Right from the start, it is easy to tell that Three Thousand Years of Longing is not going to be an ordinary movie. The directory, George Miller, offers his unique outlook on movie-making with a blend of colorful CGI and real-world locations that seem to be out of this world. Together with the fantastic Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton as the main characters of djinn and the scholar Alithea who listens to his tale, the film has all that it takes to be a work of art for the ages.
Yet, there is a clear fault line present throughout the plot that runs from the start until the very end. It stops us from fully connecting to either the main protagonists or the numerous, often silent supporting roles spanning three millennia of history. It might be ironic to say that the movie that is brimming with magic is sadly missing just a bit of its own to become truly great. Instead, it is entertaining and wonderful to behold, but not something that will last even 100 years, not to mention millennials.
