A strange, difficult and yet entrancing movie

Rating: 9/10 (1 November 2012)

Don't listen to the naysayers. Although it is difficult to put together all of the segments of he movie, the segments of this movie are so interesting and inspiring in themselves that the movie is fascinating even if you can't form a mental synthesis of all the stories. I particularly liked the future world represented by Seoul, Korea. Without giving away the plot, suffice it to say that the combination of spectacular special effects and the ultimate underdog versus establishment storyline make for an exciting and enthralling viewer experience. The Korean actress Doona Bae as a "fabricant" is so convincing and likable that she steals the show. The interplay between this story and the story with Tom Hanks and Halle Berre in the "valley" in the post apocalyptic world is shocking yet totally plausible. This is not an "easy" movie to figure out and definitely not formulaic. Perhaps reading the novel, which I have not done yet, would clarify a lot. But the fact that I want to read the novel is indicative of the movie's strange and gripping hold on the viewer.