| Directed and written by Terrence Malick, the | | | | he happens upon the Native American kingdom |
| talented artist behind The Thin Red Line | | | | of Powhatan (August Schellenberg). Of course, |
| (1998), great anticipation surrounded the | | | | most of the world knows the basic plotline. |
| release of The New World. The project was | | | | Smith's life is spared when his body is |
| bold and ambitious enough to peak one's | | | | covered by Powhatan's beautiful daughter, |
| interest, but unfortunately, the film could | | | | Pocahontas (Q'Orianka Kilcher). Kilcher |
| not deliver on its promise. Entire scenes | | | | certainly displays the requisite physical |
| drift by with nothing in particular being | | | | beauty to portray the princess, but the |
| achieved to either advance the plot, the | | | | script gives her little with which to work. |
| theme, or the premise of the film. | | | | Although a subject of controversy among |
| Unfittingly, the soundtrack featured blaring | | | | historians, the film plays up the angle of a |
| snippets of concert music reminiscent of | | | | possible love affair between Smith and |
| Richard Wagner, which would be great if The | | | | Pocahontas, but it accurately records her |
| New World took place in 19th Century Venice | | | | eventual marriage to John Rolfe (Christian |
| instead of 17th Century America. Much more | | | | Bale) and the couple's celebrated trip to |
| should be expected from James Horner whose | | | | London. But The New World's problems don't |
| brilliant work has enhanced such films as | | | | stem from historical accuracy, but rather |
| Field of Dreams, Braveheart, Legends of the | | | | from the fact that the preceding paragraph is |
| Fall, and Titanic. The New World soundtrack | | | | a detailed account of everything that happens |
| is disaster almost on par with the latter | | | | in a tedious two-hour fifteen-minute snoozer. |
| film. | | | | In short, it's long and boring. |
| | | | |
| The rest of film isn't much better. Although | | | | As much as the film failed to live up to |
| it vividly illustrates the limitless | | | | expectations, this much can be said for The |
| possibility of early Jamestown and the | | | | New World: it accurately portrays the |
| majesty of the unspoiled wilderness | | | | landscape of southeastern Virginia. That |
| surrounding it, the visual images are offset | | | | alone makes it immensely superior to Disney's |
| by poor dialogue and what seems to be an | | | | Pocahontas which featured non-indigenous |
| overly zealous attempt to manufacture a | | | | animals and forests peppered with waterfalls. |
| poetic awe-inspiring masterpiece of a film. | | | | Unfortunately, an entire generation of |
| Nevertheless, The New World does manage to | | | | children gathered their personal knowledge of |
| summon images of the first European settlers | | | | local geography from that film. From the |
| and the hardship they must have faced. From | | | | perspective of set design, wardrobe, |
| this standpoint, one can say it has some | | | | historical underpinnings, and the mere beauty |
| reflective value for those who appreciate | | | | of its images, The New World is a film to |
| human history... | | | | behold. However, from the standpoint of |
| | | | dialogue, plot, direction, and performance, |
| The New World begins by following the life of | | | | The New World is an utter flop. Unless you're |
| Captain John Smith (Colin Farrell). Landing | | | | a history buff, and specifically a Jamestown |
| in the New World with a convoy of Englishmen, | | | | junkie, avoid the film at all costs... |