Lana Wachowski & Andy Wachowski (director)
Warner Bros (studio)
15 (certificate)
172 minutes (length)
22 February 2013 (released)
20 February 2013
Based on the multi award winning novel by David Mitchell Cloud Atlas is an ambitious star studded epic that runs to nearly three hours. I should warn, this is going to be a movie that you will either love or hate.
I for one loved it which for the first twenty minutes I wasn't sure I would. The story is drama, mystery, action and enduring love thread through a single story that unfolds in multiple timelines over the span of 500 years. Characters meet and reunite from one life to the next. Born and reborn.
As the consequences of their actions and choices impact one another through the past, the present and the distant future, one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and a single act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution. Everything is connected. Cloud Atlas is an ambitious project and with less skilful directors at the helm could have fallen into a trap of over sentimentality but avoids this and delivers a film in which you are never quite sure what is coming at you next from one scene to another and is never dull.
The actors appear to revel in the chance to play characters outside their normal realms. Tom Hanks in particular gets to flex his acting muscles and does this to great effect. Hugh Grant as well, gets to play some very un-Hugh Grant types characters and passes the test with flying colours but no one lets this film down and the fact that Halle Berry isn't commented on firstly is that we are used to Halle Berry being amazing.
For all those big names and vast array of acting talent on view its Jim Broadbent's performance that steals this film. He brings gravitas and humour in equal measure and is in deadly award winning here. The film is written for the screen and directed by Lana Wachowski & Tom Tykwer & Andy Wachowski.
The Wachowskis previously teamed as writers/directors of the groundbreaking “Matrix” trilogy; Tom Tykwer won an Independent Spirit Award and earned a BAFTA Award nomination as the director/writer of “Run Lola Run,” All in all a great cinematic experience. Please enjoy.
