Good visualisation of a great book.

Rating: 6/10 (4 March 2013)

Yesterday I finally got around to see Cloud Atlas. I was with my girlfriend who hadn't read the book.
Visually speaking the cinematographers did a great job: camera, photography, VFX and especially acting is top notch. And discovering which actor is which under such heavy (and finely done) make up in the different stories adds to the enjoyment of the movie.
But unfortunately this isn't enough to make the movie great and enjoyable as the book. The main problem lies in the fact that the stories, in the book, are secondary. The main aspect is the literary virtuosism with which of the story is narrated and written: the plot, the language and the style of each one is what really shines in the book: the birthmark the intertweening stories are just expedients to a refined display of literary power.
The fact that what makes the book inerhently great couldn't be translated as a movie, was my big worry when I heard about a film to be made. The writers and directors had to fall back on the stories as the underlying glue. And the result falls short: the different stories are compressed, and the continuity links between them are sometimes just one unfocused short line of dialogue, likely to be missed (and the fast editing doesn't help if you're trying to follow). The filmmakers, because of the limitations of the medium, have decided to tell and not really show the message of the film, which unfortunately makes it preachy and new-age flavoured.
Given the starting material probably this is the best possible film adaptation of the book, unfortunately it isn't enough to make a great film. My advice is to read the book and watch the movie afterwards so you are able to fill in the (many) blanks while enjoying the great visual side of the film.