Three Thousand Years Of Longing Movie Review (2022)
Fairy tales for adults are hard to come by, so Three Thousand Years Of Longing is an unexpected treat. With two big stars and rich storytelling, this is one to check out.
When I was little, I enjoyed a good fairy tale. The mermaid who lost her voice, the long-haired blonde in the tower – they were interesting stories that I never thought too much about. As I got older, though, I started feeling like there were cracks. How did Rapunzel get into the tower? Did Snow White never need to use the bathroom? So many questions. Then one day, my daughter asked, “Why is there a story about a girl who got shoes in the wrong size? Why is that interesting?” And I knew it wasn’t just me.
Three Thousand Years Of Longing is an adult fairy tale about an emotionally detached narratology (the study of narratives and storytelling) academic, Alithea, who happens upon a beautiful glass bottle in a shop. Back at her hotel, while cleaning it, she unleashes a djinn who had been trapped inside for many years. He offers her three wishes and, not desiring anything specific, she doesn’t know what to wish for.
This story is told half from her perspective and half from his, which is not something that you get in most fairy tales. The experiences of the genie or the djinn are not usually front-of-mind in a wish granting story, and that makes this one intensely intriguing.
If we can break this film down into four quarters, the second two quarters are fascinating. Full of lush memories and a rich history, you learn who the djinn has encountered (including King Solomon and Sheba), what his experiences were, and how he ended up back in the bottle over 3,000 years.
The first quarter is somewhat dry, as it sets up the story and tries to introduce the fact that the djinn may not be the only magical creature that Alithea has encountered. I wish they had delved a little further into that, but they only touched on it a few times.
The fourth quarter is the end of the fairytale and, while somewhat unexpected and a little bit slow, it is mostly satisfying. As the djinn says, “we exist only when we are real to others.”
Some of the animation is breathtaking to look at, like when the djinn is taken and imprisoned for the first time in his brass bottle, and other times less impressive, like when the huge djinn appears behind Alithea. I would say that it is far more positive than otherwise, but a few choices are more distracting than helpful.
Overall, and with a cast like Tilda Swinton (someone who only takes roles in off-center pieces) and Idris Elba, this is a charming film that does a good job of creating an adult fairy tale with all the explanation an inquiring mind would need.
Runtime: 108 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English, Ancient Greek, Turkish, and Djinn language with English subtitles
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 3.25/5 Stars
Available: Free on Prime Video or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
