Review of Cloud Atlas (2012) by Filipeneto — 20 Feb 2018

This film addresses a subject rarely addressed in the cinema: how individual actions can, over the time, influence the course of future events. It mixes six different stories passed in the past, present and future. It's directed by Tom Tykwer, who also wrote the script along with Lana and Lilly Wachowski. In his several roles, it includes Tom Hanks, Jim Broadbent, Jim Sturgess, Ben Whishaw, Halle Berry and Doona Bae, among other artists.

This movie is one of the most complex and difficult to follow I've seen in cinema. We need to view it carefully in order to understand it and savor it, and that complexity is a motive why some people will probably dislike it. By mixing six stories situated in six moments in space and time, but united by so subtle connection elements such as a song, a book or a birthmark, this film looks like a tangle of stories without head or tail, but it's not true. That happens because the topic addressed is also complex, so as David Mitchell's novel. The script is flawless, superb and deserves congratulations but the cast deserves even more applause. They literally had to unfold to make this film and none of the main actors made less than three different characters, which is an achievement and a challenge for any actor. And perhaps it was the pleasure of the challenge that led so many big names from Hollywood to risk entering in an openly indie film, far from the financial support of the big corporations of the industry. The technical offices are beyond reproach, thought of every detail and made an exceptional work: the costumes are exquisite and the makeup and visual and special effects are gradually surprising more and more. Reinhold Heil signs the soundtrack, which was also excellent.

There are certain films that, as good as can be, end up being marginalized due to issues that have nothing to do with the quality or beauty. This film is one of those. Despite the depth and complexity of the script doesn't allow it to be massively understood or appreciated, is an exceptionally good movie that the fact of not having a film company behind left almost out of the critics attention or the major industry awards. Surprising, exciting, this film is mentally provocative and it's sad that hasn't even been nominated for more categories at the Oscars and Golden Globes.