Typically when someone cites a movie
as being "the best movie [they] have ever seen" I get a little
hesitant as, more often than not, the movie doesn't have the same mind-blowing
effect on me upon viewing it. I myself can't ever recall walking away from a movie
with quite an impression, that is until I saw Cloud Atlas.
Based off the book of the same name,
Cloud Atlas is a collaboration
between the Wachowski siblings (The
Matrix trilogy) and Tom Tykwer (Run,
Lola Run). Trying to describe the overall plot is a bit tricky as the movie
itself is essentially comprised up of six intertwined stories with each one
taking place in a distinct time period of human history. Without delving too
much into each individual plot, ultimately the entire film centers around love
and reincarnation. Luckily the film never comes off as a cheesy depiction of
love with romance held blatantly in the foreground. In fact, for the notion of
love is integrated subtly into each story and is balanced by reoccurring themes
of change, good versus evil and corruption
throughout. Although these themes may sound overwhelming and bring to mind an
overall sense of seriousness, Cloud Atlas
contains quite a bit humor, most of which takes place in the present-day
segment of the film. In fact, the film also has its fair share of action and
suspense which, in conjunction with the grand scope of the overarching
storyline, helps to make Cloud Atlas
an all-around adventure.
In regards to acting, the film
features a universally adept cast that that brings both believability and
production value to the six featured scenarios. Generally when a film casts
actors in multiple roles the effect is often comedic, but with Cloud Atlas the principle actually works
and adds to the film's overall theme of reincarnation. It would been criminal
to have each actor play the same role for each scenario, but fortunately the
cast is well shuffled throughout the 172 minute runtime.
Having the title of a movie based
off a song of the same name definitely warrants an excellent soundtrack, and Cloud Atlas delivers. The titular theme song as
well as the rest of the supporting soundtrack compliment the visual element of the film
fantastically, both in terms of what happens on screen and in terms of the
film's visuals.
Speaking of the visuals, Cloud Atlas excels as a means of visual
storytelling thanks to a thoughtful cinematography that captures all the right
angles needed to effectively progress the plot as well as show off some eye
candy. Those who were displeased with the heavy usage of CGI in the Wachowski's
previous film Speed Racer can rest
easy as Cloud Atlas is far more
conservative in the special effects department, leaving the majority of the
film to play out in physical space. This conservation not only makes sense
within the context of each period-based scenario (the flashy cityscape of New
Seoul shouldn't be used to depict 1930's London), but also makes the CGI used
more memorable.
But cinematography is only part of
the film's storytelling success. Editing, the part of any movie that typically
goes unnoticed by audiences, is as much of an importance to Cloud Atlas as any other aspect of the rest
of the film. Despite the difference in periods, the film's six scenarios aren't
arranged chronologically but rather alongside one another. Apart from keeping
the film interesting, this means of storytelling aids in the overall flow of Cloud Atlas. Although jumping between
each period can be a smidge jarring at first, the transitions become more
natural as the film progresses.
Like any form of art, film is a
subjective medium with varying degrees of appeal for those who engage in its
visual and auditory experience. Rarely is a film universally loved by critics
and audiences alike. Cloud Atlas is
no exception, and yet in the eyes of this reviewer the film stands as something
of a masterpiece. Sure, the film has a runtime that exceeds the standard two-hour
norm and the intertwined telling of its period-piece narratives will leave some
viewers disoriented. Regardless, however, Cloud
Atlas offers a well-executed cinematic experience that transcends the
conventions of big-budget films while still managing to amaze with top notch
production values. The Wachowski siblings and Tom Tykwer reached for the stars
with Cloud Atlas, and ultimately they
succeeded.
No comments:
Post a Comment