With all deliberate speed- over your head and under your feet

Rating: 10/10 (24 January 2006)

The New World: ****
Terrence Malick's fourth film in thirty-two years is 'The New World.' It's based upon the John Smith/Pocahontas tales, but this is no live action Disney production. Malick wrote the script back in the 70's and finally puts it on film here in 2005(6).
Pocahontas is played by newcomer Q'orianka Kilcher, in a wonderful turn as Pochahontas. Colin Farrell, plays John Smith, doing probably his strong work. And of no big surprise, Christian Bale also does some of his best work here playing the future husband of Pocahontas (or Rebbecca as the English rename her). None of the actors here really have a lot of dialog to work with, so Malick has them express and convey their emotions through body language. It works to magnificently. Some people clearly were bored with the movie due to this reason, but this isn't your average film. It reaches out and wants to make you feel like you are really there. And the fact that there is little dialog, outside of Malick's trademark voice overs, makes this possible. You don't have overly talky situations in real life, and often the most meaningful gestures are expressed without words. Nothing is said here for the purpose of filler.
Just like every other Malick film, 'The New World' is chalk full of symbolism. Just as every word spoken on screen is full of meaning, every image Malick inserts in his film means something. Most movies take the easy way out and explain these things for you in the end. Not Malick. He relies on his imagery to tell his hidden philosophical points. Emmanuel Lubezki takes the reins on the camera and does a beautiful job. With each film Malick has used a different cinematographer, but his visual style is always evident. Crew members have often spoke of Malick's almost preternatural understanding of cinematography. The look of his films are his own. He establishes dogmas of cinematography: for The New World, only steadicam or hand-held shots were to be used, and the cameraman was encouraged to move on his own to find the rhythm of the shot, among other things.
This movie is not for everyone. Malick's movies, all four of them, move very slowly. But they do so with all deliberate speed. Malick has a way of lulling you into almost a hypnosis with his flowing camera movements and editing style. It makes you feel closer to the real story, and it does make his movies feel longer than they actually are, in that rarely positive way. They draw you in so that you are there, in that world. If you have it in you to allow yourself to be taken in, the payoff to be found is deeply rewarding.
The plot to 'The New World' is easy enough. Everyone will get the basic pattern here. Understanding the big picture, however, is a whole other story. Malick, more-so than many other directors, has a way of getting under your feet and over your head. This is very frustrating for many people who are expecting a classic narrative style.
For those with the willingness to allow Malick to take you in and let the film run over you, then 'The New World' will be unforgettable.