don't mistake lack of talent for genius

Rating: 3/10 (2 March 2006)

There's so much already said about this pretentious, self-indulgent, pompous attempt at art, that I won't elaborate too much, but will concentrate on the flaws which I can't see mentioned in previous comments. This was the most anticipated movie of the year for my part, simply because I love movies about Indians (and period pieces). On the other hand, I knew that the director was Terrence Malick, the creator of the pompous, pretentious The thin red Line. This was a movie which was very good when it was good, but oh so terrible when it was bad. Voice-over!!!! Why?? Malick; you are not unique because you apply this in your movies, there is a reason why no other directors do it!!!!! You have to let the actor ACT what he/she feels, not TELL THE AUDIENCE BY Voice-over!!The only reason I see for doing this, is that the director lacks the ability to create drama and instruct actors to express themselves convincingly to the audience, so he lets them say it out themselves: "I'm sad. " Who is he?" "who is she?" "what is love?" FOR THE LOVE OFGOD!!!!!!! I wanted so much to like this movie. The cast was good, with great native actors like Agust Schellenberg, Raol Trujillo (who are great in Black Robe) Wes Studi, Michael Greyeyes, Irene Bedard (into the West). The latter is seen for 5 seconds. Jesse Borrego, who is cast as a native, is not to be seen at all!! In addition Ben Chaplin is seen for 10 seconds, rowing a boat!! Furthermore, none of the aforementioned have any dialog!! None of the characters they play are INTRODUCED BY NAME to the audience!! None of the aforementioned, plus the rest of the cast have any PERSONALITY!! The only redeeming circumstances in the movie is the nature, and costume designs of both white and Indians. But these factors only amplify the impression of the terrible, terrible waste of resources this movie is!!
I will not even go into how slow and tedious the whole spectacle was. Or Colin Farell.(after all he is an innocent pawn, cast anachronistically as a pedophile, courting a 15 year old girl, who really was only 10 according to history)
The ultimate proof of Malicks failure comes when Pocahontas dies in the end, tragically, 22 years old, leaving a little boy!! But how did I react? I couldn't care less!! In fact I was happy!
If you want a realistic account of the fascinating drama which Malick failed to bring to screen, read "Love and Hate in Jamestown" by David Price. If you want to see a good depiction of the meeting and relationship of Indian and whites in early America, watch "Black Robe".
I hope Terrence Malick never is handed a big production again, and I hope he uses more than 20 years until his next project. Then, hopefully in a filmic sense, he will be dead and gone.