The film follows a group of souls reincarnated over hundreds of years, each story unfolding as though happening at the same time. The book, which I read a decade or more ago, was structured like a Russian nesting doll. This movie peels apart each story, playing them alongside one another to emphasize the many ways their lives overlap.
One story takes place in a future Seoul, which features “fabricants” played by Asian actors, and “purebloods” as non-Asian actors in yellowface. While undoubtedly problematic and ill-conceived, I believe there is an interpretation meant for irony that the “purebloods” are, in fact, the furthest from it. But I may be being generous.
The throughlines of each story are manifold — love seems to transcend a lifetime, with different characters reincarnated as lovers. Each story also features a revolution of some kind, whether it’s one man deciding to help an enslaved black man or an older man plotting an escape from a nursing home. In each case, the choice itself is small in the scheme of things, but its effects ripple, underscoring that change of any size can make an impact.
What is an ocean but a multitude of drops?
Maybe it’s because I accidentally forgot to take my meds, but this movie had me crying and inspired to revolt. I’m writing this review the next day, and I’m still vibrating from the movie’s effect on me.
This film is one of the most ambitious movies I’ve seen. It may make some wild swings that don’t work, but the Wachowski Sisters put so much heart into this that it’s hard not to admire.