Directors Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, and Lana Wachowski team up to helm this adaptation of David Mitchell's popular novel Cloud Atlas. The trio have put together an all-star cast, including Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, and Hugh Grant, to play various characters over the course of several different historical time periods. The various narrative threads weave in and out of each other, painting a portrait of mankind's quest for tolerance and peace throughout the ages. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
I really wanted to like this movie. I really did. To give you an idea of what you'd be watching here, imagine watching a scene play out for three or four minutes, and then, suddenly switch to a different scene, set in a different time era, with different characters, also lasting only three or four minutes. Now imagine six more storylines like this. Now imagine this going on for THREE hours nonstop! I literally fell asleep for like, ten minutes 90 minutes into the film. I then checked to see how long this movie lasts. 175 freakin' minutes! This movie was extremely confusing, very very long, really boring, and tries to present itself as some Avant-garde bullcrap. Well, I suppose it is, but it fails here. Simply confusing, boring, and sleep-inducingly long. And having the lead actors, Halle Berry and Tom Hanks, playing numerous roles in it, didn't help. You can take a chance on this, if you dare, but be warned. You won't get your three hours back.
Although this movie was 'out there', I applaud Wachowski brother's efforts to produce an original film. This movie is 'thinking' movie, so if you are in the mood for a 'sit back and be entertained movie', then this one is not for you.