While attending a conference in Istanbul, Dr. Alithea Binnie happens to encounter a djinn who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom. This presents two problems: first, she doubts that he's real, and second, because she's a scholar of story and mythology, she knows all the cautionary tales of wishes gone wrong. The djinn pleads his case by telling her fantastical stories of his past. Eventually, she's beguiled and makes a wish that surprises them both.
Director: George Miller
Cast: Idris Elba, Tilda Swinton, Alyla Browne, Aamito Lagum, Aamito Lagum, Matteo Bocelli, Kaan Guldur
Release Date: August 26, 2022
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Rated R for some sexual content, graphic nudity and brief violence
Runtime: 1h 48m
Review:
George Miller's Three Thousand Years of Longing is a lavish and ambitious fable that attempts to show the importance of storytelling. Miller has lofty goals in mind, something that's fairly apparent early on with it's heady dissection of narratives. His visual flourishes are wonderfully garish and impactful but the script is really where the meat of the film lies. Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton carry the film's connective story with some solid chemistry together which makes the film work better than it should. The collection of stories are a mixed bag with some faring better than others. It makes for an uneven experience with the film lagging and perking up depending on the tale being told. Its nature keeps the film from maintaining a consistent energy and flow in spite of committed performances across the board. As such, the film ends up feeling much longer than it's actual runtime. Additionally, the primary story between Swinton and Elba doesn't really connect the way it should even though it serves are the film's closer. Three Thousand Years of Longing sadly never reaches the heights it aspires too ultimately coming off as noble misfire from George Miller.
C+
