[5]

While I’d rather Terrence Malick make a live-action Pocahontas movie than Disney, the results are still far from amazing… and a wee bit boring. Malick focuses on a love triangle between our girl Poca (Q’orianka Kilcher), John Smith (Colin Farrell), and John Rolfe (Christian Bale). The first half of the movie is like Malick’s Days of Heaven, with Kilcher and Farrell running around in wheat and falling in love. I think Malick is relying on his audience seeing God in the sky and water here. But I don’t believe in God most days, so I need a little more convincing. Love? Sure, whatever. In any case, I didn’t get into Poca and John Smith. After the midpoint, I kinda got into Poca and John Rolfe. I at least felt bad that Rolfe knew he would always be second fiddle to his lady’s first lover. 

I don’t know history well enough to comment on any accuracy in the storytelling. But I do know that if your movie has very little dialogue or prominent scoring (James Horner’s talents are wasted here), your leading actors better be mesmerizing. And they ain’t.

With Christopher Plummer, Wes Studi, and David Thewlis.

Oscar Nomination: Best Cinematography