6 movies in 1

Rating: 6/10 (22 November 2013)

This film presents us with 6 stories in different ages (19th century, the 30s, the 70s, the present, 2100s and 2300s), linked together apparently by some sort of spiritual humanistic plot.
Cloud Atlas is like a mixture of Magnolia, The Hours and even Baccano! I wouldn't be surprise if they found "inspiration" in those or other sources, since certain directors/writers siblings like to take from other works. Anyway, it's one of those strange cases in which my expectations matched almost perfectly what I witnessed. No more, no less. I don't picture this movie as pretentious, although I see how pretentious people may love it. In any case, it's not for everybody.
Each of the 6 stories is somehow valuable (plot wise) on its own, and I found them interesting enough. Nothing mind-blowing, nothing boring. The toll of so many movies interlaced in one is the running time, close to 3 hours. It's bearable though. And you will find a bit of historical film, a lot of drama and mystery, some fantasy and nice scifi. Mind you, the fantastic and futuristic elements are there for the purpose of the plot only, not to show off. That doesn't rest importance to the nicely done special effects.
It's also curious to note how the same actors play different roles in all different ages.
The bottom line is that this film is yet another story that tries to inject spiritualism (non-religious) into our brains, in the again common current of seen humans through the eyes of humanism, and aiming for something bigger that the simple fact of us being just a sac of flesh.
OK to see if you like drama and human related spirituality. This movie won't probably say much to a person with a true purpose in his/her life (no wow effect/change of life after watching it). I suspect that, if you are trying to find something to fill a void, you'll like it more.