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Terrence Malick is one the few poets of cinema still around. Watching his 2005 film ‘The New World’ is a real treat. It’s quite a satisfying and fulfilling experience, the best I’ve had recently.

Malick plays with visuals, narrations, natural sounds, music and everything to create his very own style of cinema that conveys nostalgia, a sweet-sour feeling of loss and love while taking the story all the way forward.

The New World tells the story of a native American tribal princess Pocahontas, played beautifully by the 15 year old charming actor Q’Orianka Kilcher.

Story is set in 17th century Virginia, when captain Smith lands up there with a crew of explorers. He falls in love with the native tribal princess who saves him from execution. After living a blissful life filled with love and beauty with her, the captain is ordered by the King of England to set out on an exploration of Indies. Before leaving he asks his colleague to tell the princess that he died on journey.

The princess is taken hostage by the colonizers. She lives in the English colony and learns English way of living. Deeply pained by the separation and news of death of her beloved, she finds peace in reading and helping others. Later, she finds love in a rich English tobacco trader, whom she marries, only to learn later that Captain Smith is still alive.

The film has a haunting and evocative quality because of the landscape it’s set in and the magnificent soundtrack that James Horner has composed. A sense of timelessness, nostalgia and a strangely sweet feeling of loss remains with you after the film.

Young Q’Orianka Kilcher’s performace as princess Pocahontas is beyond words of praise. She’s superb and fantastic. Having seen her in the film it’s difficult to believe that she was only fifteen when she played the most complex character in the movie.

Not mentioning the superb cinematography of The New World would be a sin. Emmanuel Lubezki not only shows you around the wild expanse of nature but also makes you feel it. And once you see the manicured royal gardens of England you miss the wild but not his brilliant composition.

The opening of the film reminded me of Tarkovsky, especially the opening shots of Solaris, the floating weeds.

Plot could misguide you, though it’s to a certain extent treated like a period piece, however Malick has his own interpretation of time and history. The New World is director’s imaginative evocation of history intermingled with folklore that reflects on beauty, nature, love, achievement, innocence and the divine.

The New World takes you on a beautiful cinematic journey for two and a quarter hours only to return home satisfied and reflective.