Falls victim to its own ambition, but the effort is more than commendable.

Rating: 7/10 (13 March 2013)

Cloud Atlas reeks of the type of film destined to receive polarising reviews upon its release, earn a cult following in the next few years and ultimately, in tentwentyfifty years time, be revered as an indisputable classic of the sci-fi genre. But that is then, and this is now. And right now, it feels too much like a mish-mash of abundant creativity let down by flawed execution, further hurt by a punishing runtime that threatens to isolate its audience.
The film, co-directed by Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run, Perfume) and the Wachowskis (The Matrix trilogy) weaves together six different tales showing how people's actions, both good and evil, reverberate through time and place.
The stories follow a weary shipmate who is unwittingly poisoned by the vessel's malevolent doctor; a naïve youngster who becomes a protégé to the world's greatest composer; a feisty journalist keen to blow the lid off a corrupt plant; a lovable kook trying to break out of a nursing home; a cloned waitress who rejects slavery in favour of a normal life; and an uneasy pilgrimage shared between a Neanderthal and a futuristic visitor.
The plot shifts constantly between stories, and while the semantics of each story are simplified to ensure the attentive viewer doesn't get lost, much emotion disappears as well. Much in the same way that a coach must give equal playing time to every member of his Under 8s soccer team, so to does the overall performance of the film falter in an attempt to give each outcome equal polish.
Pleasingly, each story feels like it would make for compelling viewing in its own vacuum. From the romantic tragedy of "Letters from Zedelghem" to the prison break comedy of "The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish" and the neo-noir subtext of "An Orison of Sonmi-451", there is much enjoyment to be had from the galore of genre mashing here, but one fable's relevance to its brothers does often feel contrived.
The directorial trio is further pushed between a rock and a hard place when one realises this depth in storytelling goes hand-in-hand with a near 3-hour runtime, which forces demanding viewers to simply go through the motions for much of the last act, heavily stymieing what tries to be an emotional power-punch of an ending, but one that feels more like a desperate flail.
*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review. If you're looking for a writer for your movie website or other publication, I'd also love to hear from you.*