A powerful movie...re-defining the word EPIC!

Rating: 9/10 (2 March 2013)

Summary: 6 different stories in different times intertwined beautifully with each other. Part history, part sci-fi, part love story, part comedy all transiting seamlessly in a 3-hours exhilarating journey through time. EPIC.
Plot: This movie has 6 different, loosely interconnected stories in it. Not only they are different, they are in different time frame as well! Well, here goes, in chronological order:
1. A tale of a lawyer's journey (Adam Ewing) of an ocean voyage across the Pacific in 1850s, which is recorded in his journal. He experienced the betrayal of his trusted doctor, and befriended a black slave who in turn save his life. His view of slavery was changed,and he vowed to stop slavery, even though he knew his effort would do little change to the mindset of his imperialist, colonial society. His journal was later published into a book.
2. Follows the tragically short life of a talented young composer (Robert Frobisher) who was in a forbidden homosexual relationship with his lover, Rufus Sixmith, student of Cambridge in the 1930s. He was heavily influenced by Ewing's journal while composing his masterpiece Cloud Atlas Sextet. However, his aging employee, a composer himself, forced Frobisher into surrendering Cloud Atlas to him, threatening to expose his sexual orientation to the public. Hi accidentally injured the man, and ran away. Realizing his life is ruined, he committed suicide after completing Cloud Atlas composition.
3. Set in 1970's, Rufus Sixmith, a renowned physicist now, met Luisa Rey, a journalist. He attempted to reveal a conspiracy about a nuclear plant to her before he was murdered. Luisa investigated the case and found herself in danger of being murdered too the closer she gets to the truth. In her investigation, she found letters written by Frobisher to Sixmith in the 1930s and a report of the nuclear plant. She finally uncovered the truth and wrote the article about the conspiracy.
4. This is set in modern days (2012). Timothy Cavendish was blackmailed for money by a group of thugs after he received a handsome royalty from his published book. He sought his brother help, who put him (without him knowing) to an old folk's home, with no way to get out. Residents were treated as prisoners, and each attempt to get out was stopped by the staff. He managed to "jailbreak" with the help of his elderly friends. He found his time there as an adventure worth to be told. Later he wrote about his experience, which was made into a movie ("The Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish") much later in time.
5. Follows the story of Sonmi-451, a clone-bred "server" who works at a restaurant in Neo Seoul, Korea in a distant future. Her life was routine; everyday she serves food to the "consumers". However,inspired by "The Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish" she began to question her existence as a clone to the world, and the injustice and cruelty her kind suffered. She finally led the revolution to the oppressing government, broadcasting her preach and philosophy about life to the world.
6. The final story is set in a post-apocalyptic world, 100 years after The Fall (Neo Seoul was drowned by the rising sea level). It follows Zachry, who lived with his tribes in The Valley, worshipping Sonmi-451, believing her to be god and holy. Meronym from a more advanced society called the Prescients sought help from Zachry to guide her to a broadcast station believed to be on top of a mountain. Once there, she showed the truth about Sonmi, making Zachry questioning his faith. She also explained that she intended to use the broadcast station to find another place to live in, as there's no place on Earth to live anymore.
The movie was heavy. It is "densed" with a lot of message. The themes in the movie are many. The most notable ones are freedom, oppression, injustice and love. More importantly, it wants to show you how each actions and decisions in the past can affect the future. It is not easy to fit 6 different stories in a 3-hour movie (yes it's that long!) However, the transitions between each era are seamless. You can see 6 different times changing back and forth with each other as the story progress, yet different they may come, it is easily recognized, and the transitions are cleverly done. The comical modern day story of Timothy Cavendish really lift up the mood, and help"lightening" the movie a bit. The graphic is stunning. That is to be expected from the Wachowskis. Kudos to the directors.
The castings are all Oscar materials. Seriously, the casts play different roles in different timeframes. You will see Tom Hanks as the evil doctor in one scene, as a corrupt hotel owner in another, as a righteous physicist in another timeframe, and as a confused tribesman in the far future. That acting alone deserves an Oscar! Halle Berry did great with her multiple roles as well, and so does Hugo Weaving (impressive in his Old Georgie evil god role) and many others I'm not able to list here. What's more impressive is their make up for each character. Believe me, you won't recognize Halle Berry playing as wife of the old composer, or Hugo Weaving as Nurse Noakes. Watch the credit. You'll be surprised.
Final Verdict: 8.8/10. Impressive. This movie re-define the word EPIC. Definitely Oscar nominee for this year. Be warned, this movie is not everyone cup of tea. If you can't stand watching a 3 hours movie which will get you confused during and after the show, do not watch this movie. If you are easily bored , do not watch this movie. If you do watch it, don't try to understand the movie. Figure it out afterwards.
You have been warned.