Wednesday • June 19, 2013
CLOUD ATLAS World Premiere Garners Mixed Reception from Critics
Written for the screen and directed by Lana and Andy Wachowski (The Matrix) and Tom Tykwer, Cloud Atlas explores how the actions and consequences of individual lives impact one another throughout the past, the present and the future.
Action, mystery and romance weave dramatically through the story as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero and a single act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution in the distant future.
After this evening's world premiere of Cloud Atlas at the Toronto International Film Festival, critics immediately took to Twitter to share their thoughts which are overall divisive -- viewers either loved or very much disliked the film. The general consensus seems to be that movie goers will need ample amounts of patience to get through it's long run time:
"CLOUD ATLAS (Tykwer/Wachowskis, C) Obliterates the book's nesting-doll structure in favor of a symphonic fiasco of artistry and tackiness."
"CLOUD ATLAS is like the MATRIX trilogy in micro - starts absolutely brilliantly, then a slog.
"For what it's worth I feel guilty for not liking CLOUD ATLAS more. I respect it even recommend it but won't lie & say I ultimately liked it"
"'The Fountain' did what 'Cloud Atlas' tried to do six years ago, in half the time, and much better. But it didn't have Thug Hanks."
"Wow, super long standing ovation at the premiere of Cloud Atlas!Remarkable piece of work, am huge fan of the book so really enjoyed."
"I think the editing and performances in Cloud Atlas are brilliant. Watching great actors jump from character to character is a joy.
"Not an emotional punch, but Cloud Atlas is mesmerizing start to finish thanks to juxtaposition of grand themes, acting & images.
"Cloud Atlas is good election season fodder. Power figures demanding complacency to societal rules, others fighting back for humanity."
"CLOUD ATLAS is five or six movies interrupting each other."
Alex Billington/First Showing:
"Cloud Atlas - A cinematic revelation. Pulled it off. THIS is the movie of the year. Pushes boundaries of storytelling. More than PTA. Wow!
"Cloud Atlas receives an ENORMOUS standing ovation - still ongoing. This film is a spectacular achievement on the grandest of scales.
"Cloud Atlas wins Best Makeup hands down. It will not be loved by all, but it pushes the audience to embrace the brilliance within it."
"Blown away by the scale and scope of CLOUD ATLAS. Brilliant on so many levels. Absolutely loved it.
"While every studio and most filmmakers play it safe, CLOUD ATLAS is a shining light reminding us what's possible in cinema."
"I think CLOUD ATLAS is brilliant and amazing and is going to be hated by a lot of people. I also think a lot of people who loved SPEED RACER might hate CLOUD ATLAS. Radically, utterly different type of movie."
"CLOUD ATLAS (B+): Lots to quibble with, esp. on the yellowface front, but it's a movie of big ideas, and only a few of them are terrible."
"CLOUD ATLAS (Cooks in the Kitchen): Not even its enormous failures are interesting. Unredeemably bad. And long."
Jeremy Smith/Ain't It Cool News:
"Adored CLOUD ATLAS. Deft interweaving of six stories, and sincere as all get out. Might annoy some, but I felt every big emotion was earned."
Mike Ryan/Huffington Post Entertainment:
"I really admire the effort behind Cloud Atlas, but, boy, I felt almost every minute of its running time.
"And speaking as someone who didn’t care much for Cloud Atlas, I’d still recommend it because it’s quite remarkable as a spectacle."
Cloud Atlas, directed by Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer and Andy Wachowski, stars Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, James D’Arcy, Zhou Xun , Keith David, David Gyasi, Susan Sarandon and Hugh Grant. Warner Bros has scheduled the film for theatrical release October 26th, 2012.
