A Beautiful But Slow Story

Rating: 7/10 (24 February 2006)

"The New World," directed by Terence Malick, tells the classic story of Pocahontas and Captain John Smith. Here, Colin Farrell plays Captain Smith, while Pocahontas is portrayed by newcomer Q'Orianka Kilcher. The story follows these characters, as well as the Indians and English settlers at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. It's not clear exactly how historically accurate the story is. Kilcher makes good in her debut, playing the timeless Indian princess as kindly and compassionate. As for the movie, the imagery is lush with shots of beautiful forests. Some of the dialogue is well-written, such as the poetic voice-overs. But the story is slow in its pace. Either the movie had to be shorter, or there had to be more elements to hold the attention of the viewers.