A Refreshingly Inventive Film that Spans Generations

Rating: 9/10 (9 August 2013)

Aw man, I wish I hadn't missed this film during its theatrical run. We're at a point when movie studios spend the majority of their efforts on bombastic summer blockbusters that appeal to the masses (of which, I admit, I'm a member), and it's not often we get a movie where the filmmakers really get a chance to go all out in bringing their vision to life. In my opinion, CLOUD ATLAS never really stood a chance in mainstream theaters and it's a shame to see that it grossed so low in the United States. From what I can determine, your average Joe theatergoer isn't going to invest a lot of energy into following nonlinear storytelling, especially when there are six separate stories spanning five hundred years blended together into a mosaic about reincarnation of the soul and the cyclical nature of life with themes of opposing oppression and achieving one's fate. At least, that's what I took away from this movie. I believe CLOUD ATLAS is one of those films that are open to interpretation from each member of its audience. Over the course of the film, we watch as souls move from one generation to the next and observe how the actions of one generation can drastically affect generations of the future:
In 1849, an American lawyer falls ill as he crosses the Pacific Ocean and befriends a stowaway slave while under the questionable care of a doctor. In 1936, an aspiring composer accepts a position as an aid to world famous musician and quietly composes his own greatest masterpiece. In 1973, a small-time journalist discovers evidence that an oil magnate might be organizing sabotage of the nuclear energy industry and endangering innocent lives. In 2012, a publisher on the run from hoodlums believes his brother has found him sanctuary in a quaint hotel in the countryside but discovers its true sinister nature. In 2144, a fabricant (clone) used for menial work in the fast food industry of Neo-Seoul escapes from her life of servitude and is shown the horrifying truth regarding the life of fabricants. And in 2321, a man of a primitive culture in the aftermath of catastrophic global events journeys to the top of a mountain where he risks facing the Devil itself to aid a friend.
The first aspect of CLOUD ATLAS one is bound to notice would be that every major actor in the film plays multiple roles. The filmmakers took this angle a step further and each actor portrays characters of various races and genders. This is where things can become a bit distracting at first. The makeup effects in the film are impressive and generally seamless, but Hugo Weaving in drag is still Hugo Weaving in drag. Hard as you might try, it's hard to ignore. Thankfully, this particular instance occurs in the only real comedic story in the bunch ("The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish") so it doesn't hamper the story. Other cases don't necessarily fare as well. The 2144 tale is set in a futuristic Seoul, Korea so the characters are naturally Koreanexcept a good portion of the cast is not. I'll be honestit mostly works. It doesn't sit well for a little while but you become accustomed to it and future revisits to the movie become easier to settle in with. Some might also believe the language of the primitive islanders in the 2321 tale to be a problem. It sounds a little childish at first and it's weird hearing it spoken so earnestly by people like Tom Hanks and Halle Berry, but just like Jim Sturgess disguised as a Korean, you get used to it.
Don't misunderstand me, though: these are not to be construed as problems with the film. If anything, they add flavor and I love it. And once you get past some of the oddities, this is just a really, really good movie. I love how each of the stories has their own feel and each of them ties into one another in some fashion, whether directly or indirectly. Everything here is connected, and they all share the common themes found scattered throughout the movie of rising up against the powerful and oppressive. The movie is made even more effective with some amazing casting. Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, Jim Broadbent, Keith David, and many, many more populate the film. CLOUD ATLAS is a unique experience and you have to give each cast and crew member involved for coming together to create something so different from 99% of the rest of the movies released each year. My concern is that CLOUD ATLAS did so poorly in theaters that it might discourage directors from taking chances and providing us with content more creative than your average summer explosion-fest or screwball comedies. So, in an effort to bring about more films as inventive as CLOUD ATLAS, I encourage everyone to give it a chance. It's one of those films that are perfect for a post- viewing discussion.