Trois mille ans à t'attendre

George Miller's latest historical fantasy Three Thousand Years of Longing is nothing short of a pleasant theatre going experience. From its visual language to its scope and narration, this movie is charming from the get go. Adapted from a collection of short stories titled "The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye", it tells the story of a narratologist scholar who accidentally frees a djinn that offers to grant three wishes of her heart's true desire. When the scholar initially refuses, being all too familiar with stories of wishes and how they all serve as none but cautionary tales, the djinn then narrates to her the story of his three thousand year long life and how his freedom now rests in the hands of this unwilling scholar.

Each story is its own vignette and each story collectively contributes to the unfolding of history on screen in grand fashion. It's truly amazing and therapeutically charming to witness these stories play out; feeling for the players, understanding their predicaments and relating to their miseries... Three Thousand Years of Longing is in every way as enchanting as the stories it tells. But it's not without its flaws, as the movie eventually plays into what I can only describe as a somewhat weak and forced final act; that to an extent undermines the ambition of its build up. And that final act does ruin what could have otherwise been a collectively satisfying experience.

Whatever flaws it may have, it's not enough to overshadow the sheer scale and ambition of this movie. It was in every way a pleasant experience and a story that is in many ways charming and wonderful.

I think its awesome how the ratings jumped up from a 5.9 to a 6.9 that's wonderful! Mainly about Tilda Swinton's character buying an antique to find out a Djinn is part of it, has wishes and numerous stories to tell that are fascinating, beautiful, bizarre, and intriguing. Idris Elba is brilliant in anything especially in The Wire that's irrelevant but easily his best role. I barely knew anything of this movie before seeing except that I love George Miller films he has made a lot of masterpieces 3000 thousand years of longing is defiantly excellent for it's uniqueness; I wouldn't say masterful but damn good and would highly recommend!

If you, like I was, are expecting a fast-paced, light-spirited, fun romp of visual extravaganza and witty dialogue along the journey that is Three Thousand Years of Longing ... you WILL be disappointed. Now, that is not meant to dissuade you from watching or enjoying it. On the contrary. It is simply meant to temper your expectations.

There is certainly much beauty in many of this film's scenes; from curious beauty in the mundane, to fabulous beauty in the fantastical. (There is also a musical scene that will spirit you away to decadent places). Sadly however, for some unknown reason, this film chooses to stay more in the realm of the mundane than the wondrous. The wasted shame in this is almost palpable.

The film also feels somewhat choppy or disconnected at times. This is especially true quite early, when it begins to touch upon and wander into the mythical almost immediately, but with no real explanation as to why or how those particular scenes tie in with the rest of the film.

Lastly, and most grievously, while all the right words existed for this story to be told ... it seemed to lack a bit of passion or fervor from the storytellers.

All this is NOT to imply that Three Thousand Years of Longing is without its merits.

For one, Swinton and Elba together (although IMO neither delivering their best performances), is still a treat. They are beautiful separately, and together, they are art. Neither however, could elevate the tone of the film because, intentionally or not, the MAIN TONE of several parts of the film, is more cacophony than cadence. It is my friends, also, far darker and sadder in parts, than what may be expected.

Think of it as a bedtime story for adults where the story is entertaining enough, and the pictures are beautiful, but the Happily Ever After may be a tad bland, bittersweet and hard to swallow.

"Three Thousand Years of Longing" is a culmination of stories leading up to the encounter between Idris Elba's "Djinn" and Tilda Swinton's "Alithea" that will enchant and enthrall those that wish to be enchanted and enthralled. It is certainly not a movie that I would just recommend to anyone. Rather, this film is one for an audience looking to pick out patterns and motifs that make up a three-thousand-year long story.

These musical motifs, visual patterns, color schemes, and recurring events are placed all throughout the film. Many are easy to pick out, many less so. In essence, this film is not unlike Wes Andersen's "The French Dispatch", in which many smaller stories constitute a whole. While there is certainly room to expand, this is an intriguingly crafted film (with an even more intriguing sound mix), that stayed with me long after I left the theater. If you wish to enter a world where history and legend collide, I would highly recommend this film.

What a grandeur ensemble between Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton.

A cautionary tale about human desire and what it means to love. The pacing was completely on point; I was engrossed right from the first few moments. The cinematography is beautiful. Miller who shows his versatility in a break from his typical movies. That being said it is noticeably a George Miller movie in style. Recommend this one very much, it does not feel too artsy but at the same time is not your "typical" fantasy movie. This movie is a marvelous artistic depiction of fundamental spiritual concepts that will leave some cold and indifferent while enchanting the initiated in the spiritual paths of the primordial tradition.