Director Terrence Malick artistically reinterprets the early colonisation of North America in this lyrical and hypnotic historical drama. Only his fourth feature in 32 years, it centres on the legendary romance between disgraced soldier of fortune Captain John Smith (a poignantly gentle Colin Farrell) and native American princess Pocahontas (Q'Orianka Kilcher), following the foundation of the English settlement of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. Captured by Algonquin tribesmen during a food-gathering expedition, Smith develops a relationship with the chief's daughter - a tragic bond with far-reaching consequences. Farrell and Kilcher exude an intense chemistry and it's through the purity of their characters' experiences that the extreme gulfs separating the old and new cultures become most apparent. But, while the universally strong performances anchor the free-flowing tale, it's Malick's rich and unashamedly self-indulgent vision that sustains this languid epic. Every frame is dreamily seductive, offering a sensual feast of colour, sound and emotion.

A drama about explorer John Smith and the clash between Native Americans and English settlers in the 17th century.