Despite what some may think, it’s still rare to see a film blindsided and done in by bad marketing. Having watched the trailer (and nothing else because said marketing has been next to non-existent), you will probably be surprised to find that arthouse fantasy tale Three Thousand Years of Longing isn’t the movie it promised to be. Some may feel short-changed. I did at first.
But that’s not the film’s fault. In fact, it’s rather good at what it actually is. And what makes it even more impressive is that it’s another unique entry in director George Miller’s unique filmography. From all the Mad Max movies to Babe: Pig in the City, and Happy Feet, there is no film this man cannot make. Three Thousand Years of Longing is not without its niggles, but it successfully tells a small story artistically and with solid intent.
Alithea Binnie (played by Tilda Swinton) is an English scholar who has found solace in her solitary life reading other peoples’ stories. While on an academic trip to Istanbul, she discovers and inadvertently releases a Djinn (Idris Elba), an ancient being with the power to grant wishes, from an antique glass bottle. The Djinn, very intent on granting Alithea her heart’s greatest desires, is thrown for a loop when she takes a greater interest in how he ended up in the bottle and the life he led before his entrapment. What follows is a tale from the ages as the Djinn recounts his stories while Alithea listens, leading up to her making the three decisions that will change her life forever. That is, if she decides to make them.
Prior to the movie’s release, advertising for Three Thousand Years of Longing was happy to stoke comparisons between it and Everything Everywhere All at Once, the Daniels’ multiversal masterpiece from earlier this year. This was thanks to Three Thousand’s trailer showing off fast-paced editing and psychedelic visuals. But the comparison falls completely away when you watch the full film.
The reality is that this is a slow-paced love story. It takes deep breaths of contemplation in a narrative that doesn’t set out to depict something world-changing or provocative. The best way to summarise this sentiment? If you had told me Three Thousand Years of Longing was an adaptation of a stage play, I would have believed you.
An adaptation of A.S. Byatt’s 1994 short story, “The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye”, a sizable chunk of this film is Swinton and Elba just sitting in bathrobes in a hotel room, talking. This is by no means a bad thing. The extended scene is fleshed out by flashbacks to the Djinn’s past, a colourful collage of interactions with historical figures and souls who were both fortunate and unfortunate enough to cross paths with him. At the same time, Alithea tries to rationalise the Djinn and his wishful thinking, dissecting the events that lead up to the present, and constructing an argument to forgo her three wishes.
It all succeeds because you feel like you’d want to be there too, sitting in a bathrobe while listening to Elba’s monologues. Both the leads deliver sterling performances. Swinton plays Alithea with no effort whatsoever while Elba – doing a decent job with an Arabian accent – ropes you in with his sentimental yet wise attitude.
The film also bucks the trend established in Miller’s previous work in that the main character is not the least interesting one (nobody watched Fury Road for Max Rockatansky). Alithea is not just the audience’s point of view. She’s a fascinating, layered person in her own right. Alithea is defined by loneliness and her appreciation for it, and that in turn makes her very compelling as the story develops.
Meanwhile, Elba’s character is hopelessly romantic. Three thousand years is a long time to wait for…something. Ultimately, the film yields a satisfying arc and well-defined conclusion for both protagonists. Leaving details open to interpretation wouldn’t have worked for a story such as this. It’s kept simple and poignant.
The flashbacks to the Djinn’s life are where Three Thousand Years of Longing really comes alive, but it’s still in a very relaxed fashion. The movie isn’t afraid to be erotic. There are some very passionate scenes throughout, with a pinch of comedy – bolstered by the Djinn’s demeanour towards modern living – delivered by an ensemble of characters just as colourful as the visuals.
Contrary to the film’s marketing, Miller handles the camera with a steady hand. Only once in a while will he deploy a fisheye lens or panning shot to create a sense of metaphysical unease. Colours are kept very warm to hot, and music is used sparsely. Junkie XL (who we last heard from in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and who memorably scored Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road) makes exquisite use of strings to create an ethereal soundscape.
Three Thousand Years of Longing returns to grounded sensibility in its final act. And sadly it struggles in the wake of such a soulful, dream-like journey. The conclusion does its job, capping off character arcs and snipping off the story, but it feels tacked on as it deals finally with the practical fallout of an ordinary woman meeting an extraordinary man. There are also moments early on in the film that don’t feel fully explained, and, for a brief moment in that final act, it gets weirdly political. That was not necessary in the slightest.
Three Thousand Years of Longing isn’t for everyone. It’s a textbook example of arthouse cinema – the kind of film best enjoyed quietly with a glass of claret. Miller continues to demonstrate his complete versatility to filmmaking and in that regard, his latest effort has little to no shortcomings.
The most important thing with Three Thousand Years of Longing is to set aside your assumptions, dial back your expectations, and simply settle down to watch two remarkable people, played by two remarkable actors, get to know each other.
Three Thousand Years of Longing is in select South African cinemas from today, 2 September.
| Three Thousand Years of Longing review | |
Though a jolty ride towards the end, Three Thousand Years of Longing is a movie that travels at its own pace. It revels in sentimentality and justifies it with beautiful visuals and two highly competent and compelling leads. |
8 |
| Three Thousand Years of Longing was reviewed on the big screen | |