Even children know the story of Pocahontas. Her story does not need to be retold, and in fact it is slightly historically inaccurate. But there is still beauty in the story, and leave it to Terrence Malick to evoke the natural wonder contained within the British’s encounter with the “naturals” in “The New World.”
To make the Pocahontas tale a story for adults, Malick embeds in the film a message about the way we communicate when presented with something new. John Smith (Colin Farrell) begins the film as a stoic and silent convict in the crew to settle the colony of Jamestown. Upon arriving in the new world, it is expected of him to rebuild his reputation and communicate to the crew he is worthy of accepting the responsibility of exploring when presented with new circumstances.
In his quest, he finds the Native Americans, and Malick differs from other filmmakers in examining how experiencing something new is a two-way street. It is not just the Englishmen who are finding a new world and new people; the “naturals,” as the English call them, have also never seen a ship appear in their horizon. The strongest relationships of the film come in the form of who can communicate their fascination best to the other party.
Pocahontas, played by 14-year-old actress Q’orianka Kilcher, is the bright and glowing girl capable of forging a marvelous chemistry and bond with John Smith. Their ability to communicate, even without the gift of language, is a touching feeling. And because we too have such a connection to her, Malick allows us to follow Pocahontas through the “death” of John Smith and her journey to London. In these moments, we learn how new feelings and connections cause us to simply be left speechless, either by the acceptance of death or the discovery of a beautiful new place we can’t even begin to describe.
As is true of all of Malick’s films, the internal narration of Smith, Pocahontas and John Rolfe (Christian Bale) are poetic insights into these characters’ minds and the historical narrative they are living and attempting to convey.
They too are seemingly left in awe by the glorious natural beauty of the surrounding world. The cinematography of Emmanuel Lubeski is breathtaking in its depiction of nature. Through his camera, we know the striking beauty of that which is new and the cold banality of the familiar, as in a powerful scene when John Smith first returns to Jamestown after living with Pocahontas for months.
Other critics will simply speak of “The New World” as a plea for preserving nature, but there is beauty found in all of Malick’s moments and his words. This is not just a travelogue of visuals in an undeveloped world. It is a rich tapestry of life and communication conveyed through the most familiar of stories to become something new. It is a wonderful discovery.
4 stars