Directed by:
Edward ZwickScreenplay:
Charles LeavittCinematography:
Eduardo SerraComposer:
James Newton HowardCast:
Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly, Arnold Vosloo, Basil Wallace, David Harewood, Jimi Mistry, Michael Sheen, Marius Weyers (more)VOD (5)
Plots(1)
Edward Zwick directs this tale of a prized diamond, the hands through which it passes and the inhumanity that results from man's greed. Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a former Zimbabwean mercenary now living in Sierra Leone during the '91-'00 civil war. Archer hears that an imprisoned Mende fisherman, Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), has found and hid a large, pink diamond whilst doing forced labour in the mines the guerrillas are using to fund their war. Vandy has escaped the camp but his son is left behind. Archer has the wherewithal to help him make the perilous return to the camp, though his motives are less honourable than those of the frantic father. An American Journalist Maddy Bowen is sniffing for a story and forms an attachment to Archer, who looks like a story all of his own. She's soon embarked upon the journey with them - her contacts as useful as those of Archer in securing a path through the dangerous terrain of this lawless country. It soon becomes apparent that Archer is not the only one who's heard about this giant pink jewel and the trio is beset by those intent on having it at every turn. Can they reach Vandy's son before the rebels brainwash him and make him yet another boy soldier? Can Maddy convince Archer to do the right thing for the right reason? Is there a heart in Archer's chest? (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
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Reviews (12)
A winning combination of social drama and action/adventure. Bleak scenes of violence are insterspersed with gripping action, which is tempered by intimate dialogue – and this pattern is repeated over and over again, which unfortunately makes Blood Diamond seem drawn-out and repetitive in places. In the end, however, it is still a respectable example of first-rate Hollywood filmmaking, like almost everything else by Edward Zwick. And that is thanks to the beautiful visual aspect, the attractive setting, great actors and a lot of very powerful scenes, especially the last one.
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The epic production design, brilliant technical side and the suitably booming soundtrack by James Newton Howard are the indisputable pluses here. The makers achieve the almost impossible for most of the movie, successfully balancing on the edge between an adventure movie in Romancing the Stone style, while also having enough time to highlight the problems in Sierra Leone, and perhaps most of the African continent. The action scenes are intense, and the dramatic storyline has balls. What prevents Blood Diamond from getting a better score is the closing quarter hour where the hitherto well-constructed characters turn into one-dimensional cutouts. Everything ends up as expected and we even get a moral at the end for those who managed not to understand what Zwick is saying the whole time using “movie language". An ending like that might be okay for family viewing, but in a politically engaged movie this is absolutely at odds with the rest of it. And that is doubly disappointing in a movie of this quality.
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Don't be fooled by the long exposition into an important and dangerous topic. What will follow is worth it. Edward Zwick proves that The Last Samurai was no fluke. The harsh scenes of the ruthless R.U.F. group, Djimon Hounsou's breathtaking determination, and the uninterrupted tender love story symbolizing undying hope. On top of that, Leonardo DiCaprio as Danny Archer is a properly angry Rambo, and the scene where he wades through muddy water in the camp amidst explosions and bullet salvos is an unexpected action thriller. Give Blood Diamond a chance, no matter what you think about the subject and genre. And you will feel pain for Africa.
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As far as the plot structure is concerned, it is meticulously constructed, smart, and sufficiently action-packed – Edward Zwick handles these combinations perfectly, see The Last Samurai – and it captivates not only with refined the visuals and the excellent intensity of the action scenes, but also with top-notch performances, which is very unusual in, let's say, a slightly adventurous film. The action is sometimes quite confusing, but with its grandeur and gripping rawness, it will surely get the blood flowing for most mainstream-minded viewers. There's nothing complicated about it, politics are only briefly outlined, so as not to interfere too much with the story of an (un)redeemable smuggler and a caring father. The best part of the whole film is the relationship between Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Connelly – I haven't seen anything so suggestive in a long time.
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Visually refined viewing that is intended to provoke that proverbial chill down your spine. Unfortunately, just showing is no longer enough these days, so no chilled spine. It needs more. The trailers were much better at it (I would even place one of them in my golden trailer fund). Even so, Zwick did a perfect job. It’s been a long time since I saw such wonderfully filmed scenery (locations, landscapes). In terms of acting, hats off to the great Hounsou, the gorgeous Jennifer Connelly and especially to DiCaprio who very pleasantly surprised me. So that’s a solid 4 stars and if Edward Zwick intends to continue in this direction, I’ll make very sure I don’t miss his pictures.
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