Why Cloud Atlas is the Most Underrated Film of the Decade

While you may or may not have heard of the movie Cloud Atlas, it is a film worth watching. The film, based off of David Mitchell's novel, came out in 2012, and despite trailers, promotions, and the (practically) all-star cast, it failed to attract a large audience. Oftentimes, the reasons cited were that it is "too complex" or simply "confusing."

That's a fair label to an extent. Cloud Atlas is composed of six separate story-lines, each intersecting in some way with the others. And each story is wildly different. We get period drama, romance, sci-fi, mystery, comedy. Basically anything you can think of, this movie has. By some miracle (or probably brilliance and careful planning), the stories are laid out, intersecting one another. Some endings are sad, most of them are happy. There is a sense of hope woven throughout the film, concluding in the most powerful final scene I have ever witness. I don't want to spoil anything, but the ending. The ending is what makes the movie.

The six stories take place at different points in time on earth. Three in history, one in the present, and two in the future. First, we have the Journal of Adam Ewing, a man on a boat on his way home who befriends a slave. Then comes the bright, young composer Robert Frobisher who is struggling through life while writing letters to his lover Rufus Sixsmith. Luisa Rae's story is a mystery-type. Timothy Cavendish faces financial struggles and gets unwillingly placed in a retirement home by his older, wealthier brother. Sonmi-451 is a clone created to live a short life of servitude, and she begins to discover she can have free thoughts and emotions. The  final story takes place during earth's last days, where some societies have devolved to something more primitive. It follows Zachry and his internal struggles to be a good man.

Another intriguing aspect of the movie is the cast. In each story, each actor appears again to play another character. Since the stories are spread over time, the actor plays a character that develops throughout other lives. Hugo Weaving, however, perpetually plays the villain, acting against the protagonist of the story-line. (At one point, he even becomes an awful female nurse).


I can't write this collection of thoughts on my favorite movie without talking about the music. Piano, orchestra, everything I love.
It blends so well with the scenes. Just thinking about how well this movie is put together makes me tear up. Plus, the more you watch it, the better is gets. And the more sense it makes.


Overall, the movie causes you to question human nature and the like. It's a thought-provoking film that should be given time. Once you finish watching, you'll probably want to just sit there and reflect, maybe talk about it with someone. Still, I'm not saying it's a film for everyone. You either love it or hate it (or remain in that weird indifferent zone).  I highly recommend watching this movie. It is a lovely and inspiring film that can truly show you another perspective on life. Watch the trailer here.