The New World
Let’s face it; Disney’s Pocahontas did little to convey the tragedy of the first encounters between English colonists and Native Americans. Its attempts to address the exploitation and pillaging of the New World were too well-dressed to offer any real sense of gravity or tragedy. It was as glossy a telling of the tale as I’d ever encountered in history books written by white men.
My understanding of the beginnings of our nation is foggy at best; well-clouded by glaring omissions on the part of historians. So I was more than intrigued when I first saw previews for The New World I had hoped for a more accurate rendition of the story of John Smith and Pocahontas.
What I got from The New World wasn’t necessarily what I expected, but it was nonetheless a grand movie experience, rife with visual poetics and well acted character portrayals. Its emphasis wasn’t so much on the ill-fated meeting of two vastly different cultures, as it was on Pocahontas herself. Granted, her relationship with John Smith is used as a vehicle to for conveying that of the English and the Native Americans.I think I was anticipating something along the lines of The Last of the Mohicans. I had a vision of a kind of adventure story with some historical elements tied in. The New World is instead a lavish love story, whose beautiful visual composition is outmatched only by the tragedy of its main character, Pocahontas.
In the end, I don’t know how accurate a portrayal of Pocahontas The New World offers. I will say that the imagery in the movie is all very powerful; though it is, on occassion, overbearing. It is used most effectively when expressing the emotions that Smith and Pocahontas are unable to convey to one another in words. There is a silent understanding that they are able to reach through the shared wonder of experiencing something altogether new. All of this is expressed beautifully through excellent cinematography.
In closing, I’ll just say that I don’t recommend going into the movie expecting epic battles. The New World is at its heart a love story, and while it may not necessarily present its story with a great deal of accuracy, it sells itself well as an epic romance. Considering that much of the film passes with little to no dialogue, it’s impressive in its ability to hold your attention. There’s a very real sense of discovery to be found in The New World.
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