Trailer Tuesday: Cloud Atlas

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What is this, I don't even...?

If I could pick one word to describe Cloud Atlas it would certainly be "Ambitious." Hell, defying the usual teaser format, the film's first trailer was a full 5-minute 40-seconds long.

Based on the award-winning 2004 fantasy/sci-fi novel by David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas is a 3-hour epic adventure directed by The Matrix's Wachowski siblings and Run Lola Run's Tom Tykwer. With a cast that includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, James D'Arcy, Hugh Grant, Hugo Weaving, Zhou Xun and Susan Sarandon, Cloud Atlas is a tale of life, death, decisions, kindred souls and stories that span centuries. Not dissimilar to The Fountain, it looks like a visually stunning mind-fuck, filled with heady issues that will leave you with some serious brain strain as you brood over them in the following hours, days and weeks.


Having yet to read the "unfilmable" book (it's gone straight to the top of my Must Read list), I don't have any expectations about Cloud Atlas - which I admit kind of sneaked up on me. The film opened in the US last Friday and hits South African screens this week, on 2 November.

Out of interest, when Cloud Atlas debuted at this year's Toronto International Film Festival it received a 10-minute standing ovation. The film currently has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 60% Fresh, which suggests it's a very divisive effort. While some critics have appreciated the film's thoughtfulness and experimental approach - heralding it as a moving if imperfect masterpiece - others have complained it's bloated and self-indulgent. Either way, I think we're in store for something special; something we've never seen before. Count me excited!

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