Cloud Atlas is wildly ambitious and deeply philosophical

Rating: 9/10 (28 February 2013)

Each time I consider where to begin reviewing 'Cloud Atlas' my head feels like it's about to explode 'Scanners' style. My mind flicks back through the movie and its various stories and times. Where do I even begin with such a film? It's based on a book by David Mitchell, which I haven't read but I hear it was considered unfilmable by many. This adaptation is written for the screen and Directed by Tom Tykwer ('Perfume', 'Run Lola Run') and the duo formerly known as The Wachowski brothers ('The Matrix' Trilogy, 'Bound' and writers of' V For Vendetta'). I say formerly because Larry Wachowski is now Lana Wachowski. I'll quote the trivia section on her IMDb page to clear this up:
"Understood to have had gender reassignment surgery after "Speed Racer" in 2008. For 10 years beforehand, it is believed that Lana was having hormone therapy. Her first public interview after revealing herself as Lana came at a press conference to discuss 'Cloud Atlas', where she fielded questions about her private life with resigned good humor. Her brother Andy, to whom she is very close, is fiercely protective of his sister and supportive of her struggle to live in her authentic gender role."
Not really relevant to the movie but it was an interesting fact I thought I'd share as confused me for a while. I thought Andy Wachowski was now working with a new sister, which I suppose in a way he is. Anyway, I'm very happy for her and she looks great in interviews promoting 'Cloud Atlas', especially sporting some funky pink dreads.
'Cloud Atlas' is about five, six, I don't know how many movies in one, and is one of the most ambitious films ever made, if not the most. It's intelligent, profound, thought-provoking and mind-boggling in scope and philosophy. It's also wild, crazy, unhinged and downright odd.
Not only does it frequently switch story, but also time, and the tone is all over the place. One minute you'll be watching a serious period piece about a classical composer and the next minute a futuristic dystopian Science-Fiction film, then a seventies conspiracy thriller, then a comedy about the elderly set in present time, then some jungle tribes fighting and a man being harassed by some sort of green goblin demon. It's both completely nuts and deeply intelligent, and this combination delighted me and my thirst for groundbreaking cinema.
The film has a wealth of top actors including Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Keith David, Jim Sturgess, Ben Whishaw and Doona Bae. The characters in the different times are played by the same actors and have to deal with similar crises and decisions at times. The obvious interpretation is the movie is about reincarnation, but I don't think it's that rigid or that you have to believe in reincarnation to appreciate it. One clear message from the movie is the question it poses, "Why do humans continue to make the same mistakes over and over?" and this is a very good question, as is the idea that this cycle can be broken.
One character makes positive decisions in his past which shapes his similar decisions in the future life. Another character makes very bad decisions in some lives, shown to wrestle with his conscience in other lives but ultimately makes positive, vital decisions for the future of humanity. The idea that our future selves' decisions can be shaped by our decisions is an interesting and important one. Even discarding reincarnation, could the future of the human race become better, or inferior, through decisions we make now? Of course it can and the idea that one person can make a difference, despite just being a drop in the ocean is also true, but, as the movie states, an ocean is made up of drops. Can the future human race be genetically better, or inferior, due to the decisions we make now? Well, this is more debatable and evolution is a very mysterious thing, but I'd say yes also. Are certain people destined to meet? Probably not but it's a beautiful thought. These are just some of the deeply profound questions and ideas the movie covers.
At almost three hours running time, and feeling more like six due to all the various plot/times, this is one of the best value-for-money cinema experiences you'll ever have. It's also certain to be one of the finest movies of 2013, even if I expect it's too deep, challenging and demanding for your average cinema-goer. It is a rather hard going and odd film that's bound to attract its fair share of haters but I think it will be loved and appreciated by more.
The only criticisms I have are that some stories worked better than others, and also there were some seriously dodgy make-up jobs at times. I sympathise with the special effects artists as not easy to make young people look old, Oriental people look Caucasian and a man look like a woman, and at times they did as good a job as could possibly be expected. However, there were other times it looked so fake it was funny, but in a way this just added to the zaniness of the whole project. It was quite an odd contrast to sometimes being one of the most visually impressive Science-Fiction movies ever.
Even just for the bravery and wild ambition I loved 'Cloud Atlas', but it was also profound, philosophical, thought-provoking and, at times, deeply moving. I consider it a flawed masterpiece where even its flaws have a certain charm. Nobody can deny this is a very special and unique project, and films this special don't come along often. However, whether it's special in a good or bad way is down to the individual. I'm with the former and have to say 'Cloud Atlas' blew my mind.