“Cloud Atlas” (2012) Explained and Reviewed

There are so many characters and stories to follow but what makes this coherent was that there is a singular theme that runs across all of these stories: we are connected. Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski bring us epic storytelling and I must congratulate them for attempting to push the limits of our attention span…given today’s general audiences. Now it is time to list the people starring in the film, now these actors appear in different roles but I’m assuming that isn’t news to you? The film stars Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Sturgess, Hugo Weaving, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Ben Whishaw, Keith David, Doona Bae and James D’arcy who star in roles that span through the ages, sexes and races! What an opportunity right? For an actor I mean, unfortunately only a few of these actors took advantage of this opportunity which include Weaving, Bae, D’arcy and Hanks.

The film is set in many universes but the truth…or possible truth is that it is connected through some kind of mystical power, Karma perhaps. It could be that this film is proclaiming that reincarnation is a reality and the truth is that it is one of the best attempts at explaining this possibility but what I got out of it is something else. I am a Possibilist, so my explanation may be all over the place but I’ll try to keep it in one place. “Your life is not your own,” was a line that was repeated throughout this movie but what broke my heart was my own universe. The idea that we are living for other versions of ourselves broke my heart in this reality because I can build realities within my mind. If I got angry enough and thought of killing someone, did I not kill this person within the confines of the reality I just created? In essence I’m calling any thought or idea a truth. I am not a good person, not that I don’t want to be or try to be but I know my thoughts better than anyone and I am quite grotesque and I am sorry.

Cloud Atlas made me feel guilty from within myself and all the ‘me’s’ that compose what I am. I was astonished to watch a film that dared to try to explain love as something mystical, an animal in it of itself…I am infected with love and I would not want to be cured of it. But the sad possibility is that if this love is alive…what happens when I die? Does it leave me? Or did I leave it? The strongest demonstration of love in this film, to me at least came from the relationship between Robert (Whishaw) and Rufus (D’arcy) which was peppered throughout the film. The reason I point out their love affair is because it is LOVE between two men and it shown to be much more than just lust. I have spoken about this a few times but I still don’t see much change in cinema regarding homosexuality affairs because they are always lustful in nature. Lust is sexy, I am not denying that but lust is also animal-like and if every homosexual relationship on celluloid is build upon lust…well, hasn’t anyone noticed that that is a bit insulting? The relationship here was not explored greatly but it did expose care, tenderness, romance and other features that heterosexuals couples on screen take for granted. Again I wouldn’t call this film a masterpiece but I did get my Phix because I was able to dwell into the human condition which is something I hunger for. If you are looking for an answer then this film is not for you but if you want more questions, like I do, then watch this film.