Screenwriter: Charles Leavitt
The critics aren't exaggerating. Every accolade Blood Diamond has received is justly deserved. In fact, if this movie doesn't win an Oscar® for Best Picture, Best Actor* Djimon Hounsou, Best Original Screenplay and/or Best Director, I'm going to be one very angry movie fan. Yes, it's that good.
This is one of those movies where you leave the theatre thinking how damn lucky you are to live in the United States of America. Granted, we have our socio-economic and political problems stateside that need to be resolved, but at least we don't have truckloads of rebels driving through the streets gunning down innocent civilians over a mineral with a man-made dollar value arbitrarily attached to it. Oh, and did I mention kidnapping said innocent civilians, including children, to dig diamonds for these evil, greedy bastards?
Leonardo DiCaprio's character, Danny Archer, an ex-mercenary turned smuggler, sums up the situation appropriately with his off-the-cuff, yet profound statement: "You know, in America it's bling-bling, but out here's it's bling-bang."
Inspired by the real life diamond trade "conflict" during Sierra Leone's civil war in the early 1990s, Blood Diamond is a riveting tale of the risks two men will take in order to save someone. In fisherman Solomon Vandy's (Djimon Hounsou) case, it's rescuing his son from the ruthless RUF rebels. For Danny Archer, it's rescuing himself by escaping from what he calls a "God-forsaken continent." Enter journalist Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly) who's on her own mission – to expose diamond industry leaders engaging in the illegal trade of "blood" or "conflict" diamonds. With her help, Vandy and Archer embark on a dangerous trek to recover the one thing that could save them all – the enormous, uncut pink diamond Vandy hid in the hills of a rebel-occupied diamond mine.
Like the characteristics of a diamond, this film has 4 c's of its own:
- compelling story
- brilliant cast (Hounsou, DiCaprio)
- superb cinematography
- captivating writing
What I liked: This movie is destined to become a classic. I have no doubt that it will stand the test of time. The story is so moving, I actually left the theatre thinking twice about wanting to own a diamond. The cinematography was outstanding! At times, I felt like I was part of the crowd running for their lives when the rebels shot up a town. Hounsou's performance was nothing short of brilliant. I'm a stickler when it comes to accents - DiCaprio's was spot on throughout the movie.
What I didn't: I wouldn't change a thing.
Madeleine says: I'd pay to see it twice! And I'll definitely add it to my DVD collection.
* Although this is one of my favorite DiCaprio performances, and probably Oscar-worthy as well, I think he deserves a bigger nod for his role in The Departed. Of course, I'd be very happy if he were nominated for both.
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