Reviews for The New World
Review - New World, The
Why I saw it: I heard it was good.
Brief and Carelessly-Written Synopsis: The settling of the Jamestown colony. John Smith is sent upriver to meet with the Indians. He’s about to be put to death when the chief’s favorite daughter, Pocohontas, saves his life. They fall in love. When John returns to Jamestown, he is elected captain. That winter, the settlers almost starve and are only saved when Pocohontas brings food. In the spring, when the Indians realize the settlers aren’t going to leave, they attack. More settlers arrive. Pocohontas is kicked out of the tribe and lives with the settlers. John Smith is summoned back to England for other explorations. Pocohontas is baptized as Rebecca. John Rolfe falls in love with her. She agrees to marry her because she thinks Smith is dead. When she finds out he isn’t, she draws away from Rolfe.
Rolfe and Rebecca (and their son) travel to England to meet King James. Smith shows up, but Rebecca realizes Rolfe is a better man and stays with him. She dies on the way back to America.
What I liked about it: Beautiful scenery, great costumes and sets.
What I didn’t like about it: I couldn’t stand the editing. The whole movie was just a bunch of short shots of people wandering around and staring at each other. There was no narrative, and very little dialogue. There were continual shots of water and trees that interrupted the flow of the movie. I know this was done on purpose to make me “feel” the movie, but since a bunch of it was heathen mysticism, all I felt was annoyance and boredom.
Bottom line: I gave it a 5. I was very disappointed.
Other Comments: Weird — I immediately recognized Wes Studi, the actor playing Opechancanough, as the same guy who played Magua in Last of the Mohicans, which I’ve seen several times. But it wasn’t until I double-checked this on IMDB that I realized he was also the actor who played The Sphinx in The Mystery Men, which I’ve also seen several times.
Brief and Carelessly-Written Synopsis: The settling of the Jamestown colony. John Smith is sent upriver to meet with the Indians. He’s about to be put to death when the chief’s favorite daughter, Pocohontas, saves his life. They fall in love. When John returns to Jamestown, he is elected captain. That winter, the settlers almost starve and are only saved when Pocohontas brings food. In the spring, when the Indians realize the settlers aren’t going to leave, they attack. More settlers arrive. Pocohontas is kicked out of the tribe and lives with the settlers. John Smith is summoned back to England for other explorations. Pocohontas is baptized as Rebecca. John Rolfe falls in love with her. She agrees to marry her because she thinks Smith is dead. When she finds out he isn’t, she draws away from Rolfe.
Rolfe and Rebecca (and their son) travel to England to meet King James. Smith shows up, but Rebecca realizes Rolfe is a better man and stays with him. She dies on the way back to America.
What I liked about it: Beautiful scenery, great costumes and sets.
What I didn’t like about it: I couldn’t stand the editing. The whole movie was just a bunch of short shots of people wandering around and staring at each other. There was no narrative, and very little dialogue. There were continual shots of water and trees that interrupted the flow of the movie. I know this was done on purpose to make me “feel” the movie, but since a bunch of it was heathen mysticism, all I felt was annoyance and boredom.
Bottom line: I gave it a 5. I was very disappointed.
Other Comments: Weird — I immediately recognized Wes Studi, the actor playing Opechancanough, as the same guy who played Magua in Last of the Mohicans, which I’ve seen several times. But it wasn’t until I double-checked this on IMDB that I realized he was also the actor who played The Sphinx in The Mystery Men, which I’ve also seen several times.
Reviewed by Roger on 2008-08-06 14:53:43