Cloud Atlas: Collector’s Edition 4K UHD
Original price was: $48.98.$44.98Current price is: $44.98.
Future. Present. Past. Everything is connected. An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution. The story is a time-shifting weave of six interlinking narratives, with diverse settings from the savagery of a Pacific Island in the 1850s to a dystopian Korea of the near future. Based on the New York Times best-selling novel “Cloud Atlas” written by David Mitchell. Cloud Atlas: Collector’s Edition 4K UHD
An epic story of humankind in which the actions and consequences of our lives impact one another throughout the past, present and future as one soul is shaped from a murderer into a savior and a single act of kindness ripples out for centuries to inspire a revolution. Based on the best-selling novel by David Mitchell. Cloud Atlas: Collector’s Edition 4K UHD
Additional information
| MPAA rating : | R (Restricted) |
|---|---|
| Product Dimensions : | 1 x 1 x 1 inches; 10.56 ounces |
| Director : | Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski |
| Media Format : | 4K, Collector's Edition, Subtitled |
| Run time : | 2 hours and 52 minutes |
| Release date : | December 23, 2025 |
| Actors : | Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, Tom Hanks |
| Subtitles: : | English |
| Studio : | SHOUT! FACTORY |
| ASIN : | B0FRNMVRQZ |
| Number of discs : | 3 |
| Best Sellers Rank: | #6 in Drama Blu-ray Discs |
| Customer Reviews: | (8,600) |
10 reviews for Cloud Atlas: Collector’s Edition 4K UHD
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ArtFan –
thoughts on the movie
Second review:My review after having watched the film for the first time is given below. My review after having watched it a second time is given now. This time around I was definitely able to follow the stories better, athough there’s still a lot of stuff I’m not getting. Some things I noticed: the scientist dies in the same way as his lover was killed decades earlier; many of the characters are reading books written by characters from previous ages, but they are missing the second half of the book until later when they are able to find the second half and understand the completion of the story which then enables them to complete their own life stories. The message of the film seems to be that reincarnation exists, that there are always certain elements (souls?) that are evil-doers, that there is an eternal battle between good people and the evil doers, and that a person’s life story is not complete when he or she dies, it continues when they are reincarnated in the next life.Looking at my first review, now I disagree with my first impression about Joseph Campbell – this second time around I’m not seeing him anywhere. … The Bridge Across Forever is still apparent, perhaps it was one of the inspirations for the film.It’s going to take a third viewing to get more out of it!FIRST REVIEW:interesting. First impressions: Bridge Across Forever, Joseph Campbell, a bit of “Canticle for Liebowitz”, the rise and fall of civilizations, the dark sides of human nature. At times inspiring, at other times disturbing. Those are my impressions having watched the movie once. I am basically still in the dark as to how the stories and characters relate to eachother except on the most apparent level. I think to figure this out will require multiple viewings and paying close attention to the dialogue, or maybe reading the book. There are many things that remain unexplained or inexplicable. Also there are many events and actions that are disjointed – I assume these become clear upon further analysis rather than shortcomings or flaws in the writing itself? Overall, an interesting view, it makes you think about the fundamental problems of human nature, about whether there is such a thing as soulmates. Reminds one of books like The Name of The Rose or Dictionary of the Khazars. Definitely homage was paid to movies like Bladerunner (the post-apocalyptic urban street scenes, for example) and there are parallels with the movie “The Island” where the androids are misled to believe they are going to a higher place when in fact they are being recycled.
One person found this helpful
Christina Reynolds –
Ambitious but troublesome
My rating is more of a 3.5Thanks for reading!Cloud Atlas is a 2012 epic science fiction film written and directed by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer. Adapted from the 2004 novel of the same name by David Mitchell, the film has multiple plots occurring during six different eras.Faithful in spirit (and perhaps also by heart) compliments, complaints, and constructive criticism of ‘Cloud Atlas’ are best explored through a brief (but adamantly ventured) tour of how this visualized adaptation both parallels and separates itself from its source material.In terms of structure I tend to find the novel much more favorable; It’s a straight shot – with the relationship between its characters (orchestrated through a collection of published and less formal mediums) acknowledged in a linear fashion. Cloud Atlas (2012) vigorously rejects this formula and instead reveals fragments of each separate storyline at its leisure (up until each story’s separate “conclusion”).Completely a matter of subjectively (Duh), but receiving approximately 10-15 minutes of information about different points of existence (which all occur inside of considerably contrasting contexts) makes for a potentially confusing (and perhaps consequently frustrating) rendezvous). A lack of exposition and inferential points of reference (outside of years and location) also makes it necessary as a viewer to project their own life experiences on to what is being seen on screen (Assuming one is attempting to make sense of it all) to an extent that is unusually laborious and cumbersome (You know that ‘Pepe Silvia’ meme from 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝑨𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝑺𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝑷𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒂?? That was me just trying to take notes while watching. I now feel officially*unhinged*)To the credit of the directors involved this is likely due to an intense desire to turn a jungle-gym into a water slide – because even the source novel is far from easily swallowed when first time around and the forumultive knick-knacks (like overlapping dialogue and action-sequencing) make for some unexpected similarities in regards to idiosyncrasies that transcend space, time, and other boundaries blurred over the course of this film’s entirety.Designed with sentiment in mind, Cloud Atlas (2012) puts more emphasis on subplots as they relate to romance; despite sometimes being present to the point of entertaining cliches (Because 🎵 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆🎵) this arguably acts as an anchor that ties what are seemingly unnecessary points of contention to one-another. This is at the cost of other themes being potentially overshadowed – like those that relate to some form of imprisonment and power systems rooted in some element of privilege or greed, but the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer are careful not to incorporate love interests as vapidly constructed plot devices.The novel consists of single soul being continuously reincarnated (hence the decade and century wide skips in narration); this element is dramatized exponentially in this film by having a majority (not all) of its actors playing multiple roles/entities/etc.On one hand – understandably a matter of practicality and ambition: this undoubtedly reinforces the feelings of familiarity that the characters have amongst themselves (I too was affected by the lingering Déjà vu). This is elevated by the choice to keep some actors within specific archetypal boundaries (Like having Weaving and Grant always present as a source of villainy or wickedness) with some liberties taken in allowing some performers a greater variance in both personality and characteristics. There are many ways in which this proves counterintuitive (at times Tom Hanks seems ‘cartoony’ as opposed to threatening) but the capacity for range is consistently given a fair chance to thrive.For all that can be said about the subversive nature of the set design (it really is quite glorious) it is compromised by some questionable choices made in the makeup and costuming department. ‘Yellow face’ isn’t new by any means in the world of Hollywood, and is often reflective of a dominantly Eurocentric perception of cultures, behaviors, and other stereotypes related to East Asia that are derogatory or harmful; far from a mere ~approximation~ of facial characteristics Cloud Atlas (2012) has Weaving(amongst others) pulling an unnecessarily mockish depiction of someone presumed to be from ‘Seoul’ that gave me intrusively harsh flashbacks related to 𝑺𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒆 (2009). It’s completely instinctual to push back and argue that these assessments somehow 𝑻𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚, but these decisions dangerously toe a strand of exploitation that is weaved by insensitivity and unintended carelessness.Point blank: if the people being represented say it inches in to offensive territory…then it does. Period. 🤷A precariously inventive work of art, the declaration that Cloud Atlas (2012) is on par with being simply a “success” or a “failure” in a cruel simplification; It would be most accurately described as an earnestly turbulent gust of wind that is fueled by chaos and the irregularities that wishful thinking allows.Nonetheless, Cloud Atlas (2012) evokes a sense of curiosity within me that is often suppressed by the nuances involved with being a relatively responsible adult. I want to know more about the characters incorporated and their unique paths, and that’s always better than wishing I had never met them at all.I would recommend (Just, with caution, and some conceptually understandable hesitation)
6 people found this helpful
Scrimshaw –
An original, ambitious film that never reaches it’s full potential
Cloud Atlas is a good film that could have been a great film if it had not been so confusing and inconsistent. Allow me to elaborate further. The film did have MANY positive, appealing aspects to it, it was visually stunning, had many rich and interesting characters, both good and bad, as well as very strong spiritual themes such as reincarnation and the belief that there is a bond that connects us all. However, the fact that it kept switching back and forth, changing characters, style of dialogue, and even tone (some stories were more humorous or dramatic than others), it almost felt like I was watching six separate movies instead of one cohesive one. I understand that all of the stories are connected and feature the same actors/actresses so it’s obviously meant to be just one film, the settings and tones, as previously mentioned, were so diverse and different that I still had trouble connecting them to the other stories. One story, the 19th century one, felt like a historical adventure film a la Pirates of the Caribbean, The story that takes place in the far future, with Tom Hanks and Halle Berry meeting up in a setting which oddly reminded me of Battlestar Galactica, seems like a Sci-Fi epic similar to Avatar or Star Wars and the story that takes place in modern times seems like something Guy Ritchie or Shane Meadows would direct. It was all very inconsistent and very unnecessary. However, I greatly did enjoy all of the actors playing such wildly different characters, especially Tom Hanks, who plays both very villainous and very heroic roles, demonstrating how he eventually redeems himself of his past sins and negative karma. I have heard this film described as a very “Buddhist” film and I certainly agree, many of the central themes of Buddhism such as karma, reincarnation, dharma, and samsara. I feel that there aren’t enough films of this sort being made nowadays and I greatly enjoyed watching it. Cloud Atlas is no masterpiece, at least in my view, but neither is it pretentious or overwrought, it’s just an enjoyable film which I’m glad I managed to watch in all it’s roughly 3 hour running time. Thank you and have a nice day.
6 people found this helpful
Conscious Consumer –
Waste of time, couldn’t be bothered with the ending and turned it off.
Very confusing although special effects are nice. Hanks likes to think of himself as a great actor playing many parts, but still can’t stop from thinking of him as a comedian in Joe and the Volcano which was horrible and Splash, which I really liked. I liked some of his recent movies like sleepless in Seattle and the spy movie, but he ruined the da Vinci code just by being the main character. He needs. an independent casting director.
Steven Daniel Clubb –
An Under Appreciated Classic
A lot of people don’t care for this movie and I would like to start off by saying, “I understand”. I hate when people try to act like you didn’t like something because you didn’t “get” it; I hate when people try to assign blame for such things. It’s an odd movie with odd rhythms and some folks just won’t like it.But for those of us who connected with it, it’s a nearly magical experience, weaving together six tales from different genres to try to say something about the human experience. I don’t know if I would describe it as a deeply intellectual film, although its construction requires a level of intelligence rarely seen in film, but it is a deeply emotional one, which draws upon the commonality of different people, in different times, in different situations, all struggling toward remarkably similar goals.I liken its construction to a symphony as it weaves familiar melodies and themes into otherwise dissimilar movements. Something light and airy being linked to something dark and bombastic through subtle and not so subtle musical cues. Although in this case, the six movements (stories) play out at the same time, cutting back and forth via similar characters, plot devices, or actions.In one scene, an elderly Jim Broadbent contemplates knocking on his old flame’s door (played by Susan Sarandon) and they cut to Sarandon opening a door in another time… Broadbent lacking the courage to knock on his door. We see various characters chased by villains (comedic and deadly) with the action liberally cutting between them, using the need to get away from one encounter to propel the other chase. Lovers fail to connect in one time, but find each other in another. All of these character’s lives affecting one another by the faint ripples left behind. A snippet of a terrible movie based on Jim Broadbent’s comic escape from an old folk’s home inspiring an artificial human’s quest for basic human rights.And while the movie isn’t subtle about the way its various stories influence one another, the links are rarely that important to the individual plots. Those other lives inspire and connect the characters across time, but never play too grandiose a part. The stories don’t build to one conclusion that hinges on all that came before, but six individual conclusions which play to themes of love and obligation to one another.But as is the case with just about all Wachowski productions, it is a flawed journey. Many find it too pretentious by half and the gender and racial swapping of the lead actors is sometimes distracting; but for those who are interested in a film experience like no other, I highly recommend this film. Although I do recommend that you don’t try too hard to connect all the dots. The stories are simple enough and it’s much more about the emotional journey than it is an intellectual exercise.
5 people found this helpful
Janie Martin –
This is an awesome movie!!
This movie was recommended by my son. I wonder, did it make him a convert to his mother’s weird belief’s!!? It is an awesome movie!! But before seeing it, I recommend you do as I did, which was to go read about what the story is about, otherwise it could be confusing to try and keep up with the characters as they play different parts in different lives. Yes, it is about reincarnation or rebirth and the evolution of the Soul in learning or not learning life’s lessons. It is like watching 5 movies in one as they go back and forth from their past lives to way into the future. The acting is brilliant!! the scene’s are awesome to watch!! Blending Old World time periods with their conflicts and practices with the Matrix future!! It is so damned exciting to watch, as I laughed in some of the comedy action stories (Howard, from the Summerwine British comedies does a brilliant funny part!!; and I thought he was dead, but there he was looking the same!) and cried at the end as the truth unfolded within these people’s lives of the evolving of their very Souls, more than any movie I have EVER wept upon seeing!! Tom Hanks and Hallie Berry were absolutely brilliant. The best acting I have ever seen from Tom Hanks as it shows how he shows up in the past life’s and future characters. Because I was not sure of my actors from these makeup and costume changes, I almost wish they would have show the various character portrayals at the beginning like they did at the end. I am still confused a little as to who was who and the story line, but the watching is so great who cares!! In fact it will make you want to read the book and watch the movie again. Oh yes, it is also a Mystery Story about a musical manuscript that turns up in the different time periods following the characters involvement with it. Is it going to be saved or destroyed. You have to watch the movie to find out!!It is sad that we, the audience and fans of these actors don’t get to actually talk to them and have a discussion about the movie!!! Without us as the audience they would not have the ability to put out their creative offering and it is too bad it is such a one sided friendship because we do identify with these people and wonder upon seeing a movie like this if their belief’s and philosophies match our own. No, we don’t get to be their friends and run in their circles and vicariously get to be important too, but we do get to experience their awesome creativity and wish we were in their inner circle!! They seem to be TASK companions Souls with each other, members of a very special club. This is a long movie, so get your munchies and go to the bathroom first because you are not going to want to put it on pause and leave it for a single moment!!! I hated to even see it end as it transported me out of constant world bad news and into another time and place…….HOW EXCITING!!Janie Martin
3 people found this helpful
Avid Reader –
Undecided, wavering opinion of the movie
Overall, I liked this movie. It was enjoyable to watch. Part of that is due to the great acting from superb actresses and actors. I enjoyed the individual stories as if I were reading a book of short stories. I enjoyed some of them more than others.My problem with rating the overall movie is I would really like to rate each story separately… lol, even though, they do have some … … hmmm connections… If you don’t want spoilers, let me just say that I walked away from the movie at points while doing chores … some of it didn’t keep my interest that much, and I didn’t feel I really missed much by doing so. However, I was usually missing small parts of the stories I did not enjoy. Some stories I would give 5 stars and some 2 stars. It’s weird that although I may not have enjoyed each story separately, they did thread together somewhat, and I liked that. I am still struggling to see all the connections, so the movie has drawn me in enough for me to want to research these.I keep debating back and forth on whether to give the whole of it 3 stars or 4 stars and have settled on 4 stars due to the great acting, nice special effects, messages, and some of the stories. The movie did change from story to story a bit quickly which made it feel somewhat disjointed, but I was able to keep up with those changes, and overall, I found watching the movie to be very enjoyable.The actors came in and out of each story playing different parts. The movie alluded to ideas that upon meeting for the first time, characters felt they had known each other before, but none of this idea was really explored or expanded on. Characters in the stories often move from darkness to light inside their own psyches or vice versa.I’ve heard the movie diverges from the book.I won’t go into all the symbolism. I had to look a lot of it up in order to understand it, so I don’t think it serves a movie review. To me, I should be able to get all I need from the movie. If I have to look things up from the book, then the movie didn’t do it’s job of explaining very well.BEWARE: SPOILERS! LONG!The Stories:1849 – a historical narrative written in diary formatEwing, an attorney from San Francisco heads to the Pacific Islands to meet with a plantation owner to get a contract signed for his father-in-law. While there, he sees a slave beaten very severely with a whip. Their eyes meet. On the trip back, he becomes ill. A doctor on board is treating him for his illness. We find out the doctor wishes to fleece him of his belongings, so he is the one making Ewing sick instead of treating him. Ewing gets sicker and sicker. Meanwhile, the slave stowed away on the ship, and Ewing helps the slave. In the end, the slave saves Ewing’s life. Ewing burns the contract with the plantation owner and becomes an abolitionist.This was not my favorite story only because of the parts with the evil doctor on the ship. It just didn’t resonate with me. This story felt very disjointed on its own without the disjointedness with the other stories.I do like the ending of it though. O.K. so I’m going to break my promise and expand on a quote in the movie by using the quote that I think was in the book: ” … only as you grasp your dying breath shall you understand, your life amounted to no more than one drop in a limitless ocean! Yet what is any ocean but a multitude of drops?”1936 – A story written in romance letters – Also not one of my favorite stories although I love the music in itRobert Frobisher is a talented young composer with a bad reputation for getting into trouble and being a prostitute. We meet him when he is in bed with his handsome lover Rufus Sixsmith. He is forced to run for it by way of the window as people chasing him start knocking at the door. Without any money, he sets off to work for a famous, aging composer Vyvyan Ayrs. He puts the music in Ayrs head to paper and plays it. Meanwhile, he has a romp with Ayrs younger wife Jocasta and works on his own symphony, The Cloud Atlas Sextet. The symphony has been in his head (and comes from another story in the movie and weaves through the stories). Ayrs hears it and thinks it’s in his head and is his idea. He tries to steal it. Frobisher shoots him (but doesn’t kill him). Frobisher runs and hides in a dilapidated hotel and has a floor to himself. During all this, he has written to his lover and recounted the happenings. Sixsmith goes to find him and is at the hotel in the lobby when he hears the gunshot of Frobisher killing himself.1973 – Grisham-like mystery, action movie – Not a huge favorite of mine either – really – they would blow up a plane so as cover this up and keep it quiet instead of killing the guy and destroying the evidence before he gets on a plane??? I don’t think so…Luisa Rey, a budding journalist daughter of a famous journalist father investigates wrong doings at an nuclear power plant. She is to meet with an insider to give her evidence and finds him shot in his hotel room with the evidence gone. She does find the the letters written by Frobisher, and she becomes enthralled by them. She goes to the plant for an “interview” and meets Isaac Sachs. They feel a deep connection as if they already know each other. He gives her the evidence. He then boards a plane which blows up in order to have him killed. Another insider, Napier, was a friend of her father’s in the war, and her father had saved his life. He decides to help her. They are chased; she gets away, but he is killed. What she found out was that the oil companies were behind the cover up at the nuclear power plant, because they want the explosion(s) at the nuclear power plant to happen, thereby, securing the future of oil. She exposes them. During this one, she goes to a record shop to find the symphony, The Cloud Atlas Sextet.This one just seemed so contrived and unimaginative to me. I don’t know. It’s been done to death really. It was nothing new to make you think. I do like some of the quotes, though.My favorite is from Isaac Sachs: “Belief, like fear or love, is a force to be understood as we understand the theory of relativity, and principles of uncertainty. Phenomena that determine the course of our lives. Yesterday, my life was headed in one direction. Today, it is headed in another. Yesterday, I believe I would never have done what I did today. These forces that often remake time and space, they can shape and alter who we imagine ourselves to be, begin long before we are born, and continue after we perish. Our lives and our choices, like quantum trajectories, are understood moment to moment, at each point of intersection, each encounter, suggest a new potential direction.”2012 – the ComedyTimothy Cavendish is an aging publisher. He publishes a trashy book written by the brutish, thuggish Dermot Hoggins. They host a book party. Dermot sees a critic who wrote a bad review of the book and throws the critic off the roof. You see the critic go splat on the ground and blood fly. Dermot goes to prison. The book becomes a best seller from the bad publicity and makes a lot of money. Cavendish presumably spends the money. Dermot’s thugs/friends come after Cavendish demanding the money. Cavendish finds out he spent everything. Cavendish asks his own wealthy brother for a loan. You get the idea that his brother has had to bail him out of trouble more than a few times. His brother finally agrees to help but tells him Cavendish must hide as it will take a few days to get the money. He send Cavendish to what Cavendish thinks is a hotel. Cavendish signs in only to wake up in the morning to find out he signed himself into a nursing home (English) that is more reminiscent of a mental institution. He and several other “residents” plan and execute their escape. They go to a Scottish bar. Those in charge at the nursing home chase them to the bar. The residents rile up the Scots in the bar who then fight the English and save the day.This one was funny. :)2144 – sci-fi movie in the form of pre-execution testimony – this one was my favorite!Somni-451 is a genetically engineered clone made to be a worker called a fabricant. She was made to work in a fast food chain of the future. She and others like her live at their place of employment. They work, get one “protein” drink called “soap”, go to bed in a cofin-like cubicle in a room of coffin-like cubicles, and get up and work, on and on. They do not have any rights. Only consumers are treated like real people. She is there to serve the consumers. After so many years (12 I think), they are taken away to go through “exaltation” which you believe is maybe that they are freed. They are all excited when it is their turn to go through it. Another worker there talks her into breaking some rules and thinking for herself a bit. That worker “loses” it and kills a consumer and is then killed herself.One night Somni-451 wakes up and comes upon a rebel killing her master. He takes her away. They go on the run, but she is captured, and he saves her again. They fall in love. He shows her that her people are not freed when they become 12, but they are killed and made into the food that her people are fed with. The rebels barrier themselves in while she records a speech with some principle beliefs to be released to the masses on the on-world and off-world colonies in order to cause the downfall of the government and the corporation/government, consumer and slave way of life. The police get in, kill her lover, and capture her again. She is to be killed., but first, one of them wants to record her story. After she gives it, you can tell he is changed. She is then killed, but she becomes a force of change and her words and story go on long after her death. Her story resonates through future stories.”To be is to be percieved, and so to know thyself is only possible through the eyes of the other… The nature of our immortal lives is in the consequences of our words and deeds, that go and impressionate themselves throughout all time…… Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we’re bound to others… Past and present… And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future…”2321 – Post Apocalyptic Story – I liked this one except the language made it difficult to understand what they were saying at timesCivilization is rather primitive and the language is some weird hybrid language. We are introduced to Zachary, a goat herder from a village on an island. Zachary is plagued by a voice in his head that is manifested by a devil-like figure called Old Georgie. Old Georgie tells him to do bad things. There is a ferocious tribe on the island too who ride horses and paint themselves up in frightening ways. The ferocious tribe kills his father and brother in front of Zachary while he hides behind a rock as Old Georgie told him to do.Zachary’s people worship Somni from the story before as a God. They have a book of the words of Somni.There are another more advanced, futuristic people on the world there, the Prescients, who travel across the sea on hover boats or ships. One of them, Meronym, visits. She is trying to get to the top of a mountain, because the radiation on the world is making them sick. They won’t be able to go on much longer there. Zachary and Zachary’s people believe the devil lives on that mountain. They don’t go there. She asks Zachary for help, and he refuses. But when his daughter (I’m fairly sure it wasn’t a son) falls ill, he says he will take Meronym where she wants to go if she heals his daughter. She heals his daughter, so he goes with her to the top of the mountain, where they find bones of dead people in futuristic looking buildings. You get the idea that these were Meronym’s people. They were off-worlders. Meronym causes a satellite signal to go up to the sky to send her message asking for help (presumably from her people up there).Meanwhile Zachary’s village is attacked by the ferocious tribe and everyone is killed but his daugher. Zachary and his daughter go off with Meronym to her people’s ship.Then it cuts to them on another world and very old. He is telling the story to their grandchildren.
11 people found this helpful
Adam Gagnon –
My Cloud Atlas Review
From […]The Wachowskis are at the top of their game with Cloud Atlas. A sibling duo of film creators the two always swing for the fences with their films and with Cloud Atlas they hit it out of the park. This movie is story telling and film making firing on all cylinders and never misses a beat.An epic tale of fate, love, friendship, humanity, greed, envy, and the human spirit is told through several time lines in several settings. The all star cast takes on up to six roles each of varying forms, changing not only their basic attributes to fit the time period but even full on racial and gender changes.The transformations of the characters appearance is literally just the surface of the changes the actors take on. Accents, voices, and mannerisms disappear and new ones are created with absolute perfection.The cast is outstanding in all the roles they take on. Tom Hanks, Halle berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae (in her first English speaking roles), Ben Whishaw, Keith David, James D’Arcy, Hugh Grant, and more all take on at least three roles and up to seven. The three directors it took to capture a story many criticized as being “un-filmable” also adapted the David Mitchell novel for the screen. Lana and Andy Wachowski along with Tom Tykwer.There is no absolute direct thread or linear path that the characters undergo that can be traced in black and white. Rather the decisions a soul makes in life cause a ripple effect that don’t only change an individuals karmic destiny but ripple throughout time. A lost love in one life can be realized in another, past crimes against your fellow man may require redemption paid out through decades. Every character has their own journey within their life times and every character’s soul has a journey through time. The advertising and many plot synopsis make the movie sound unruly and confusing. In reality this sprawling epic tale is massive but the Wachowski’s and Tom Tykwer never lose control of this massive undertaking. The story is large and spans time but it is not confusing. The actors get to talk on so many different roles of varying importance so that no one actor gets played out or causes the audience fatigue.Cloud Atlas is multiple stories in one, many different themes and genres are explored and all of them are explored properly. Any one of these individual stories could be a movie entirely by itself and it would be incredible to watch. While the smaller stories within Cloud Atlas take on different genres they also take on different tones. One of the threads is a very witty and fun comedy and a separate story line has some epic sci-fi action scenes. The fact that these elements don’t leak out of their main story lines doesn’t hurt the integrity of the movie but still gives the audience the emotional jolts as they need them.The make up is an achievement in itself. It is never over done or shocking to see. It all fits so naturally even knowing what the actors under the prosthetic look like. The make up is trans-formative and subtle at the same time. The audience is never taken out of the movie by an unconvincing look or cheesy prosthetic. The score for the movie is yet another element the Wachowski’s nailed along with Tykwer. Tykwer even worked on the original music for the film along with the other composers. The score for the film rises and falls with the audience’s emotions. As a film-goer you would be hard pressed to see this modern epic along with the immersive score without being totally engrossed in the spectacle before you.Cloud Atlas is everything the movie industry needs right now. This movie speaks for itself and is incredibly entertaining while being an absolute masterpiece. This is something that as an audience member you don’t just see, you experience.
8 people found this helpful
Solo Goodspeed –
Extraordinary Existential Six-Pack
From the first trailer I saw of this film, I knew it was unique. I became even more intrigued when I read the various reactions to it; I tend to enjoy most films that divide audiences. I missed it in the theaters, but figured it was deep enough to warrant acquiring unseen. But I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did…. in fact, I loved it, so much that I started watching it again right after it ended.Probably the reason for that was the very experience of watching six stories unfold simultaneously in one sitting. Even though I had no problem getting drawn into and following each one, I did feel I needed a little refresher for things I might have missed at the outset. When you do that with this film, you notice little things that reference the other stories, foreshadowing bits, numerous “Aha” moments and recurring elements like the comet birthmark, the composer’s music playing at a social function, relationships between specific actors’ characters proving significant in different incarnations (deja-vu anyone?), etc. This is no leave-your-mind-at-the-door type of entertainment; this is an engage your mind deeply for the full 175 minutes because everything matters on multiple levels aural experience.As mentioned, six plots: In 1849 an attourney travels to Chatham Islands to conduct a business arrangement. While there he falls ill, is cared for by a rather shady doctor and on the way back discovers a stowaway slave in his quarters who convinces him to persuade the ship’s captain to let him join the crew. A special friendship results. In 1936, an English musician (and hopeful composer) is hired by an older famous composer to help him overcome obstacles to his productivity; soon it becomes apparent that the older man wants to use the younger’s own compositional gifts for his own legacy which develops into struggle for personal integrity. In 1973 a woman journalist finds herself drawn into some unsavory dealings between the oil industry and a nuclear power plant, with life threatening results. In 2012, a gangster who just published a book murders a high profile critic, good news for his publisher who enjoys all the profits after the guy goes to prison…. until the thug’s former associates (probably characters in the book) show up at his place demanding what they consider their cut. He doesn’t have quite as much as they demand, so he goes to his brother for help…. which ends up being a HUGE mistake. On ahead to 2144, in Neo-Seoul, Korea, a young female clone named Sonmi-451 who was genetically engineered for a lifetime of servitude is given a crash course in what it means to have a real life when a series of events partners her up with the rebel commander of a movement known as Union. She quickly becomes a person of great historical consequence. And in 2321 (introduced as “106 Winters After the Fall”), a member of a tribal society called The Valley reluctantly agrees to escort a visiting female member of a more technically advanced society, The Prescients, to a forbidden mountain temple known as Cloud Atlas, which the Valley tribe considers evil. Braving an enemy tribe of cannibals and an dark presence referred to as Old Georgie, a life-changing revelation awaits.And what’s it all about? Well, the film’s poster simply states “Everything Is Connected”. That is the theme. Indeed, through attentive watching, many connections are emphasized, and easy to miss if one looks away too long. Another synopsis: “An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future”. Essentially, to call this film an epic would be an understatement, and it’s really up to the viewers and their willingness to ride out the journey to decide for themselves what it’s “about”. It will resonate with people differently, and many won’t get it and tell you it’s a bad film because of that. One thing for certain: For a film of this scope, I’ve never seen one that was better edited. The way it holds together alone is worthy of praise.One challenge I had with watching was picking up the dialect used by the Valley tribesmen, obviously an imagining of how language might evolve over the ages (see Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome); some viewers may find that taking getting used to. The onscreen performances are spot on, visual effects (and visuals overall) are seamless, and the makeup used to transform actors across characters (in some cases across genders) is a star in itself. One possible improvement would have been to use actual Korean actors across the board in the Neo-Seoul segment, the only not very convincing makeup I noticed. In no way did that diminish my enjoyment of the movie.Apparently this is not a film for everyone. People will either get it or not, perhaps be turned off by certain plot elements enough to want to shut the whole film out. I am with the group that considers it one of the best films ever, as much a departure from studio system dreck as a viewer hungry for originality could want. I don’t hand out five star ranks to many movies. Cloud Atlas is perfect enough.
9 people found this helpful
BookLover59 –
A Thinking person’s epic thriller!
Having read the novel, upon first viewing this film — in the theater — I was a bit worried that the quick edits (from story to story) was gonna make it tough to watch (and likely tough to understand if one hadn’t read the novel). But after seeing tha the filmmakers were doing quick cuts to introduce the six differnt, but inter-connected, stories, I relaxed wand went with it.Like the novel, “Cloud Atlas” the movie follows the path of six different narratives:1) The 19th century island and sea-faring adventures of an American man, Adam Ewing, whose beliefs about slavery will be changed via his journey and an unlikely friendship2) The early 20th Century (1930s) romantic story of Robert Frobisher a young, bisexual English composer in Belgium, apprenticing with an aging, past his prime musical icon. Via letters to his lover — Rupert Sixsmith — Frobisher recounts the creation of his one and only piece of music (“the Cloud Atlas Sextet”) and of some sexual doings with his mentor’s wife.3) A mystery which takes place in 1970s california, involving magazine writer Luisa Rey and the aged Rupert Sixsmith — not to mention, shady doings a nuclear power plant.4) A present-day, London and England-based farce and “comedy of manners” involving sixty-something English vanity publisher Timothy Cavendish, a semi-reformed thug who wrote a memoir entitled KNUCKLE SANDWICH, and a very nasty nurse named Noakes (not to mention some very funny scenes involving a cat, a plunger and a van full of old folks).5) A mid-21st Century SF-thriller, set in Neo-Seoul, Korea, centered around a fabricant — a clone born into servitude — named Somni-451, and her path to enlightenment and rebellion.6) A far-future, post-apocalyptic, dystopian SF tale set in the Hawaiian islands, involving Zachary — a man who is a sort of outcast of his tribe, because he let his brother and nephew die in an attack by cannibalistic rival tribesman, the Kona — and a “prescient” (a far-future dweller who still has master over technology, and who is more intelligent than the average island dweller) named Meronym. It seems that Meronym has come to Zachary’s village in search of someone who can guide her to the top of a particular mountain on the islands. Zacharay — who survived a Kona attack there — is that man. While all of these tales may seem too disparate — and too far apart, time-wise — to be related, as each story progresses the viewer learns that they are related, and that the fates of each person in the generation before affects those who come after (which is the underlying, and most important, theme of the film).For instance, Robert Frobisher is reading “The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing” while enduring the browbeating of his musical mentor, missing his male lover and half-heartedly fending off the attentions of this mentor’s wife.And while leaving an interview gone-wrong, Luisa Rey finds herself stuck in an elevator with Rupert Sixsmith, who notices that she has a birthmark, on her shoulder, which is very similar to that of his long-dead lover, Robert Frobisher.Because of this encounter, Sixsmith is moved to share information about illegal activity at the Nuclear power plant where he works, setting in motion a series of activities that will endanger the lives of Luisa Rey and several others.Timothy Canvendish, knight errant and independent publisher, while taking it on the lam (to escape some thuggish types who want money from him after their brother’s book hits the bestseller lists), is, at one point, reading a book he will publish in the future, entitled HALF-LIVES: THE FIRST LUISA REY MYSTERY.Fabricant Somni-451, while first getting involved in activities forbidden to those created only to serve, sees part of a film entitled, “The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish” (a film that will inspire one of her coworkers to commit the first act of rebellion by a fabricant). Later, through the help of a human, she is able to see the entire film.And Zachary and his tribal island dwellers all worship the “Goddess” Somni, repeating many of her words as spiritual and religious guides to living. While the filmed version of CLOUD ATLAS differs from the book in some ways (there are a few more actions scenes, especially in the SF-oriented segments), those all help the narrative flow and make the editing (scenes of people looking for help, trapped under water, on the run, and in battle are edited in sucha a way that they happen back-to-back) even more artful. The script (which is one of the few to do a great job of translating a novel into a film version), acting and cinematography of “Cloud Atlas” are all superb.This isn’t a film for those who — in the main — like films such as “Sex in the City”, “Dumb and dumber” or something like one-dimensional Vin Diesel “car flicks”. This is a film for those who enjoy movies like “Atonement”, “A Very Long Engagement”, “Blade Runner”, Minority Report”, and so on. In other words, a movie for thinking people — definitely not a no-brainer (although no-brainers — like “Big Trouble in Little China” — certainly have their place).And anyone confused as to the theme — that all of our lives here on earth are interconnected, as are our fates — should blame themselves, since the director/writers beat that particular drum louder than the novel did (a birthmark that shows up on at least one character in each different story — in the novel, only two or three had it) and the refrain of Somni’s words (“our lives are not our own”) to underscore the theme.The film isn’t without it’s flaws, but they are minor. All-in-all, it’s a remarkable achievement, and feast for the eyes, heart and mind.
25 people found this helpful