Review of The New World (2005) by Glen O — 21 Mar 2015

Oh how I love Terrence Malick films! So much natural beauty transferred to the screen. The langorous pacing that annoys some viewers I find deeply engaging. The magic seems to happen in the editing room with rapidly juxtaposed images and cuts that in spite of their disjointedness still seem to result in a visual rapture.

Malick takes us into the heads of his subjects through voiceovers that make their inner monologues audible rather than through dialogue. This adds to the philosophical tone of his films. Apparently he does not like to use artificial lighting always preferring to manipulate the available natural light.

However he does it, it works as this fils, like all his others is something to behold. Then there is the subject matter - first contact between English settlers and the native Americans of Virginia at Jamestown and the romance between John Smith and Pocahontas.

Detailed historical recreations provides an authentic feel unsurpassed by any other cinematic telling of the story.