Fairly or not, the Wachowskis tend to have their filmography divided into two categories: Matrix and Other. The Matrix is a near-universally acclaimed movie that shook the foundations of science fiction, and even its inferior sequels have retained their pop culture impact and general appeal. Everything else the sisters have made, however, has divided audiences and confounded critics.
Depending on who you ask, Speed Racer is either a candy-coated thrill ride or a garish headache, V for Vendetta a searing indictment of authoritarianism or a dumbed-down misfire of an adaptation, and Jupiter Ascending the good kind of bad or just the bad kind of bad. But even among the latter category of Wachowski film, Cloud Atlas tends to be relegated to secondary status, forgotten by many and debated by everyone else. The overstuffed epic certainly isn’t without flaws, but a new 4K UHD from Shout Factory gives it a second chance at life.
