The New World
June 2006 Reviewed by: Randall Smith Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

The story of the first Jamestown colony of 1607 is a lesson taught early in America’s schools. Children have become familiar with names like Pocahontas and Captain John Smith but do they understand the reality of the time? No one can truly comprehend the challenges faced and conquered by the English explorers, but perhaps it is easier to understand their plight than the displacement of the native peoples. The New World is a film that splits the focus on both cultures within the legend, staying painstakingly authentic to the period of time.

The first thing I noticed in the film was the absolute beauty of the land. I was pleased to discover that all the Jamestown footage was filmed in the real Jamestown, Virginia. I live less than 400 miles from Jamestown, I know the magnificence of the Mid-Atlantic coast, and the quality of the video does it justice. The film was shot completely in natural light. Darker scenes are still very detailed even when lit by candlelight or by moonlight. The smallest lines of the actors’ faces are discernible. The daytime scenes are very bright and colorful. The film contains beautiful backdrops, the kind of genuine beauty found only in untouched land. Authentic locations, buildings, and characters bring a well-known story into a whole new light.

The soundtrack also captures the beauty of the land. Birds chirping in the trees, wind blowing through the tall grass: all the natural sounds surrounded me as I followed Captain Smith through his exploration. Without these sounds, The New World would be silent in many of its scenes; the language barrier between the two main characters is represented and respected in the silence of their communication. Smiles and hand gestures tell the story wordlessly.

I am going to suggest that the viewer of this DVD start with the extras first. Watching the documentary will help one appreciate the history behind the story without ruining it. In this documentary we are treated to the back-story of the production, which reveals the painstaking efforts taken to embody the Naturals accurately. The involvement of local tribes throughout the state of Virginia aided in establishing the film’s credibility. From the accuracy of the construction of the buildings to the authenticity of the tribal dances, the smallest detail is treated with the greatest importance.

While I did enjoy the movie, I did find it slow and perhaps longer than it needed to be. In the theater I expected a more aggressive Hollywood-style picture, the kind suited for the big screen. I was wrong. However, I enjoyed this motion picture more on the small screen. If you are familiar with other movies that Terrence Malick has directed, Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line, you will not be surprised. Malick takes advantage of the natural beauty of Jamestown and uses it as a guide for the story. The battle scenes are violent and contain great action; yet the greater part of the movie portrays the delicate dance between two different cultures. Quaint and personal, The New World is a stunning depiction of a story that is older than America itself.

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