Review of Cloud Atlas (2012) by Liam C — 17 Dec 2013

Perhaps I give out a 5/5 rating too often but I usually rate something on how much I enjoy it (which is what I am guessing most people do (?)) as opposed to nitpicking things like, oh the cinematography was a bit off, 1/10 or whatever it is that stupid movie critics say.

However, no movie deserves a 5/5 more than this one does. Every moment was important, each line of dialogue was worthwhile and every scene had something to say. Never have I seen such a complex mix of so many things, it made me think, it made me feel, it had romance and high octane action and have it work so well; it is a perfect piece.

I love everything about this film and I can't think of a negative at all, I loved it that much. Hell, even sitting here writing this review more thoughts and feeling come to me. The casting is interesting though, in a film as big as this and as complex as it is, including pretty much all the actors playing a multitude of characters, I'd have expected to see an all A list cast.

Sure, Tom Hanks and Halle Berry fit the bill but when I found out that people like Hugh Grant and Jim Sturgess were involved, for example, I was baffled and at least I knew who Hugh Grant was, I don't know the other guy! I'm sure they're both lovely people and no offense to them but for a project as massive as this one, I thought the filmmakers would have just taken every chance they could have to cram in as many big celebrities as they could have.

I could see Sean Penn working well in this film but I cannot see where he would fit, it would feel odd to have him in this, I feel. However, even with these thoughts I had before going in, these actors did great jobs and now I can't imagine anyone else as these characters.

Hugh Grant was actually great! It just proves that if you give an actor the right material they can do wonders. I've also heard that the book at a much easier narrative tone and I don't know if I agree with that or not because I haven't read it but just picturing this as a book hurts just thinking about it.

But I don't think it's horrible at all, it's provocative and very engaging and it's been in my head since I watched it a couple days ago and it must be doing something right then, mustn't it? The directors are interesting too, when I first heard of this I expected some big name director like Spielberg attached but nope, 3 relatively unknown people to the general public make this epic work and its a spectacle to behold.

.. I really have no words of how impressed I am with what they have done here and they deserved recognition and they hardly received anything! The reason I hardly talked about the movie because I have nothing to say but gushing overwhelming praise on it.

.. Its one of the best films I have seen in a long time and one of the best films I have ever seen. One thing I will say, though, is maybe a change of casting, I don't know who he would have played/replaced but I can really see Nicolas Cage in this movie somewhere, he's played multiple characters before and even been nominated for his second Oscar because of it and he has fantastic diversity but I digress.

Brilliant film. I want to either give this more than 5 or lower all my others to 4.5... This is why I love movies, to find art like this and I would have given anything to be a part of it. This is perfection.