Friday, March 29, 2024

'New World' beautiful; too much focus on scenery

Q'Orianka Kilcher as Pocahontas, left, protects Colin Farrell as John Smith in the film, "The New World." —

By Justin Kroll
For The State News

It is rare today in movies that we see directors take the gamble of slowing a film down and making it into a piece of thought-provoking art, instead of a fast-paced, action-packed epic. This is exactly what director Terrence Malick does in his new period piece, "The New World."

The film spans a 10-year period starting in 1607, when colonists from England land in America and establish the colony of Jamestown. The colonists are led by John Smith (Colin Farrell).

After the colony runs into a lack of food, disease and Smith is sent on an envoy to meet with American Indians. Instead, they kidnap him, and he is nearly put to death. But the chief's daughter, Pocahontas, asks to spare his life.

Pocahontas is the main character and is played by Q'Orianka Kilcher in an amazing debut performance. Pocahontas is never mentioned by name, but because the audience already knows the basis of the story, we assume it is her.

Malick decides to keep the name Pocahontas out of the film and use her as a bridge that connects her American Indian society with the colonists' society. When Smith and Pocahontas fall in love, Malick uses their love not as a form of entertainment, but as a tool to show how their two different worlds are much more similar then they think.

By making Pocahontas an outcast in her tribe and an outsider entering the colony, Malick is able to show us how similar and completely different those societies were.

Malick's decision to make it neither a love story, nor a violent historical piece works to his advantage. Showing that neither society will accept a girl who wants the best for both sides shines light on greed and envy that face all societies.

The film is, at times, dangerously dull and might have trouble keeping the audiences interested in the story. There is also a problem with the many times Malick decides to focus on the scenery of the film instead of the film itself. Other than these small flaws, the film stands out among other historical pieces.

No one is better at putting beautiful landscapes on film than Malick, but at times, it feels as though we are watching the Discovery Channel instead of a movie.

I have great admiration for a person who is willing to forget about all other guidelines involved in this genre and focus on subjects and ideas rarely seen when approaching the historical epic today.

Maybe someone will take Malick's cue and make a film not only that asks these questions but keeps us asking for more.

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