Tuesday, 5 March 2013

On Cloud Atlas


After seeing the free flowing, loose narrative of To The Wonder, Cloud Atlas comes as something of a smack in the face. There are several, equally important narratives set throughout history (including some dystopian futures) and including the same actors playing different characters. You would expect to be confused.

However, the most remarkable feature of Cloud Atlas is that directors, Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski keep the whole experience lucid and graceful. Some of the stories work fantastically well, while others carry less impact. Overall the result is not dissimilar to watching several short stories that have been chopped up and then randomly thrown together. The stories are best compared thematically rather than attempting to connect the characters and the holistic message is unclear. The effect is also rather cold. Due to the erratic storytelling it is difficult to invest in any of the characters and while the film is visually to be admired, it leaves with a feeling of emptiness and lack of emotional attachment. Regardless, Could Atlas is brave filmmaking and a mostly enjoyable experience.  

No comments:

Post a Comment