The New World is a retelling of the story of John Smith (Colin Farrell), a settler who arrives in the New World with the Jamestown settlement and immediately runs into a band of hostile Algonquain warriors who take him prisoner. Just as Smith is about to be killed by the tribe, his life is saved by Pocahontas (Q'orianka Kilcher), an Algonquian princess who is curious about the newcomers. Much to the disdain of her father, Powhatan, the two form a relationship. Eventually she meets John Rolfe (Christian Bale), who asks for her hand in marriage. The two eventually head to England where she becomes an instant sensation with the aristocracy.
The original cut of the movie was great; there were some dry, unfocused moments, but it was an enjoyable film overall. The same can't be said for the extended cut of the film. Unlike some extended versions, which alter several parts of the movie, the new cut of The New World remains true to the original. The same core story is present, though little of the new footage adds to the plot. There's an extended version of the game of hide and seek between Smith and Pocahontas as well as slightly altered versions of other scenes. This is all well and good, but the new footage causes the movie to drag. Whereas the original was nearly perfect with its edits, the new one has way too much fluff.
Another knock against the Extended Cut is the lack of extras. The original DVD release included a lengthy "Making of..." feature, so at the very least, I expected to see it included in the re-issue. The only added feature, if it can be considered that, is a free digital copy of the movie. However, after reading the fine print it isn't that great of a deal.
The New World is a great movie and worth checking out if you haven't already seen it. At best, The New World: The Extended Cut should be considered a rental only if you haven't seen it or want to see the added scenes. If it comes down to a purchase, however, you're better off with the original release since it is a better value.
