Three Thousand Years Of Longing

 This review may contain spoilers!

 

 Three Thousand Years Of Longing is an adaptation of A.S. Byatt's short story, 'The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye'. The story follows Alithea, a narratologist, who accidentally frees a milennia-long imprisoned Djinn. By learning about one another the pair form a bond that transcends the their natures and unites woman and Djinn both. I really liked some of the deeper themes this film had around finding consensual, gentle love. This movie is about the desire of romantic connection, or even just true connection between two people who find love within one another. I found that message beautiful and I found it in multiple parts of the story, with many different characters.

The strength of this feature is the absolutely stunning visuals that are captured here. The cinematography are a blend of creative wides that capture the array of visual effects and intimate close ups that examine every subtle trace of feeling in an exchange between characters. The visual effects used throughout the film looking extremely good; I loved seeing the various mystical states of being the Djinn was presented as and the sequence of special effects shots shown when the Djinn and Alithea spend their first night together is a beautiful montage.

 

Burcu Gölgedar, who played Zefir, is a stunning chemistry with immense romantic chemistry with Elba; I was transfixed by Gölgedar's depiction of a character consumed by obsession and a wanting for more.

However, the best performance came from Idris Elba, who played The Djinn. From when we first meet Elba he feels extremely otherly, something very ancient and primordial. His role as a Djinn feels dangerous and powerful, there is a barrier of difference between Swinton and himself. Yet it is the way he scales back from this initial first impression that is really worth noting. Elba deals with some of the most extensive delivery in the film and through his emotional narration and vivid description we come to really understand his character. In fact, seeing how Elba portrays pain and devotion are some of the most raw acting experiences you will get in this entire film.

This is a beautiful film in a lot of ways but I couldn't get past the way the narrative is delivered to us and some of the choices made within it. This is a script by George Miller and his daughter, Augusta Gore, that places us often in foreign lands and time periods - stampeding through them with a cultural sense that is best compared to works of older, classical writers. Moments of dialogue are very stilted, conversations are framed in a way that doesn't convince nor sound like peers communicating between one another. I was really appalled by some of the character traits, cultural focus points and subplots at times. There was this sense that the film wanted to show Arabic and Islamic world views but through an extremely provocative and at times perverse lens. I felt that these moments didn't do the core themes of the film justice nor did they really sit well with me as a viewer. Later in the feature there is a discussion around discrimination and interracial relationships but it feels like an afterthought and isn't very convincing after the first couple of acts. By giving almost the whole film to us in a narration, storytelling style there is a lot of exposition to wade through and I often felt like the plot was just being fed to me rather than being something I could experience. I also never got the sense that the romantic storyline that develops between Alithea and the Djinn was earned, it was very predictable but neither the film nor the actors put in the effort to get us there. I also felt that Tom Holkenborg's score really underlined some of the cultural storytelling choices I disliked about this film, often hitting a lot of the stereotypes Hollywood composers lend when depicting Arabic settings.

Tilda Swinton, who played Alithea, comes at this script with a very tired and withdrawn energy; watching Swinton mash through dialogue in the same tone of voice for nearly two hours was underwhelming line delivery. Aamito Lagum, who played Sheba, is treated as an object of desire in this film and less as a character; considering Sheba was the crux of the first Djinn story it was disappointing Lagum wasn't able to do more. Erdil Yasaroglu, who played Prof. Gunhan, is an academic fellow paired against Swinton who leans more into the background than the fore; you never get much sense of peership between Yasaroglu and Swinton which rather undercuts their characters' onscreen relationship.

A unique take on magical realism that is weighed down by expository narration and an aimless love story. I would give Three Thousand Years Of Longing a 4/10.