What a strange, magnificently messy, fascinating, gender-race-time bending morality tale. The Wachowski Siblings (Larry is now Lana) newest features a great cast, each playing a half dozen or so roles and several different time periods from past to dysfunctional post apocalyptic future. Males play female roles and vice versa, actors are made up to look like people of other races (the best Asian eyes on a European actor since Charlie Chan) and yes, after all, Soylent Green IS people. My favorite was Hugo Weaving being a female Nurse Ratchet-like character.
The plot is the easiest one since Tree of Life, not for the faint of heart or for people who need a linear plot line. It's taken from the book of the same name and, in retrospect, I would recommend, if you have not read the book, you should read the Wikipedia summary. A common thread runs through the different subplots, that of oppression, intolerance and violence in different times and places, like a much bigger version of Crash or even Griffith's Intolerance. In fact, what unites humanity in all these places and times is, in fact, the ugly things we do to each other and the brave few who resist it.
If this a worthwhile movie? IMO, absolutely yes. I loved it, but I'm sure some will find it much too loose, confusing, too full of agendas* and too full of makeup. If nothing else, it's visually spectacular, with fantasy settings realized very convincingly. I have to see this one again. The relatively small audience nearly all applauded at the end. If you have an open mind about what a movie can be, be sure to not miss this.
*It may be an agenda, but is it a bad agenda to suggest that we get along with each other and to not do ugly violence?
