The name says it all: this film, like its respective novel, features a nebulous high-flying narrative that drifts from one era of human history to the next. The film covers six different narratives in six different settings with six different main characters. These narratives may seem totally unrelated, but there are very subtle connections that imply a cosmic unity.
The original novel had all these stories nested, but the film lays it out as a long-running montage, which will come off as seeming totally random, and maybe even “messy” to many viewers. Each story offers a little bit of everything: there’s drama, romance, comedy, and action to be had. The most visually impressive scenes will likely be the Sonmi-451 segments, which depict a dark dystopian future where corporations become a ruling power, and they produce mindless clones to serve consumers. This story will come the closest to being Matrix-esque, thanks to some impressive special effects and thrilling chases and shoot-outs. Sci-fi fans may also dig the Sloosha’s Crossin’ sections, set in a post-apocalypse Hawaii, showcasing the encounters between natives and stellar explorers (and some bad run-ins with mean and nasty natives). I never was a fan of the Adam Ewing section of the book, but the film brings it to life vividly: this is a section that focuses on a pre-20th-century explorer going to Hawaii and back. The Letters from Zedelghem section offers the most drama: a story about a young man moving in with a famous composer, hoping to make it big. Half-Lives offers the most intrigue, as it follows a reporter investigating a conspiracy, and ultimately a death, surrounding the invention of a super-duper power reactor. Then there’s the Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish, easily the funniest part of the whole thing, which tells the story of a publisher on the run who winds up incarcerated in an oppressive retirement home.
Like I said, it all seems random, but in truth, each story is interconnected. Scenes from all six stories are cut together, but the film attends to all six and gives them each the right amount of attention to make them complete. Certain things get altered or dropped from the book; the film definitely loses some of the background detail and information surrounding the characters and events (chief among them, understanding the world of Neo Seoul, the story behind Louisa Rey’s father, and understanding the rivalry between Frobischer and Ayrs). Such changes are necessary to squeeze everything into the film’s roomy 171-minute runtime, but the film does cut out some of the pathos and logos of each story in doing so.
However, the film does excel with the themes of the book. Thanks to the way it’s put together, and the ensemble cast, the film underscores all the connections between the six stories, emphasizing the themes of past lives and the perseverance of the human spirit. Part of this is pretty dark and bleak, with elements of cannibalism present in all stories; the point of all six is that the strong will always prey on the weak, and at least three of these stories hint at a literal cannibalism to emphasize this. At the same time, the film has a brighter side, which actively asserts that love is a binding force that transcends all of space and time. Key themes of death (and possibly rebirth) emerge as well.
This entire piece of work is neatly established with superb photography and editing. The editing can be especially inspiring, since there are quite a few scenes where characters will give a profound monologue during a montage of scenes from all the stories. Acting is great, and it’s especially ingenious how each cast member plays multiple roles across all the stories to further emphasize the connections of each story. Writing is good; a lot of it is the exact same as the book, with just a few necessary changes and bits of exposition to make the best possible adaptation. This production uses some very interesting sets, props, costumes, and special effects. What music is used is not bad.
The randomness of this film may throw off a lot of viewers, but there is a certain method to the madness. I almost wish the stories were presented as a straightforward one-after-another or nested fashion, ala Sin City, but the film has merit as it is. I personally favor the film for bringing the book to vivid life and making a lot of its ideas and subtleties more visible. Above all, it is evenly-paced, entertaining, and well-made. I’d recommend checking it out at least once.
4.5/5 (Entertainment: Very Good | Stories: Very Good | Film: Very Good)
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