Review of The New World (2005) by Jim P — 03 Sep 2010

Let me make one thing clear from the start, this is not a bad movie. I wouldn't even call it a step backwards for the filmmaker, but more of a totter sideways.

It honestly felt like a giant continuation of The Thin Red Line, but with twice the ideas. In the end I think Malick wanted to tell us something and we were all just to stupid to get it. I'm ok with that, I'm used to director's who don't want to meet you halfway, or if you can't figure out the subtext then the movie wasn't made for you anyways (high five Coen brothers!). But this one may take the cake.

Sure I was able to draw a lot from what Malick was showing me, I speak in a visual language and so does he......sometimes.But with the run-time eclipsing 170 minutes I just couldn't hold on.

Contextually everything was kosher to the Malickian format, but there were stiff points.

My humble opinion is that Colin Farrell's performance was a bit stiff. It was by no means bad, but it really just didn't make it all the way there. There blank stares and hesitant whispers that are so typical of Malick's characters just didn't get him through the film, I wanted to see more.

However Q'Orianka Kilcher's performance of Pocohantas was exhilarating. (That's the last time I'll spell that name in this review.) Her bared soul is what brought me through that film. And to think she was only 14 when she delivered it; me thinks she should be given more opportunities.

Mr. Lubezki is back behind the camera giving us what we expect...excellence. But I do think that there was less to show this time than there was in the past.

With Thin Red Line there was a whole world we were peering into. Most of us have been peering into this New World for a long while now. There wasn't the same amount of awe and wonder as before, I wasn't transfixed on the visual poetry, as deftly as it was brought off.

In the end I just cross my arms and go, "Hmm.".