Making any kind of movie from Atlas Shrugged is a truly daunting project. The real problem here is that the written word, however impressive, does not translate well when spoken by actors. This is especially true on film where the characters are set free of the boundaries of print or the stage. Atlas is a philosophical statement surrounded by a story. The movie tries hard to portray the philosophy by quoting the characters.as written. It is a noble effort, but it really doesn't, work very well.The result is heavy and rather lifeless. Anyone who hasn't read the book is probably going to get lost in the story pretty early on. Better read the book instead.However don't give up on this project! Part 2 is much better.