Film Review – Three Thousand Years Of Longing (2022)
Photo credit: Courtesy of Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures Inc. © 2022 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved
When we talk about George Miller it’s always about his Mad Max films. It’s the films that made him famous, we forget behind the Thunderdome he’s responsible for the Babe and Happy Feet films to name a few. When we get a prospect of a new Miller film that doesn’t have a talking animal we jump at the chance.
Three Thousand Years Of Longing is a ridiculously colourful film that examines the human connection. But like our connections, it’s a flawed, ambitious, a homage to storytelling.
The film is based on A.S Byatt’s 1994 short story The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye. Idris Elba as the Djinn (silent D). Althea is embarking on one of her regular trips around the world this time to Istanbul in Turkey. She is a scholar of mythology and storytelling, lands that all offer fantastic stories.
During the conference she is attending she suffered hallucinations. She then insists with her friend they explore the city’s bazaar’s and she finds a blue damaged antique bottle amongst trinkets. Back at her hotel she attempts to clean the bottle only to release the Djinn. Alithea is convinced he’s a trickster despite him offering her three wishes. With Althea being a narratologist wants stories and he obliges with three tales before she makes her wishes. Making these wishes will free him.
Visually we cannot argue with what we offered on the screen, it’s gorgeous. Vivid and opulent, apart from an odd scene or two the CGI isn’t overpowering and distracting . Miller once again works with his Mad Max Cinematographer John Seale, reliable.
Despite these stories, the film is very static. Swinton and Elba sit around in a hotel room exchanging words about wishes. Stories of slaves falling in love with soldiers of The Ottoman Empire. Queen Sheeba to genius mathematical young woman locked up. No story overwhelms the film, every one is small stories examining that human connection. The one story that actually seems to be forgotten about is the one between Althea and the Djinn.
That story doesn’t seem to start until we return to London and the narrative looses it’s path leaving things disheartening. Much of the dialogue is also via voice-over, because of this Swinton and Elba lacking chemistry.
Cinema is an experience that’s there to immerse us, to entertain us. Three Thousand Years Of Longing was not the easiest of films to convert to the big screen. It’s a visual treat that plays like an adult Aladdin tale that steps into to absurdity realms. If the film was cut by 20 minutes or so things might have been a lot better (not rushed at the end). This is not for everyone, however if you enjoy a good yarn or two this may wet your appetite.
★★★
Drama, Fantasy | UK, 2022 | 15 | 2nd September 2022 (UK) | Cinema | EFD Films | Dir.George Miller | Tilda Swinton, Idris Elba, Alyla Browne, Nicolas Mouawad, Lachy Hulme, Aamito Lagum
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