Released in 2005 from acclaimed writer/director Terrence Malick (Badlands, Days of Heaven) to mixed reviews, The New World is now being released in this 172-minute extended cut (the original film was about 2 hours and 15 minutes).

The New World is about the first colonial settlement of Jamestown, Virginia and the romance between Captain John Smith (Colin Farrell) and Pocahontas (Q’orianka Kiltcher) that blurred the lines between these new cultures and unfortunate enemies. 

The film is really divided into three main sections.  The first third of the film deals with the settlers arriving in Jamestown and Smith’s immersion into the Native American culture.  Smith, on a mission away from the settlement to potentially trade with the natives, is captured but spared his life when Pocahontas throws herself on him in front of their chief (her father).  So Smith is spared and he spends time living with the natives for a while and begins to understand their culture and gentle nature. 

The second third of the film is about the romance that forms between Smith and Pocahontas and their eventual split.  They fall for each other quickly and deeply, finding ways to communicate with each other despite the obvious barriers.  But once Smith is sent back to the settlement by the chief (who tells Smith to tear down the settlement and leave), he is torn between his duties to his country and his new love. 

With the settlement in tatters and most of his men starving (not to mention going mad), tensions between the settlers and the natives grows.  And once it is discovered that the settlers aren’t planning on leaving anytime soon, the natives plan their attack.  After the battle, Pocahontas (disowned by her father) is sent away for good.  Eventually, she is brought to the settlement where she hoped to stay with Smith but he is sent word that he will command a new expedition to the north for the King and he cannot turn it down.  He chooses duty and new adventure over love.   

And the last third of the film is about Pocahontas’s friendship with another Englishman John Rolfe (Christian Bale) and her assimilation into a new life and English culture.  She eventually agrees to marry John after a long courtship and they journey to England where her cultural shift is finalized.

CRITIQUE

The New World was released to mixed reviews yet most of those positive reviews were absolutely fervent and passionate.  Two groups formed in regards to the film:  it was both too long and pretentious or it was an absolute masterpiece.  I am definitely in the latter camp.  And this Extended Cut adds just a little bit more onto many of these gorgeous, breathtaking scenes to form a more fully realized version that will either increase your dislike for it or your passion for it.  This is the cut that fans of the film were clamoring for and they now have it.

It is Malick’s unique and visionary directing style mixed with the astounding cinematography from Emmanuel Lubezki (who broke the mold with Children of Men last year too) that makes this film the utter masterpiece that it is.  Infusing each and every scene with poetic resonance and finding meaning in the smallest of encounters, Malick made this film his own in everyway. 

That first third of the film relies so heavily on long, lingering shots of the untamed nature encountered by the settlers that it truly seeps into you.  These are truly breathtaking, soul stirring scenes where nature itself becomes a character throughout the film and is just as an important piece as any of the others. 

And in the second third of the film there are those very long and lingering scenes between Smith and Pocahontas getting to know one another with hardly a word spoken (except for the narration of their internal desires) and this enhances the realism and spirituality of this romance which is the core of the film.  I think this is the section where the film lost a lot of fans but is also where it gained it’s most ardent followers.  

Malick’s decision to linger on their blossoming love and the issues both internal and external to it is what makes the film work on so many different levels and becomes something more than the basic story that is being told.  It’s in that last third that the film slightly moves into a more typical structured narrative focusing on the characters outcomes with only brief Malick flourishes.

The lead performances are exceptional and one is enormously overlooked.  A lot was made of the lead performance from newcomer Q’orianka Kiltcher and with good measure as it is a stunner of a performance from such a new face.  Kiltcher takes this somewhat one-note character (on paper) and turns in this amazing performance that perfectly captures the character’s inner desires, her connection with her culture and nature, her overwhelming feelings for her first love and her deeper feelings for her second. 

This is an award-worthy performance which should have landed her an Oscar nomination that year.  There was a lot of talk about that potentially happening but after the film disappointed at the box office, it never did.  As much as I love that performance, the most overlooked performance of that year and of his career is Colin Farrell’s. 

Farrell, who some lambasted after the film was released for being an overhyped actor whose career was over, delivers a knock-out performance that gets even better with multiple viewings.  Farrell, who recently has had a string of great performances, is exceptional at playing emotionally conflicted and troubled characters and John Smith was one of his first.  His portrayal of Smith is fearless and completely convincing. 

The supporting performers aren’t given a whole lot of screen time and most aren’t given more than a handful of lines but there a few standouts.  Christian Bale is sturdy and solid in his role which is exactly what the role calls for.  I’ve yet to see Bale not hit all the right notes with each and every performance of his.  Christopher Plummer is also quite good as Captain Newport who basically gets everyone into this mess and comes back at the end to yell at everyone.       

THE VIDEO

This widescreen transfer in 2.35:1 looks fantastic and is the reason plasma TVs were invented (besides football).  The color palette is all natural earth tones, with rich browns and deep greens.  Everything is crystal clear and the visuals seem to jump out a bit more with this cut (could not find any information on what was done to the film’s look for this new edition but I could definitely notice a difference).

THE AUDIO

The New World: Extended Cut is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and the presentation is spectacular.  Every gust of wind, rustling of the trees, every possible sound of nature comes through clear and concise.  The score sounds perfect, dialogue is crystal clear and the surround sounds great in the limited sequences you hear it.

THE EXTRAS

As far as extras go, there is a big goose egg.  None of the extras from the original DVD release were carried over.  This is obviously a disappointment and yet I didn’t mind it that much because sometimes the films speak volumes all by themselves.

Also included with the DVD is a Digital Copy of the film that consumers can download to their portable media player, such as the iPod and Windows Media Player.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The New World: Extended Cut is an absolute masterpiece from one of the greatest directors of our time (do I really need to say more?).  If you loved the film the first time out, you will love it that much more as everything about the film is enhanced and extended out to fully realize Malick’s vision (and if you hated it, well… take a guess).