I Spy Emotion: A challenge for those with the keenest eyes...

Rating: 2/10 (22 January 2006)

The only reason I sat through the whole thing was because I was too drowsy to move.
The New World attempts to be an artistic film as well as historically accurate, but Malik tries to be artistic WAY too much, when he obviously isn't. He shows the "untouched nature", which is fine, but I can stare at grass blades for hours for free. I'd rather watch "March Of The Penguins", because at least penguins are more interesting than trees and a river.
And that was the better part of the film. The first ten minutes were OK, although vague if you don't know what the story is about. Colin Farrel is on a boat and is going to be hanged for mutiny, but for some reason they decide not to hang him. Where the hell are they? Who knows, but maybe the movie will explain later. Anyway, they discover the "naturals". This is strike #1 for the quest to find emotional value. So they've met each other, and then what? How do the English feel? How do the Naturals feel? The only answer I can get to this question is that "They want to take more land" in the first out of 8 subtitled comments between the indians. And the English build their fort as a precaution.
Suddenly, Smith is taken hostage on his expedition! Things are heating up, but are they? There's no comment whatsoever from the colony. Smith grows to be a respected "member" of the tribe and falls in love with the girl, very awkwardly I must say. Strike 2- Even in the love scenes, there are no emotions. They love each other, yet there is no emotional interaction.
Smith returns to his colony before the winter, to find dirty people living in a craphole. What exactly have they done to deserve this honor? Oh, the President is *mumble mumble taking the food mumble*. 2 seconds later President is dead. Smith is appointed new President and we get to see some people's spit and disgusting teeth. Smith, the plain SOLDIER, on the other hand, has teeth that are nice and perfect. Braces maybe? Winter comes and goes, nothing is happening and then Pocahontas bring some food. How generous of her! Why is this happening? Why are the English STILL starving? Why does the place still look like a craphole? For answers to these and more please visit www.thenewworldmovie.com. You won't find them in the actual film. STRIKE 3 YOU'RE OUT! At this point, it's game over.
Smith leaves to England, Pocahontas is kicked out for bringing the English corn and a few people die in a short battle. Why the English and the Indians still live in peace a few minutes after that, I don't know. But Smith leaves and Christian Bale comes in as a substitute, and the last 45 minutes of the film are wasted as any hint of emotion that existed between Smith and Pocahontas does not happen between the new couple, because the feelings are drowned out by... well there is nothing left. The last 45 minutes are just terrible.
Some things that could've been portrayed with a few tweaks- -Everybody should have bad teeth, Malik should know better than that. The only three that don't happen to be Bale, Farrel and Rebecca.
-This aspect of venturing into a land untouched by the European civilization should have been an important issue, obviously the name "The New World" was supposed to relate to something in the film. "King Kong" did this really well, although the result was rather spooky and unrealistic. Destroying the land, which was mentioned rather briefly and without emotions (chopping down the trees) and the hardships, which was also very brief and blank, should have had much more focus in the film.
-Love
Overall, I give it two yawns up.