I thought all of the individual stories were pretty well done. They're all kind of genre cliches, but they all work. Whatever loose connection there is supposed to be between them doesn't really work for me, though.
The whole movie kind of gave me a headache as I tried to figure it all out, but I probably over-thought it. Because of the reincarnation themes of the movie, I expected to be able to follow the threads of the same 'soul' between characters in the different timelines, and for there to be some interconnected character-arc there. I also expected that the re-use of actors to signify the same soul or something like that. The timelines with the characters and the way they behave just don't match up, so neither of these assumptions seemed to be true, so I really wonder why they made the decisions they did with the movie, like the re-use of actors, etc.
Another thing that baffled me was the shooting star birth mark. Again, I thought this was a clue as to who was who, so we could follow a single soul/timeline through all of their lives, but there seems to be some overlap with these and so again, that doesn't make much sense. So, aside from signifying the main character in the story, I don't see the relevance of this at all.
I don't know much about the book, but I read somewhere that the reincarnation themes were merely hinted at in the book, and it is really just a set of separate stories that are loosely tied together and share some common themes. If that's the case the film-makers definitely botched this movie.
Overall I enjoyed it though. I just kept waiting for the moment when some of this would click together, and it never did. I guess I kind of had high hopes and expected there to be more to the story than there actually was.
Oh man, I loved it. Especially with my current interest in, and study of reincarnation, and all the stuff mentioned within the movie. Quantum physics, soul mates, all that. Fascinating stuff. I'm going to start the book soon too. It's really beautiful how they connected all the stories. Really felt authentic, if that makes sense.
My girlfriend loves this stuff too, but I couldn't get her to agree to a 3 hour movie, hahaha.
I really enjoyed it. Saw it with my wife (who hates scifi/fantasy) and even she got invested in the characters. Fantastic visuals, especially the Neo-Seoul parts. Felt like Blade Runner if it was made today. My one gripe would be that it felt a bit slow to start, and some of the makeup was pretty gross, but I loved the stories and how warm and fuzzy it left you feeling haha
To your last point, yes, that is apparently the case. I haven't read the book, but have a friend who has. After hearing interviews with the author of the book and the directors on their thought process as they were coming up with the screenplay, it seems to me that they thought that playing up the re-incarnation aspect of it in a literal application in the film was the only way to sell it. That is debatable, of course, but to your point, it was in fact a design decision.
I liked the movie. I found some of the prosthetics very distracting, however, and thought that at times the re-incarnated roles of the actors did more harm than good to the overall story, rather than if they just cast someone more physically appropriate to play the role.
saw it last weekend. seemed like a bit of a cinematic wank fest when its all said and done. some interesting visuals here and there but the movie could simlply have been 5 short stories, none were particualairy interesting, the ship one with the slave and the publisher one could have been cut completley and shaved an hour off the running time.
I didnt hate it but didnt love it either. seemed like one of those pseudo intellectual movies thats trying too hard to have some deeper meaning but there isnt much beneath the surface to support it.
The movie is kinda a mess honestly. I mean from a storyline base only, certain things didn't make sense.
For example, why is the girl with the mark shown through all the movie? I get it, it's supposed to be under the idea of 'spirit' or reincarnation, but wouldn't have the mark on different people have worked out much better, instead of using the same girl? Or is it the same person 'traveling through time', in which case, it going against the rest of the narrative in more ways then one.
It's clear that this is as much of pet-project as you can get without breaking the bank, and for that, it's showing it's leaks.
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nice to know it turned out good. Totally gotta check this one out.
I thought all of the individual stories were pretty well done. They're all kind of genre cliches, but they all work. Whatever loose connection there is supposed to be between them doesn't really work for me, though.
Another thing that baffled me was the shooting star birth mark. Again, I thought this was a clue as to who was who, so we could follow a single soul/timeline through all of their lives, but there seems to be some overlap with these and so again, that doesn't make much sense. So, aside from signifying the main character in the story, I don't see the relevance of this at all.
I don't know much about the book, but I read somewhere that the reincarnation themes were merely hinted at in the book, and it is really just a set of separate stories that are loosely tied together and share some common themes. If that's the case the film-makers definitely botched this movie.
Overall I enjoyed it though. I just kept waiting for the moment when some of this would click together, and it never did. I guess I kind of had high hopes and expected there to be more to the story than there actually was.
My girlfriend loves this stuff too, but I couldn't get her to agree to a 3 hour movie, hahaha.
I liked the movie. I found some of the prosthetics very distracting, however, and thought that at times the re-incarnated roles of the actors did more harm than good to the overall story, rather than if they just cast someone more physically appropriate to play the role.
I didnt hate it but didnt love it either. seemed like one of those pseudo intellectual movies thats trying too hard to have some deeper meaning but there isnt much beneath the surface to support it.
For example, why is the girl with the mark shown through all the movie? I get it, it's supposed to be under the idea of 'spirit' or reincarnation, but wouldn't have the mark on different people have worked out much better, instead of using the same girl? Or is it the same person 'traveling through time', in which case, it going against the rest of the narrative in more ways then one.
It's clear that this is as much of pet-project as you can get without breaking the bank, and for that, it's showing it's leaks.