John P
05-21-2006, 09:36 AM
Terrence Malick gets off his duff and brings us yet another stunningly visual work of art to rival his "Days of Heaven."
"New World" is a breathtakingly beautiful celebration of unspoiled nature. Even James Horner's haunting score is often quieted for the sounds of birds, wind in the trees, locusts, babbling streams.
It's the story of Pocahantas, played by lively young newcomer Q'Orianka Kilcher, (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0452963/) beginning with the arrival of English Pilgrims on the shores of Virgina, including John Smith (Colin Farrel), and their faltering attempts to live with the natives. The story barely flashes over Pocahatas' legendary saving of Smith's life, then lingers on their growing affection while he's her father's captive. The editing and photgraphy make the relationship, and much of the film, dance like a dream, with jump-cuts, in-head soliloquies, and uncertain hand-held camera work.
The film follows history, rather than legendary romance, so Smith takes his reassignment when relief ships return from England in the spring (oh, and the tiny 1600-vintage sailing ships are quite pretty!), and new colonist John Rolfe (Christian Bale) falls for Pocahantas after she's exiled from her tribe and joins the colony, taking the Christian name Rebecca.
The film's great strength is its astounding photography and dream-like presentation. But it has one serious weakness: if you haven't read your grade school history, you'll have no frigging idea who these people are. While John Smith is called by name on many occasions, Pocahantas' name is not spoken once during the film! In fact, the one time someone almost said it, she was cut short with the announcement that Pocahantas' exile has forced her to abandon her given name, and thus has none. Nor is her father's name mentioned, the great king Powhatan. And in fact, when Christian Bale's character shows up, he's never called by name either. I would think this is a basic movie essential - letting your audience know the names of the people whose lives you're watching!
One other thing I'll fault the film for is its mumbling dialog, and the tendancy to mix the score and "sounds of nature" tracks louder than the actors' voices. I think I missed at least half of the dialog. But there really isn't very MUCH dialog anyway, Malick allowing the action and mood to tell most of the story.
The film's editing technique can be taken as either a strength OR a weakness - I found it beautiful, my wife found it annoying. While the plot is mostly linear, there are a few in-head moments and flashbacks, and the occasional jumpcut or random shot of nature that may make someone think the editor threw a handful of scenes up in the air and spliced them together however they landed.
But I have no hesitation recommending the film to anyone who likes gorgeous photogtraphy and a good historical epic.
"New World" is a breathtakingly beautiful celebration of unspoiled nature. Even James Horner's haunting score is often quieted for the sounds of birds, wind in the trees, locusts, babbling streams.
It's the story of Pocahantas, played by lively young newcomer Q'Orianka Kilcher, (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0452963/) beginning with the arrival of English Pilgrims on the shores of Virgina, including John Smith (Colin Farrel), and their faltering attempts to live with the natives. The story barely flashes over Pocahatas' legendary saving of Smith's life, then lingers on their growing affection while he's her father's captive. The editing and photgraphy make the relationship, and much of the film, dance like a dream, with jump-cuts, in-head soliloquies, and uncertain hand-held camera work.
The film follows history, rather than legendary romance, so Smith takes his reassignment when relief ships return from England in the spring (oh, and the tiny 1600-vintage sailing ships are quite pretty!), and new colonist John Rolfe (Christian Bale) falls for Pocahantas after she's exiled from her tribe and joins the colony, taking the Christian name Rebecca.
The film's great strength is its astounding photography and dream-like presentation. But it has one serious weakness: if you haven't read your grade school history, you'll have no frigging idea who these people are. While John Smith is called by name on many occasions, Pocahantas' name is not spoken once during the film! In fact, the one time someone almost said it, she was cut short with the announcement that Pocahantas' exile has forced her to abandon her given name, and thus has none. Nor is her father's name mentioned, the great king Powhatan. And in fact, when Christian Bale's character shows up, he's never called by name either. I would think this is a basic movie essential - letting your audience know the names of the people whose lives you're watching!
One other thing I'll fault the film for is its mumbling dialog, and the tendancy to mix the score and "sounds of nature" tracks louder than the actors' voices. I think I missed at least half of the dialog. But there really isn't very MUCH dialog anyway, Malick allowing the action and mood to tell most of the story.
The film's editing technique can be taken as either a strength OR a weakness - I found it beautiful, my wife found it annoying. While the plot is mostly linear, there are a few in-head moments and flashbacks, and the occasional jumpcut or random shot of nature that may make someone think the editor threw a handful of scenes up in the air and spliced them together however they landed.
But I have no hesitation recommending the film to anyone who likes gorgeous photogtraphy and a good historical epic.