The New World

"The New World" is based on the English landing on the shores of North America in 1607. The film tells the story of the formation of the Jamestown settlement and the encounter between the English and the natives who inhabited the lands of Virginia, then Tenakomakah territory.

This event holds a special place in the American imagination from the legend of the romance between John Smith, one of the captains of the English expedition, and the Indian princess Pocahontas.

The film opens with the arrival of the Brits to American territory accompanied by the sounds of the "Das Rheingold", the first of the four operas that comprise Wagner's "Der Ring des Nibelungen."

The images of British soldiers in their decline are contrasted with those of the Native Americans who are watching from a safe distance. The way in which director Terrence Malick captures the contrast between the soldiers and the new nature that surrounds them reminds the style of Werner Herzog films in his explorations among the Amazon rainforest.

Terrence Malick manages to create a dreamlike atmosphere through music, the angles at which the camera captures the images and the colors of nature. The same dream with which the director captures the love story between Smith and Pocahontas; the same dream that slowly breaks down as they start firing the first gun.

The legend of Pocahontas is the resource that Terrence Malick uses to tell the story of the encounter between two cultures. The relations between the two races and differences between them, two worlds are explored through the bond created between Pocahontas (Q'Orianka Kilcher), John Smith (Colin Farrell) and John Rolfe (Christian Bale).

The film is narrated by three voices: Smith's, Pocahontas' and Rolfe's respectively. They turn into the narrative voice and guide us through the symphony of images composed by the director. However, despite the voices serving as guides through the narration, the moments in which characters engage in direct dialogue between them are quite rare. Terrence Malick manages to communicate through the images and what is not said is even more valuable than what is stated in words thanks to these very well-conceived shots.

In Malick's films, the images are yes a complement to the narrative but mostly they are the story itself. The images of the forest, rivers, birds in different formations, and the English gardens are as important to the story as the narrative voices are. Terrence Malick is a master in the art of filmmaking, communicating through images in the style of the great directors of silent films like Murnau and Epstein.

"The New World" is not a film for everyone. The critics are divided: some people have hated it, either for its historical theme or for treatment that Malick gives to it; on the other hand some people consider it an absolutely exquisite piece.

Director: Terrence Malick

Writer: Terrence Malick

Stars: Colin Farrell, Q'orianka Kilcher and Christopher Plummer