Review of The New World (2005) by Sam S — 13 Jun 2011

This being my first foray into the works of Terrence Malick, I think it's presumptuous of me to evaluate this film without a firmer knowledge of his complete cinematic style. However, even with my limited comparisons, I can look at the film as something much more on it's own.

What astounds me most about what Malick captures in this is the complete and utter awe for nature and life, that I have quite to see from any director. He also manages to get some of the most natural performances from the cast.

Colin Farrell, Q'Orianka Kilcher and Christian Bale are all terrific in this, but more than anything what this film has going for it is it's cinematic power. The long shots, handheld style and ambiguity are among the most fascinating elements of this retelling of the classic Pocahontas story.

Though I feel Malick sometimes gets a little caught up in the photography and spiritual nature of the film, it's never lacking in provocative ideas. As a whole, I'd say it lacks a certain spark, but with the images so captivating and the performances so mesmerizing it's hard to not appreciate it.