The New World review

Pocahontas: Come, spirit, help us sing the story of our land. You are our mother. You are our field of corn. We rise from out of the soul of you. 

Director: Terrence Malick
(2005)

There's no doubt that The New World is a Terrence Malick film. There are long moments of silence, sparse dialogue and complex, whispered voiceovers. Almost another member of the cast, the environment once again plays a significant role here. Shots of nature are in abundance, from gorgeous sunsets to murky swamps, snowy barrens juxtaposed with a raging lightning storm, captured remarkably during a scene. This natural beauty that Malick employs in his work is mesmerising, and cinematographer Emanuel Luzbeki captures his director’s vision to a tee. The camera is always positioned perfectly, progressing the plot or raising our immersion in this small patch of Virginia. Luzbeki is quite possibly the finest cinematographer working today, and his talent is reflected in The New World.

The story here will be relatively familiar to many, of John Smith and how he falls in love with the American native Pocahontas. But this is a Terrence Malick film, so proceedings have been altered slightly in accordance with his unmistakeable direction. The natural beauty of Virginia is captured with elegant grace, coupled with otherworldly monologues from both Smith (Colin Farell) and Pocahontas (Q'orianka Kilcher). Calling The New World a slow film is a bit of an understatement, but it never strays into being boring. Its pacing is deliberate and meticulous; plot development is slight and minor. Malick is more interested in his typical, shots of long grass waving in the wind, shafts of light poking through trees and the gentle ripples that disrupt the peace of a river. The New World is a stunning film, and quite possibly Malick’s most visually striking film to date.

The core (and for that matter, the highlight) of the film centres around the love Smith and Pocahontas have for each other. Initially unable to communicate due to speaking different languages, they interact with signs and symbols, taking in each other’s cultures as they go. The natives possess no greed or resent, something that wows Smith, as well as the audience. Scenes that last minutes go by without any dialogue, but are propelled forward wonderfully as the pair interact, understand each other and ultimately fall in love. It’s absolutely stunning, a cinematic moment that I’ll remember for quite some time.

Having witnessed the extended edition of the film, pacing suffers horribly as the final third swings around. After 2 hours of beauty and tenderness, we endure a dull slog of an hour, an hour that possesses none of the films initial brilliance. Our protagonist John Smith disappears and his void is filled by John Rolfe (Christian Bale) for the remainder of the film. Bale does a decent job with what he’s given, but it’s hard to connect with a character that hasn’t been developed earlier in the film. Much like smith, he falls for Pocahontas, but in a contrast to Smiths relationship to her, this bond of love is so very flat.

After such a dull and uninteresting finish, The New World feels like an ever so slight disappointment. The great acting and phenomenal cinematography is a consistent treat compared to the structured and emotionally void final hour. Fans of Malick will get the expected experience, complete with trademark voiceovers, but it doesn’t live up to his previous efforts, or his later ones.

7