Cloud Atlas and the Human Spirit

There is so much I can say about this movie. When it ended and the credits were rolling, I couldn't decide if I just wanted to sit there in my seat and let the wave of emotions from the film ride over me, or if I wanted to jump up and text all of my friends to say that they had to go out and see this. Needless to say, for several reasons, it is now my number one favorite movie, and I cannot wait to see it again (I will definitely be buying it when it comes out). 

One of the many things I found interesting during the movie was all of the genres presented in it. The audience was shown dystopian, romance, adventure, philosophy, family values, etc., and it was all connected in the end to produce the ultimate message of the film (which was my favorite part of the movie). I happen to love the Dystopian genre, so that was one of my favorite subplots of the film. SonMi-451 and Hae-Joo's connection to each other was felt through the screen and was really touching I thought (though their romance wasn't the best in the film). What I really enjoyed, was how SonMi-451 was used to try and create a better society in the future for all of the citizens in the world (not just the "pure bloods" or the "replicants"). As my friends and I were discussing the film on the ride back home, we came to the conclusion that society was a cycle. We have the advancement of technology and civilization, more and more people have access to technology and can use it (the advancement of technology can also be shown in the nursing home getaway scene where the old crew was in the button-start car and didn't know how to use it because the technology was too advanced for them), but then as technology becomes more developed and we become even more dependent on it, it's used to control society and eventually only those in power really know how to use the technology they are using to control others (SonMi and her collar, or when she sees the "holograms" with Hae-Joo for the first time and thinks it's like magic) then we see society start to decline because we are not only destroying the Earth for the sake of technology, we are also destroying humanity and our lives. We eventually see the fall of SonMi's world, and Zachary's story is where civilization (what was left of it) starts back up, living a primitive lifestyle with limited technology. We see the cycle of technology and human society. 

Another theme in this dystopian-like society (as well as other stories in the movie) was the imprisonment of individuals, whether it be imprisonment from slavery (Adam and Auta), imprisonment from society (Adam, SonMi, Robert, etc), imprisonment from family (Timothy), and imprisonment in your own mind (presented in different aspects through mainly Zachary's character, but also Robert's character in a way--becoming enslaved to your ambitions). A few of these struggles, the average audience member can relate to in one way or another (imprisonment from our own fears, our own goals, our own selfish desires, etc). 

The film isn't all doom and gloom. By the end of it, the Wachowski siblings and Tom Tykwer certainly presented their world view. There is hope within the human spirit and things will get better, even though it may take a long time to get there. This is the true masterpiece of the movie. The ultimate lesson in the movie: all humans are connected to each other with the same fears, the same struggles, the same emotions. We have an obligation to our fellow humans to leave this world a better place then when we entered it. We are connected to, not only those in our past, but also to those who have yet to come. The idea that we are all part of one human spirit and that our actions (whether positive or negative) effect everyone is fascinating to me. We have an obligation to each other, to love each other (as corny as that idea as has become). Not just to have romantic connections (as shown with Robert and Sixsmith) but to also have friendship connections (as shown with the nursing home comrades, SonMi and Hae-Joo Chang--even though that later became a romantic relationship, it was originally structured as a bond through friendship and human interaction, similar to Zachary's and Jocasta's relationship, and Adam's friendship with Autua, and Luisa's relationship with Javier), and connections to those we deem "different" or "inferior" (as shown with Adam and Autua as well as SonMi and Hae-Joo). As stated in the movie: "boundaries are only conventions." Once we overcome these boundaries, we realize the connection we all share to each other as human beings. To me, this idea was simply brilliant, not only in it's message and relevance to the current social struggles in the world, but also in the way it was carried out in the movie. 

There was also a hint of reincarnation; Robert's character and Luisa's character were possible reincarnations of each other as well as Joe Napier and Adam. Luisa knew the sextet even though she had never "heard" it before because her reincarnated spirit was the one who had created it. Also, she felt that connection to Sixsmith in the hotel because Sixsmith had been Robert's lover. Auta had saved Adam's life as a stowaway on the ship when Adam had been poisoned by Dr. Goose. Joe Napier had been saved by Luisa's father when they were in the war together. These are loose connections, but subtle hints to the idea that all human spirits are in some way connected to each other.

Overall, the move was outstanding, and if anyone asks about it, they will definitely receive a recommendation from me. I can't wait until I get to see it again (to see what I missed the first time, and what else I can pick up on). Also, I want to read the book to see how different it is compared to the Wachowski/Tykwer adaptation. In my opinion, this is the best Wachowski film to date and will be talked about for many years to come.