#pbmf

It was clearly a challenge to put this together. The co-directors have praised editor Alex Berner in interviews for his superb handling of the footage. Thematic, graphic, action, music cue, and even actor matching from scene to scene are all utilized here to great effect to keep the story moving and connect each vignette. The photography by cinematographers John Toll and Frank Griebe is evocative, daring and always at the service of the narrative. Emotional catharsis is truly earned by the time the credits roll.

The key to this successful catharsis is the wise choice to have the same actors portray different characters in each time period. It shines as a secret weapon of the film and a wonderful translation of author David Mitchell’s intent for Cloud Atlas. We should applaud every actor in this film for their brilliant efforts. Some blend so well into their different roles that only upon repeated viewings can one realize where every actor appears. It is quite exciting, and importantly, fun, to find each actor, especially for those in cross-dressed, gender bending roles wearing heavy makeup.  Watching the filmmakers use males and females so interchangeably it is hard to ignore, but never distracting, and considering the enlightenment of Lana Wachowski, this decision must be very personal.

Underneath it all, the film shows immense respect for storytelling as art. Different mediums abound throughout: a journalist speaks her experiences into a tape recorder, a corrupt CEO speaks on television, a snooping teen neighbor writes the screenplay of the journalist’s murder mystery, a book publisher reminisces about a past love and his ordeal at a nursing home is portrayed in a future film, a music composer writes numerous letters to his lover, and an old man’s vague speech is a dramatic campfire tale for children. Through the depiction of the arts, Cloud Atlas pays homage to the durability of storytelling and expresses the necessity of passing on lessons to future generations.

As for the storytelling itself, the film transcends the “good guys versus bad guys” quagmire with a very simple idea, an idea that is the glue between theme and narrative: each soul in the stories presented is on a path to progress. Whether good or bad, each character has the opportunity to save their soul and alter their future. By the end of the film’s timeline, Hugh Grant is barely recognizable and Hugo Weaving is GREEN.  Their souls have become so corrupted that the positive forces in the world have no choice but to defeat them.

Experiencing this film superficially is a big mistake. With its big, blustery heart and emphatic message, Cloud Atlas might just be a towering landmark in modern cinema. Only time will tell. It is not a bombastic, pretentious or naïve pseudo-intellectual affair but beautiful and truthful. It digs up and confronts the dirty truths of oppression, whether it is slavery, fascism, corporate corruption and greed, or even savage tribal fear mongering.

Though these “human connection” and “defeat oppression” themes sound cliché, the film never rings false. Yes, the narrative’s message is blatant. The theatricality of the costuming and makeup is not subtle. But whatever criticisms pinned to the film, I believe this overtness is to the point the directors are trying to make. In fact, it is refreshing. Subtlety is overrated, and for this story it would undermine everything. The understated nature of many films released in the past five years has become a chore to slog through. For Cloud Atlas to be so bold in its approach and boast so much confidence doing it, and succeed, is most certainly an achievement.