Three Thousand Years of Longing

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.

It's a good movie, that should have been excellent but ended up just "good". It's visually magnificent, it has very good acting and it's basic idea is original and even poignant but. There are a few very big buts in stopping it from reaching the potential heights it should've reached.

It's getting lost in its own meandering tale, though we've all figured out the point it wanted to make long before it spells it out on the screen. It want's too much to demonstrate it's about storytelling so all the stories we see on screen are so heavily narrated that many of their charming characters end up as puppets with only glimpse of the character they should have, preventing us from really caring for them or in other words leaving us uninvolved with big chunks of the story. The combination of a long meandering plot line that keeps the audience uninvolved is an obstacle almost no movie can survive.

If I did enjoy it it's mainly because of the leading couple - Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton - no they're not giving a gut wrenching performance - they're simply very very professional keeping the convoluted plotline from losing us altogether anchoring the viewers to the story without turning it into a soap opera, and it could very easily turn into one so I'm definitely grateful for that professionalism. I simply can't help wondering what could have happened had it fulfilled the potential it most certainly has.

It's pretty slow paced and isn't action packed at all which was what I expected heading in. I was excited to see it but it didn't seem to be as good from the people who watched it early which lowered my expectations.

The movie's all about story telling of a djinn's former lifetimes. It's definitely one of the more unique films released this year, it's filled with grand and vibrant visuals, it shows you his memories as they're narrated and the whole movie ekes magic because if it. As far as djinn stories go it's not as original but the way it's told makes it feel like something new, sets it apart from Disney's Aladdin.

In the second half of the movie it moves away from the magical ambience and becomes a romance between the two protagonists that have only loneliness in common. Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton gave great performances; however as the whole premise of the movie is storytelling, it does lack depth and emotional pull which could've elevated it from just a good movie to a great one. Because for something that only wants to tell stories, it's a little disappointing that the visuals were the most captivating thing about it. It also feels much longer than it is, I don't think it should have been paced quicker but they should have just given the audience some more depth or thrill.

It's a very zen movie, it doesn't flactuate, no highs and lows which makes it quite anticlimactic and movies like that are rarely memorable. It tells stories that happened over 3000 years, that's a lot to unpack in such a short time so it makes sense they couldn't unravel it all, but that unfortunately left me with the feeling it had so much more to offer. Little sparks of something special that never came to be.

What would you do, if a Djinn appeared to you, gave three wishes at your leisure, would you use them for your pleasure, a lad in veritable full throttle, a genie conjured from a bottle, just be clear what you require, to satisfy, your heart's desires (and quench any sweltering fires that may also need dousing).

A tale of loneliness and solitude, of growing old and achievements, of what could have been and what might yet be, told through the furtive imagination of Alithea, with help from a mysterious spirit who she frees from a bottle during a stay in Istanbul.

Imagination doesn't disappear with age, and while this is not the greatest or the deepest film you'll see this year, it may still leave you juggling what three wishes you might make, and especially how to phrase them so they don't backfire.

George Miller has had a hell of a career. Much of his film work has revolved around the Mad Max franchise, but he's done a variety of work such as Happy Feet and The Witches of Eastwick. It's an eclectic mix which has led to his most eclectic film yet, Three Thousand Years of Longing. Although it's not his best work, Three Thousand Years seems to be a deeply personal film.

There are many idiosyncratic choices throughout Three Thousand Years which mark it as a passion project; it wouldn't be surprising to learn that the film languished in development hell or lacked the proper budgeting for its globe trekking story. Whatever the case, the joy for the material is evident, alongside some extremely obtuse and unrelatable elements. It's a strange film full of strange choices, zippy enough to be enjoyed in the moment but too jumbled for satisfactory mental congealment after the fact.

The film follows Alithea, a narrative scholar who uncorks The Djinn, a mystical being who has been imprisoned multiple times over thousands of years. The Djinn recants his history to Alithea, detailing the many loves and tragedies he has catalyzed in three ancient societies. Alithea must choose her own three wishes to fulfill her soul's most inner desire and help free The Djinn for all time.

There's much to unpack and many varyingly effective elements, but Miller dooms himself from the start with an awkward and forced framing device. Although the bulk of the story is The Djinn's, the film forces Alithea's point of view early, kicking off with one of her scholarly lectures and mind-numbing narration. The perspective is ostensibly chosen to build her character, but it's so far removed from the meat of the film that the viewer is immediately jarred when the gears shift.

The crux of the Three Thousand Years takes place in flashback, until it shifts again from The Djinn's vantage to Alithea's contemporary life, which is just as unsatisfying as the opening act; firstly because The Djinn is a more interesting character in every regard, and secondly because there's no thematic or narrative foothold anchoring the audience. We're thrust in, taken out, and thrust in again without explanation or purpose. Additionally, I pray we're not slipping back into years just prior when nearly every film opened with narration. Narration can kick rocks.

Three Thousand Years opens and closes wobbly, but the majority of the film works because the narrative is taken out of Alithea's hands and placed into The Djinn's. Idris Elba's Djinn is a sympathetic and vulnerable figure. He's a perfect physical choice for the role, strong enough to give off an aura of invincibility and inherent strength, but compassionate and fragile enough to create a sense of danger and powerlessness. His deep, silky voice is also perfect, because the film is essentially a spoken word album with accompanying visuals.

Although narration should kick rocks, his perpetual monologue is necessary to keep Miller's intended pace, his dialogue isn't gratingly mystical or overwrought, and he tells his story in a controlled and relaxed manner. As far as narration goes, it's a reasonable middle ground.

There may be a cut of Three Thousand Years wherein the fat is eliminated, narration is removed, and we simply watch The Djinn's story unfold in a more natural and visual style...but there may also be a cut wherein the story is unchanged, the narration is removed, and the viewer never has a prayer of figuring out what the hell is going on. Again, this version is a reasonable middle ground.

Among the chief pleasures of Three Thousand Years' high points are the unpredictability of the tales and the ever-shifting dynamics of power through the ages. Period piece politics are always fun because viewers are treated to the many elaborate and savage methods ancient monarchs used to keep power before the iron rule of law. Watching the uncertainty, paranoia, betrayal, and succession of each era unfurl is a blast, and the vignettes possess a streamlined, concise quality which the film as a whole lacks. Throwing a Djinn into the cutthroat mix doesn't hurt the intrigue either.

Miller's direction is also assured and dynamic. There are a host of camera movements, some subtle, some not, which keep the viewer engaged and alert. There are dozens of stylized scene and shot transitions which broaden the scope of the film and aid in its impressive continuity.

For all the magic, mischief, and mayhem of the tales, the affair could've become deliriously ungrounded or unconvincing, like recent MCU films, but Miller knows (perhaps better than anyone) how to establish and accentuate atmosphere among utter madness. Editor Margaret Sixel also deserves praise for allowing the film to breathe.

The atmosphere of the film is laudable, and the costume and set designs are creatively amusing, but there is a visual nag throughout. The CGI here is plentiful and terrible. It's used for cobwebs, bottles, battles, and feet, among other things, and it's distractingly amateur every time. All of Miller's practical effects bravado from Mad Max: Fury Road is totally, glaringly absent here. In a film impressively managing to keep its artifice at bay through convincing mise-en-scene, the computer effects frequently threaten to crash the illusion. Do we really need CGI cobwebs?

Three Thousand Years is enjoyable in the theater, but its charm quickly dissipates after the projector flickers off. The story is glaringly disjointed on a micro and macro scale. Because the film never establishes a tone or context, the viewer is forced to create one, orienting themselves as the plot flies by - focus is nonexistent.

Motivations are also extremely hazy; Alithea's perspective and inclinations turn on a dime, jolting the film into its third act without rhyme or reason. Even much of The Djinn's story is cobbled together and somewhat rushed. The audience is given a plethora of details, but the eye and mind aren't drawn to anything in particular. Characters are hastily introduced and abandoned within The Djinn's tales and subplots are meticulously constructed for meager payoffs.

Overall, Three Thousand Years of Longing is a unique and simple idea stretched to and beyond its limitations. The film feels both overly developed and like a first draft, connecting several threads without creating intention or meaning. It's a bizarre, frustrating tradeoff. Miller's visual finesse is refreshing, and the relatively low stakes are a relief, but the story is monstrously cluttered.

The film is uncanny, even among Miller's uncanny filmography, and its strangeness may unfortunately turn off many in the general public. That's a shame, as this type of bold vision and passion for the craft should be celebrated and supported. If you have any interest in seeing something outside the box, give it a shot, because there's honestly no telling how you'll respond - a dwindling sentiment.