REVIEW: ‘Three Thousand Years of Longing’ Celebrates The Power of Storytelling

Three Thousand Years of Longing is directed and co-written by George Miller, based on the short story “The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye” by A.S. Byatt.  Alithea Binnie (Tilda Swinton) seems perfectly fine with her life. She has a good job as a professor of narratology and is content to spend time alone. That changes when she finds a mysterious glass bottle in a bazaar during a lecture in Instanbul. When Alithea opens the bottle, she unleashes a Djinn (Idris Elba) who promises to grant her three wishes that fulfill her “heart’s desire”. This leads to a conversation about his long life, with the two forming a unique bond.

Miller said that Three Thousand Years of Longing is meant to be the antithesis of his previous film Mad Max: Fury Road, particularly when it comes to the number of words in both films. And true to his word, the director has made a sprawling, ponderous fairy tale that tackles the very nature of stories. From its protagonist’s profession to the way the film is broken up into separate tales revolving around the Djinn, Miller truly understands that no matter how often stories change forms they inspire, entertain and teach. The Djinn’s stories are engaging, but they all end the same way – and this makes Alithea extremely wary of her wishes, as she doesn’t want to end up the same way.

Like any good storyteller, Miller knows how to captivate your attention both visually and narratively. When Alithea first unleashes the Djinn, he erupts in a cloud of smoke and becomes giant before shrinking down to human size. His palms are covered in red, his ears sharp points. And whenever he touches electronics, their energy flows into his fingertips as he has control over electromagnetic waves. Similar imagery peppers the film, whether it’s a man transforming into a swarm of spiders or a vast expanse of cosmic dust. These images take on a life of their own thanks to Miller’s longtime cinematographer John Seale and the haunting score from Tom Holkenborg, resulting in a film that rivals Everything Everywhere All At Once in terms of ambition.

But Three Thousand Years of Longing is as engaging as it is due to its lead actors. Swinton disappears into the role of Alithea, with her close-cropped hair and tortoise-shell glasses making her resemble a librarian instead of a movie star. As her conversation with the Djinn unfolds, the audience learns more about Alithea and her life and Swinton infuses each scene with a profound sense of loneliness. Her character also has a speech about being unsure of her heart’s desire that more or less confirms Alithea is autistic. For me, that was the moment the movie hooked me, as a character talked about how stories helped them to express the feelings in their hearts – I’ve been there. It’s also great that this is a film with an autistic character whose traits aren’t treated as superhuman abilities and aren’t the butt of constant jokes.

Elba’s turn as the Djinn is also a wonder to behold. When he speaks, his voice literally crackles with electricity. Yet his behavior is that of a gentle giant; he conjures up a tray of snacks, he entertains his newfound charge with stories, and he possesses surprisingly human emotions for a creature who can reshape the cosmos. His stories only deepen that humanity; he’s loved, lost, known despair, and seen how his wishes affect others for good or ill. Three Thousand Years of Longing is further proof that Elba is in the best stage of his career,  as he takes on roles that let him really flex his acting muscles. From Knuckles in Sonic The Hedgehog 2 and Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad to this and the upcoming thriller Beast, Hollywood has finally figured out how to utilize this man’s talent.

Three Thousand Years of Longing is a celebration of the power of storytelling and shows off Idris Elba’s incredible acting range. It does what a good movie – or rather, a good story – should do and immerses its audience in its world, to the point where they feel like they’re part of it. Miller succeeds at this every time, which only cements his status as one of the best directors working today.

Three Thousand Years of Longing premieres in theaters nationwide on August 26, 2022.