Cloud Atlas

If one were to ask me what Cloud Atlas is like, the first word that comes to mind is dense. Based on the novel of the same name, the story follows a number of different timelines, which loosely intertwine and come back to themes of life, death, love and all that stuff. In order to better illustrate the connections, the film employs the use of the same actors as many of the leads spanning different lifetimes. It becomes an Easter egg hunt to find out who is playing who as the film goes on. The use of prosthesis often makes it difficult. Plus race, sex and age prove unimportant as the cast changes through all of them with ease. While I enjoyed this innovative move, it could be construed as gimmicky to distract impatient audiences from how long the film is.

In order to give each story its due, it makes sense that the length approaches three hours. I wonder if Cloud Atlas would have been more accessible as a mini-series. There are just too many story lines for a movie. Cutting one out would have gone a long way. But of course, which one would get cut? It’s impossible to choose. The Wachowski’s and Tom Tykwer direct with pinpoint precision to the point where each arch could stand on its own. Trying to choose a favorite, I switched between three different stories before realizing I couldn’t decide.

Cloud Atlas reaches its political heights in Neo-Seoul, pulls on the audience’s emotions in 1936 Scotland, gains our sympathy in the 1849 South Pacific and gives some comic relief in modern day England. Each member of the cast is given their moment to shine as a lead, which is welcome allowing for strong players like Jim Broadbent and Ben Whishaw to get their moments in the spotlight opposite the better known stars like Tom Hanks and Halle Berry. The movie was definitely long and doesn’t have the tie together ending big Hollywood has led us to expect, but this is the kind of project that will push film making to the next level.

Each film earns either zero, a half or a full arrow in five categories. The categories are Acting, Writing/Directing, Emotion, Innovation and Overall Impression. The arrows are added up to equal the full score.