The New World (2006)

Many people dislike the film...

because we are seeing a quick cut half telling of the 171 minute film- this New Edition coming should either bore us to death or be a monumental epic of poetic filmmaking.
This is NOT a Hollywood film. But isnt Bergman either.
Jonh Smith and his haggard pouting did get to be a nuisance...

Q'Orianka Kilcher is like the sun and the moon and the stars July 18, 2008

Another Malick "love it or hate it" film.

It's clear to me now that most anyone who watches a Terrence Malick film cannot remain bipartisan in their final assessment of his work. Simply put, people either love his films or they loathe them. For those of us who love symbolism, deeply meditative sequences of sound and imagery, or poetic cinematography, the New World will again act as an ample supply to fulfill your lust for films less ordinary.

PLOT:
This is the story of Pocahontas and John Smith portrayed in a style you've never seen before. Smith arrives in 17th century Jamestown upon a ship and is sentenced to die, but his sentence is revoked when Smith's importance to the survival of the new colony is acknowledged. He isn't safe from the surrounding "naturals", however, and soon finds himself on the verge of death again until young Pocahontas saves his life.
The two quickly develop a platonic friendship in which they innocently teach one another words from each other's native tongue, and roam the landscape in type of otherworldly, cherubic flight of tranquility. Smith, feeding his constant wanderlust, eventually leaves Pocahontas, who at this point has been abandoned by her tribe for placing Smith above her people. She remains at the Anglo settlement and begins adopting their customs and culture. It is here that Pocahontas meets John Rolfe and eventually marries him, adopting the Anglo name of Rebecca. But the memory, and presence, of Smith are not completely evaporated and a final reunion seems imminent.

The New World is just as much about the spiritual bond of family as it is the ideal relationship between Smith and Pocahontas. The young native woman at times questions where her dead mother has gone, and in the last hauntingly beautiful segment of the film, finally realizes that all of us live on in our children.

There are a number of breathtaking scenes in which Malick intertwines natural beauty and a series of pensively symbolic imagery. Outside a battle scene towards the middle of the film, The New World is remarkably clean and lacks any type of romantic sensuality between Smith and Pocahontas. I highly recommend this film to anyone who has interest in the story or to anyone who enjoys well-crafted films.
June 17, 2008

This movie is in itself a different world

I'm not surprised this movie only averages (at current) 3 stars. It is a very different kind of movie and you have to be prepared for a different experience. Clearly many reviewers here were not, so I wanted to review it just to make some points about this film. (I should add that it is one of my 2 or 3 favorite films of all time.)

There are really two different stories at work here. One is about culture and the other is about romantic love. The pace of the movie, which is slow, is necessary for both stories. From the cultural aspect, the pacing is deliberate, and is the perfect means of showing a world that doesn't operate by clocks or schedules. There is no rush in the way they live their lives. There is also a deep appreciation of the natural world, where things are quiet, where wind blows, thunder crackles, the sun moves across the sky, the water laps on the shore, etc.

This pace is also necessary for when Pocahontas goes to *his* world, to England. There is a distinct contrast here in the number, volume level, and types of sounds; in the costumes; in the grandeur of the sights. There is a real shift here that emphasizes the difference between the two worlds.

From the romantic aspect, one of the most charming aspects of this movie is that the characters do not share a common language. This presents a unique storytelling challenge: How do you tell a love story without dialogue? Malick does it through natural sound, a touch, a look, the inner thoughts of the characters, music, and through an editing style that gives us a sense of being in the moment. They come to enjoy each other's company without language (at least at first). The actors pull this off wonderfully, with a look or a touch. The effect is dreamlike, which is often what love can feel like. I really appreciate how Malick shoots and edits simple moments that feel disjointed, almost like memory. To me, this is one of the most powerful love stories ever committed to film and it's amazing how little the characters say to one another.

My suggestion for anyone wanting to see this movie is to try and give yourself over to it. This is indeed a new world in terms of a movie experience. Rather than bringing your own concepts of "entertainment" to it, let yourself be affected by something that's unfamiliar, where time slows down and life is completely different. May 8, 2008

poetic

if you like Terrence Malick, this will suit you. deeply romantic, long and poetic April 7, 2008

Too sappy for words

I remember Pauline Kael referring to Dancing With Wolves as Dancing With Feathers. A sobriquet far more appropriate to this romantic little enterprise. Good grief it looks like a Harpers Bazaar shoot. Were the *naturals* that artistic? Who did their grassy field choreography?

I'm sorry , it's too easy to potshot this silly thing. Rent (or better yet buy) Black Robe if you want to see a gutsy take on 17th century exploration in the new world. Even more beautifully photographed as well as more realistic & brutal but oh so unforgettable.

PS...Colin Farrell looks like Brad Pitt dipped in ink. March 25, 2008

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