The New World

Arty, draggy historical romance

I've seen four of Terrence Malick's movies -- "The New World" (2005) and his three previous efforts, "Badlands" (1973), "Days of Heaven" (1978) and "The Thin Red Line" (1998). He's an arty filmmaker who isn't interested in making conventional "blockbusters." His three earlier efforts are all well-done and in some ways great. For instance, his pictures are always beautiful and imaginative, but there's also an airy, leisurely quality that will turn off some viewers. My favorite, by far, is "The Thin Red Line," a flawed masterpiece about the taking of a hill during the Guadalcanal Campaign in WWII. It successfully transcended it's storyline to seek answers to life's most profound questions. I guess Mali...

So, The New World where do I start? Its visually great. The way Malick captures the connection between the tribes, nature, and the land makes it easy to get lost in the world hes building. But the story? Yeah, it couldve used some serious work.

The first act kicks things off strong. You get this detailed look at the tribes and their initial encounters with the English colonists. Theres this whole adventurous vibe, like youre about to watch an epic exploration story unfold. But then the movie pivots hard into the second act and starts focusing on Captain John Smith and Pocahontas. Okay, I get it, their relationship is important, but it feels like the broader story gets pushed to the side. And then halfway through that act, Captain Smith i...