Oil and Water
At first the native tribes of the new world accepted the white man, and even helped them survive the harsh winters. They provided food, and clothing. The now famous John Smith wandered up the river looking to trade with the native tribes, and ended up falling in love with the native king’s daughter, Pocahontas. The natives believed that the settlers would leave, but they were wrong. Now their decision to help the settlers works against them as they battle the invaders in an effort to cleanse the land of their presence.
Once they realized that they were there to stay, the natives attacked the very colonies that they helped to save. Tension between the sense of obligation to his duties in the Jamestown settlement and his love for Pocahontas eventually led Captain John Smith to return to England. To protect his love, he told her he had died. Pocahontas mourned her lost love and moves on. Eventually she marries another settler, John Rolfe, who brings her back to England.
Eventually word makes it back to Pocahontas that her original love is still alive. Now, Pocahontas must choose whether she must stay with her marriage to a good man whom she is learning to love, or leave him and follow her heart which still longs for Captain John Smith.
Like a Mid-Day Walk Through the Desert
I would consider myself to be an atypical man in that I actually enjoy romance. I identify with the characters and sometimes transfer myself into the film mentally. I wanted to lead with that because I don’t want it to be misconstrued that I am just a guy who doesn’t “get it”. I understand the direction that the director wanted to take this film, I just didn’t enjoy it.
I’ve read many other reviews on this film by itself, and many people throw out words like, “brilliant” and “mesmerizing”. If I had to pick one film school buzz word, I would say this film is esoteric. This is not a mainstream film for a mainstream audience. It is understood by or meant for only a select few who have special interest in this type of film. But that’s not my real problem.
My biggest complaint is the way this film is marketed. Let’s dissect that for just a moment. First, let’s look at the tagline. “Once discovered, it was changed forever.” Perhaps this was a clever double entendre which on the surface reads about the colony but has a deeper meaning pertaining to the love Pocahontas has for John Smith. I get it, but I doubt the general moviegoer would read it that way. That’s partially because of my second problem with this film; look at the cover for a moment. What we are presented with is an intense battle scene between John Smith and a Native American. The tagline, the trailers and the DVD cover all allude to an incredible action type movie.
What we get instead is three long hours of art and history. If ever there was a film that did not need an extended version, this is it! Now I am not saying that I don’t appreciate the incredible use of long and beautiful shots of America’s natural beauty. I thought that the combination of vast natural landscapes, detailed and colorful plant life and waterscape, along with the score of outdoor background noise was captivating. I also enjoyed the writer’s intent to portray the famous American story of Pocahontas and John Smith in a more historically correct manner.
I appreciated how beautiful this film was, but what made this film a major miss for me was the presentation. Had I been presented with a historical art film, I would have enjoyed it. I was advertised a steak and served a salad… and I left disappointed and bored.
The Sights and Sounds
Taking this film for what this is, it’s still beautiful. There are long shots which defy the 3 second cuts that movie makers have become accustomed to in order to keep our attention. The visuals in this film were gorgeous, and looked fantastic when up scaled and played on an HD television.
The music of this film didn’t fit. It was awkward and out of place, like seeing a grown man wearing a diaper. Instead of adding to the mood or enhancing the visuals it just seemed tossed in, and thrown together.
The other sounds in this film were incredible. The ambient noises played through surround sound speakers made me at times feel like I was actually outdoors.
