If ever a movie was a 1 & 5 ☆ movie...this one is .. critically falls in the middle ...personally....it's not a great movie that's worth viewing once every couple years.... so bad it's great territory... parts of it are above average...parts of it are criminally bad....

A movie that may require rewatching it a few times and each of those times you'll discover something new

The Wachowskis have something great about them, and then always found a way to fall short (expect for the first Matrix of course). Cloud Atlas is a challenging book to turn into a movie, so some credits are due. Visually it lacks some credibility at times, and feels like a different casting would have worked much better. Definitely watch the movie.

I found this film on a list of box office bombs, believe it or not. I instantly chose to watch it when I read that most critics gave it poor reviews because it was considered too-far reaching to be understood properly. I wondered to myself why in the world we would ever, as human beings, be content with calling something "too far-reaching" or "too intelligent" instead of seeking to expand our minds— only to have the movie turn out to be a story about that very concept. So long as we remain in ignorance, we will remain enveloped in hate. So long as we are unable to agree and disagree without being labeled "one of them," we will never be united. The totalitarian regime known as Unanimity in this film combine the words "unity" and "anonymity," to create their name, meaning that they believe that the only chance we have at peace is through total sameness. The rebels disagree. This was an absolutely beautiful work of art that instantly slid into my top three movies of all time.

After a third watch my feelings finally cement on this film being ambitious yet middling. I love the idea of a film telling multiple simultaneous stories with the actors taking on roles in each story and I hope more filmmakers take up this idea, though I don't believe it was executed very well in this movie. The most prevalent problem I had with this movie is that I didn't feel like all of the settings were necessary to the overall timeline. I understood how the earliest plot had some connection to the one in 1936, and how that then had a connection to the story in 1973, yet then it feels like the film splits its' timeline as there seemingly isn't anything connecting onto 2012. Although each of the stories follow a theme of breaking away from societal struggles or expectations, they don't all have connecting plots. It somewhat felt like you could cut some of the timelines out of this movie with not much being lost. The next problem I have is that there are parts in this film that sometimes felt a little pretentious. The one line I remember disliking the most from the film is "You have to do whatever you can't not do." Which just is supposed to mean "You have to do whatever you can." I hesitate to proudly call this film's presentations of scenes to be 'non-linear', though I admire how the film turned out in regard to its pacing. I can understand how others may get confused about following on with the stories constantly cutting between timelines, yet I feel that these stories could have only worked in this format. There are moments in each of these stories when the tension rises, where you'll find the film cutting in between the most, though I think it works here since I feel if all these scenes were split up more than the audience would get tired of the film trying to make them excited, while lumping multiple timelines' moments of exhilaration keeps the audience on their feet, yet prepared to cool down for slower, calmer scenes. Some of the story elements or characters by themselves didn't feel too fulfilling. Like with Somni-451 mostly just having her story being led by other characters and not showing much agency until the end of her timeline. I also didn't feel interested in moments like the ending of the 1973 timeline, since, like mentioned earlier, it has no plot point I noticed that connects to the future timelines. For further notes, the film looked great to look at, with plenty of shots to be able to appreciate the acting as well as shots to appreciate the scenery/special effects. Most of the music didn't personally stick with me aside from the short piece that played when that car was pushed off the bridge, though I always felt like it did its job well. At the end of the day, I do mostly like this movie, but mostly for the concept and the imagination, and not thinking that it's an overall good movie. I would recommend giving this film at least one watch as, again, I do wish to see concept like this explored more in other works.

Like an intricate play of mirrors, this film reflects the renowned chaos theory: the flutter of a butterfly's wings can trigger unimaginable events at the edge of the universe. A film of disarming poetry, which enchants and surprises. The rebellious spirit of the Wachowski sisters, known to their fans, manifests in every frame, while an enveloping soundtrack, classically inspired, accompanies the viewer on an emotional and unforgettable journey. Great attention to every detail, the authors have achieved a fantastic philosophical-literary work. This movie, unfortunately, is severely underrated.

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, o começo parece ser bacana, mas depois o filme não teve cenas interessantes, e nenhuma cena impactante para dar uma alavancada no filme, e também parece que o filme teve um roteiro meio confuso, com vários atores fazendo diferentes personagens dentro do filme, o elenco é bom, mas não ajudaram o filme a ser bom, com tudo isso, eu não recomendo esse filme

So ambitious 5 movies in one. Incredible stories and hopeful message

Beautiful cinematography, nonsensical movie. Several stories which unsuccessfully attempt to intertwine but never make the connection. I see some reviews saying it was a profound and life changing experience.... I'll smoke what you're smoking, please. All star cast with big budget backing, but story was lacking..."true-true"

Pros: - It goes all out with big time actors - Interconnected stories - Stunning visuals - Brilliant dialogue - Ambitious Cons: - A few actors playing a dozen parts makes it confusing, when you're already trying to follow like 20 stories across multiple time lines. - Some of the dialogue doesn't feel natural coming the people delivering it. - Too much. This already very long movie needs another hour or a few stories should've been cut out. And idk which. I'm guessing it works much better as a book.

This movie changed my life in every aspect i never even knew of. Cloud Atlas is not just a movie—it is a transcendent experience, a symphony of interconnected lives that spans centuries, continents, and emotional landscapes. To call it merely a film would be to trivialize the masterpiece this art has become. It is a profound meditation on existence, a narrative puzzle whose pieces fit together in ways that defy simple understanding but ultimately illuminate the grand premise of something so fascinating it will leave a hole in your heart once you watch it. The beauty of Cloud Atlas lies in its ambition and audacity. It dares to dream in a way that most films do not, exploring the notion that we are all part of something much larger than ourselves. It reminds us that the smallest acts of kindness, courage, or betrayal can reverberate through the ages, shaping destinies and altering the course of history in ways we may never fully understand. Each plot thread is a reflection of this idea, and as the stories intertwine, the film slowly reveals that every choice we make ripples out into eternity. In every sense, Cloud Atlas was the best thing I ever witnessed on the silver screen. It transcends the medium of film, touching something deeper within the soul. It is a testament to the power of storytelling, a reminder that every moment matters, and that the future is always shaped by the choices of the past.

Well paced and interesting enough, but the different storylines never come together. I felt this was a missed opportunity at trying to be an Epic.

So derivative, combining Magnolia's interwoven multi-plots + Matrix' suspicions of multi-realities + Blade Runner futuristic relationships with cyborgs + the Red Violin for all the above. Like so many soups, hope for nourishment, but often not memorable despite being 90 minutes too long.

There are a very small handful of movies that got somewhat panned that I LOVED= this is one of them. Vanilla Sky was another. I think people just didn't get it and weren't of a depth TO get it. It's about life, it's randomness and it's predicated upon the premise that we live more then one of them and that, if we do, we can be very different in how we are while still maintaining a kind of symmetry where it connects somehow no matter how disparate it may appear. I fell in love with this the moment I saw it and even if they didn't make a billion dollars on it- it's cinema like this that reinvigorates my devotion to it. Thank you! and BRAVO... BRAVO.... BRAVO....

Having watched William Wender's "Silence," and then returned to "Cloud Atlas," my feeling is that Cloud Atlas takes the axiom, 'movies need to move,' too seriously. Movies also need moments of slowness, meditative moments for the viewers to take things in and process them some. Lot's of profound quick statements are thrown at us. It's pace however is like a madcap comedy. There are moments of humor but no laugh out loud moments where time seems to cease in a joy. It's rush, rush rush through time and centuries.

Why do I love it? Because I believe that the concept is true. We are all consequences of past actions and our actions will be the consequences of the future. Soaring soundtrack, gobsmacking visuals, Doona Bae is of course the stand-out actor.

Cloud Atlas is one of my favorite films of all time, despite being a long, slog of a film. While the films cinematography and cast are... questionable at times, the interwoven themes of historical importance of storytelling, the cyclical nature of humanities follies, and understanding why it is important to stand up for what you believe in, are integral and important. The complicated at best, and downright boring at best, nature of this film is balanced just well enough for the pay off at the end of how each separate narrative is connected, make this film one I would still recommend. The usage of it's cast is so well done and honestly humorously ineffective at times that it made me question the use of practical effects in order to make certain characters appear as if they were others. Nonetheless, this films main theme, of standing up for what you believe in, no matter the cost, is executed so well, with each narrative compounding on the importance of the existence of self. The composing director as well, using one song to tie each story to the last in new and interesting ways is honestly brilliant. Not only does each motif lead directly into another, the epiphany that each story has been shadowed by one musical composition the entire time makes the narrative more effective in ways I could not explain. The story, much like onions and ogres, has many layers to be peeled back. Overall, Cloud Atlas is a masterpiece of film and deserves more accolades than in was given, but also struggles deeply with certain choices in theming and casting that hold it back from being truly great.

I dont Hate the movie as much as i hate people that gave this 5 stars and "loved this movie" but cant tell me why or what they loved about it. 1 star will always go to Halle berry love her

A brilliant reimagining of the book. I loved the way each actor was used to play multiple parts. A great way to engage the viewer as each story unfolding to a enjoyable conclusion

Not a bad idea, but doesn't work well in movie form. Too scattered and not enough time to make it work. The scene with the Asian woman being killed like an animal, then "processed" in a factory like animals... that was needlessly graphic and frankly kind of insulting.