track down the illegal immigrant - or is he an angel? It is Ninidze who is on-screen the most, and his world-weary manner and hang-dog looks are perfect for the part of sleazy, disgraced Gabor (although curiously, in the cast list another actor is listed as 'voice of Gabor Stern').

Given their importance to the plot, the levitation scenes are at times carelessly-staged - it is often obvious that Jéger is on wires and, considering how high Aryan levitates, it is remarkable that his hair stays in place even when gusts of wind are heard on the soundtrack. And is the viewer really supposed to believe that - final scene aside - when Aryan levitates over city streets only one or two people notice him? But flaws aside, this film has interesting characters and is packed to bursting with story.

Not only Hollywood goes for look over script...

[highnemonkey · 5/10 · 8 January 2019]

What a letdown. The first 20 minutes had me on the edge of my seat, the movie throws you directly into the action, introduces characters well, delivers fast paced action beautifully shot, which reminded me of "Children of Men". So there I was, presented an intriguing mixture between social commentary and superhero entertainment. What followed? A script that wants to much and lacks the boldness to go one way but decides to stumble upon many. The images are intriguing but even after half of the movie I got a bit bored of it. It stretched so long that in the end I didnt even care what happened. Well, even if I had cared - what was I waiting for? Where was all of this going? Sure, a kid being hunted down by a policeman and protected by a doctor - but you couldnt go any better way with a set up like this?

Modern superhero movies and Hollywood in general often faces the judgement of hiding a weak script behind grandiose looks - I dont see why this movie shouldnt be judged and found guilty by the same sentence.

Follow the flow

[abrauneis · 7/10 · 18 December 2021]

The movie unfolds itself step by step, it takes its time it leads you somewhere allowing you to follow it, do not think why this now happens or that, this the way it is, this is life and that is what the movie is about or perhaps about that there might be or must be something more.

Warning this movie is a work of far left agitprop

[homalyzona · 1/10 · 11 January 2018]

In all fairness the movie fairs fairly well in terms of cinematography. But so does the Triumph des Willens or Der Ewige Jude. Because this is movie falls into the exact same genre as those. Extremist political propaganda. A bag of utter hate mongering lies. Right from the very beginning. Literally. The opening scene shows a group of Syrian migrants being chased by Hungarian police as they are trying to cross the Hungarian border illegally. Then the antagonist character a Hungarian detective shoots the hero (the young Syrian man who is so pure and innocent and special that some higher power resurrects and turns him into some flying saint like living miracle). Then later or they show a bunch of other migrants from the same group laying around dead being put into body bags. How they died, the movie won't tell. Now the thing is that out of the over 1.5 million 3rd world migrants from around 100 different countries who illegally and violently broke into Europe in 2015 and 2016 there was only a singular recorded case of police opening fire on them when Slovakian police wounded but not killed a Syrian female migrant. One case. No case however where a migrant actually got killed by any kind of police or armed forces in all of Europe is known. But the creators of this agitprop trash could not care less about the facts or reality itself for that matter. They tell a tale of a genocide committed by Hungarians because that sells well and serves their political agenda. The rest of the movie isn't any better than the opening scene by the way. It depicts Hungarians and other Europeans as a bunch of heartless, corrupt, decadent mean scum throughout the movie. It even goes as far as smearing the Bible itself with another lead character Dr Stern calling it a book where children are slaughtered, people are tortured and extra-marital sex is promoted. Shame on you people who created this outrage and shame on the Hungarian Film Foundation for supporting a left fascist anti European, anti Hungarian, anti Christian propaganda movie with over 3 million dollars.

Like all Art should be

[psbzu · 9/10 · 1 October 2019]

Politics aside this is a jewel of a movie. If you have a heart and a functional brain you should see this simple story about the Human condition. The background is Hungary, a country where all society is involved one way or another with the refugees subject, some find damnation others redemption. Try to watch it in a non-biased way and you´re in for a sweet&sour treat.

Pues todavía no sé por qué pasa nada. Well I still do not know why nothing happens

[Andres-Camara · 4/10 · 20 May 2018]

Well I spent the whole movie waiting for the explanation of why it flies, but I imagine that it will have to be an act of faith, you believe it, period, but since I am very rational, I do not feel like it.

It is also that sometimes it flies for one thing and sometimes for another. He chooses when he flies, but not always. Also sometimes it takes advantage of its use and that is not very ethical.

I do not like anything as it is shot. It also takes me out of the film, it's as if we had to do the planes like that through the nose as always, as if the norm in the film is to move the camera like that. It's about that every moment has its shape not the other way around.

I believe the actors, although I do not know if they believe what they want to tell us or do not even know.

Lighting is sometimes fine, sometimes it's bad. When it's okay, it gets you full and it's pretty, but when it's on the street. She's so bad.

The director, counting his manias, because he ballasts the movie. It does not explain things, you do not know why or why. What does the end mean? I'm not bored, but I do not know where he's going.

I do not know, I guess someday someone will take me out of doubt

The sky above Budapest

[ilozzoli · 8/10 · 14 June 2018]

Do you need a miracle to try to become a better person? Or maybe more? And can you actually be a better person, if you try to? You will not necessarily get a conclusive answer to these questions, but what you definitely get if you watch Jupiter's moon, is a relatively entertaining story wrapped into a migrant-sci-fi coating, wonderful camera work, really good action scenes, and some food for thought. Some of the scenes -- both inside and outside ones -- are excellent, acting is also OK. A surprisingly good movie, although you probably need to be in the right mood to really enjoy it.

See the trailer and you've seen the movie

[ceciliakonstantin · 2/10 · 10 March 2019]

You don't get any explanation to the levitating immigrant! Good acting but really weird people being depicted. The actors lines are a bit strange! You have zero sympathy for any of the characters since both the story and it's characters is poorly built. Seems that the main concern of this movie is to portrait the Hungarians as unattractive, ill minded, corrupt, dirty alcoholics with no sense of shame. Also most settings chosen give you the feeling of a very unfresh, poor country. Small cluttered spaces, dirty and with decor at least two decades old. I actually regret seeing this movie, I could have spent the time better doing something else.

Waste of time

[jasnuevo · 2/10 · 8 April 2021]

I have seen some favourable comments about this movie but I must say this film plot is one of the worst I have ever seen. If you are a Science Fiction fan attracted by the title of the movie I advise you to avoid this film, I have to admit that after seeing the movie I still do not see any relation between the title and the movie. In my opinion an absurd/unfortunate mixture of ideas such as refugees, terrorism, religion, exploitation, marginality... and levitation. If you want my advice do not waste your time watching this movie.

This was a masterpiece although I didn't get it!

[juanmuscle · 10/10 · 14 January 2021]

But surely it was going to be a difficult task to explain everything but I also suffered from slightly dissimilar subs than the discourse because once the English polemics broke through the subs were a bit different so I can't really say what intelligence transferred over was one hundred percent as intended but it doesn't matter, visually and the transitions and the way the story unfolded was incredible, awesome experience. The ending definitely left me stumped but that's OK, would have loved to have gotten a nice explanation and closure one hundred percent but really how can we expect it when the idea it is but an impossibility! There is no way to close something that never really started but that's OK, I would highly recommend this - at the end of the movie the only writing Credit is for Kata Weber but here on IMDB it has Ol' boy on here as well so that is strange! But that's OK , they seem to be a team I also want to see the movies he has been writing and directing if I can find them! God bless Hungary they have at least what we know from these two an awesome creative team, if you want high-quality fun with seminal ideas look no further!