Cloud Atlas (2012)

DVD CASE/SIDE

Length of film: 172 Minutes

Rated: R  

Genre:  Action, Drama, Mystery

Director: Tom Tykwer, Lana Wachowski, Lily Wachowski (as Andy Wachowski)

Starring: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, Keith David, James D’Arcy, Hugh Grant

IMDB Rank: 7.4/10

Part 1 Time:  93 Minutes

Part 2 Time:  79 Minutes

***This film is based on the book Cloud Atlas which explores six stories each set in different centuries. The novel splits the stories into two parts, for this reason the intermission point was chosen as the end of each stories first part.

Where does the first part end? Hae-Joo (Jim Sturgess) is saves Sonmi~451 (Doona Bae) from law enforcement.

Final line of dialogue on the first part:  “I wont let you go again”- Hae-Joo states to Sonmi~451.

First line of dialogue on the second part: “I told you he’d come,” Veronica (Amanda Walker) speaks to Ernie (Ralph Riach) and Mr. Meeks (Robert Fyfe) about Timothy Cavendish (Jim Broadbent) in the boiler room of the nursing home.

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Minimal/somewhat/jarring depending on the story. In the Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing story, Autua (David Gyasi) proves himself as a first class seaman (Minimal), will Autua continue to be accepted by the crew members? In the Letters from Zedelghem story, Robert Frobisher (Ben Whishaw) continues working with Ayrs (Jim Broadbent) in creating musical compositions. Ayrs’ threatens to expose Frobisher as bisexual if he leaves (somewhat), will Frobisher stay or leave the Ayrs estate? In the Half-Lives: The First Luisa Rey Mystery story, Luisa Rey’s (Halle Berry) car is hit it off a bridge into the water (jarring), will Luisa escape the car? In the Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish story, Timothy has a stroke (somewhat), how will he recover? In the An Orison of Sonmi~451 story, Hae-Joo rescues Sonmi~451 from the Korean law enforcement (somewhat), will they be able to evade being recaptured? In the Sloosha’s Crossin’ an’ Ev’rythin’ After story, Zachry (Tom Hanks) guides Meronym (Halle Berry) to the top of Mauna Kea volcano, which holds the whereabouts of the Mauna Kea Observatories (minimal).

Which part is better? The film frequently jumps from one story to the next with many scenes being between 1 to 2 minutes. Each stories detail is shared in no particular order, but in a sequence that provides curiosity to the viewer. Part one can be slow at times, since it provides much of the rising actions in each story. Part two is better as it brings each stories climax and identifies the common theme among them.

Academy Awards: None