Movie Title: Blood Diamond
Overall score (out of 5): 5
Rated: R
Running time: 2hr38m
Genre: Drama
Main premise: The land and people of Africa are being exploited all in the name of diamonds, which are known around the world as “conflict diamonds.” This film follows one man’s journey on his quest to find a stone rumored to be one of the biggest found and details the strategies behind diamond brokers in an attempt to market these illegal stones.
Overall score (out of 5): 5
Rated: R
Running time: 2hr38m
Genre: Drama
Main premise: The land and people of Africa are being exploited all in the name of diamonds, which are known around the world as “conflict diamonds.” This film follows one man’s journey on his quest to find a stone rumored to be one of the biggest found and details the strategies behind diamond brokers in an attempt to market these illegal stones.
Main Cast (alphabetically):
Maddy Bowen - Jennifer Connelly
Danny Archer - Leonardo Di’Caprio
Solomon Vandy - Djimon Hounsou
Overall score breakdown
Storyline and/or writing: 5
1 (amateur) – 5 (brilliant)
Comments (if any): This film weaves the lives of the three main characters with effortless intricacy and plausible detail.
Dialogue: 5
1 (inane) – 5 (excellent)
Comments (if any): Nothing is extraneous in this movie – no words, no scenes, no glances. Everything has depth and meaning to carry forward this work with stunning clarity.
Cinematography: 5
1 (irregular) – 5 (breathtaking)
Comments (if any): Filming style is smooth, even in the scenes where they could have chosen to resort to the sports-style, erratic, jumpy shooting which is a feeble attempt to “get” the audience to feel. Instead, they were brave, chose to remain still and just let the action speak for itself. It worked.
Sets and/or location: 5
1 (common) – 5 (outstanding)
Comments (if any): Filmed on location on the beautiful continent of Africa, in the lush jungles and amongst the harsh realities of poverty.
Animation or Special Effects: not applicable
1 (satisfactory) – 5 (amazing)
Comments (if any):
Graphicness: 5
1 (intolerable) – 5 (tolerable)
Comments (if any): Even though I did avert my eyes a few times, I cannot say the graphic nature of the violence was over-the-top. And, although it ripped at my gut to watch man’s inhumanity to man as the rebels tore through the villages of their fellow Africans, the violence was believable and not any more graphic than we see on the news each night. Be aware that this movie is based on true facts, so the brutal portrayal of the rebellion is probably more than anyone in a free, reasonably safe country can imagine.
Soundtrack: not applicable
1 (average) – 5 (extraordinary)
Comments (if any): While I am sure there was a musical background and I remember seeing songs in the credits, this is not a movie that required a musical background and therefore is inapplicable.
Cast and/or Acting: 5
1 (weak) – 5 (powerful)
Comments (if any): Leonardo DiCaprio delivers, by far, his most mature and gripping portrayal ever as a well-known white British-African jewel smuggler who is linked with some of the worlds biggest jewelry cartels. His accent, pulled off with only a few, faint lapses, was believably authentic. He brilliantly swung between loveable and repulsive with such ease that I was startled each time. Dijmon Hounsou’s realistic depiction of gentle strength and undying love of family had me continually rooting for his welfare. In one scene, he comes straight at the camera in a gut-wrenching explosion of anger with such startling genuineness that I actually shrank in my seat and stopped breathing momentarily. I was grateful to see that Jennifer Connelly’s character, the seemingly token female beauty, was actually strong and awe-inspiring in her own way. Connelly pulled off her scenes with a delicious combination of sultry womanliness and fierce conviction, never shrinking in the presence of any man.
Maddy Bowen - Jennifer Connelly
Danny Archer - Leonardo Di’Caprio
Solomon Vandy - Djimon Hounsou
Overall score breakdown
Storyline and/or writing: 5
1 (amateur) – 5 (brilliant)
Comments (if any): This film weaves the lives of the three main characters with effortless intricacy and plausible detail.
Dialogue: 5
1 (inane) – 5 (excellent)
Comments (if any): Nothing is extraneous in this movie – no words, no scenes, no glances. Everything has depth and meaning to carry forward this work with stunning clarity.
Cinematography: 5
1 (irregular) – 5 (breathtaking)
Comments (if any): Filming style is smooth, even in the scenes where they could have chosen to resort to the sports-style, erratic, jumpy shooting which is a feeble attempt to “get” the audience to feel. Instead, they were brave, chose to remain still and just let the action speak for itself. It worked.
Sets and/or location: 5
1 (common) – 5 (outstanding)
Comments (if any): Filmed on location on the beautiful continent of Africa, in the lush jungles and amongst the harsh realities of poverty.
Animation or Special Effects: not applicable
1 (satisfactory) – 5 (amazing)
Comments (if any):
Graphicness: 5
1 (intolerable) – 5 (tolerable)
Comments (if any): Even though I did avert my eyes a few times, I cannot say the graphic nature of the violence was over-the-top. And, although it ripped at my gut to watch man’s inhumanity to man as the rebels tore through the villages of their fellow Africans, the violence was believable and not any more graphic than we see on the news each night. Be aware that this movie is based on true facts, so the brutal portrayal of the rebellion is probably more than anyone in a free, reasonably safe country can imagine.
Soundtrack: not applicable
1 (average) – 5 (extraordinary)
Comments (if any): While I am sure there was a musical background and I remember seeing songs in the credits, this is not a movie that required a musical background and therefore is inapplicable.
Cast and/or Acting: 5
1 (weak) – 5 (powerful)
Comments (if any): Leonardo DiCaprio delivers, by far, his most mature and gripping portrayal ever as a well-known white British-African jewel smuggler who is linked with some of the worlds biggest jewelry cartels. His accent, pulled off with only a few, faint lapses, was believably authentic. He brilliantly swung between loveable and repulsive with such ease that I was startled each time. Dijmon Hounsou’s realistic depiction of gentle strength and undying love of family had me continually rooting for his welfare. In one scene, he comes straight at the camera in a gut-wrenching explosion of anger with such startling genuineness that I actually shrank in my seat and stopped breathing momentarily. I was grateful to see that Jennifer Connelly’s character, the seemingly token female beauty, was actually strong and awe-inspiring in her own way. Connelly pulled off her scenes with a delicious combination of sultry womanliness and fierce conviction, never shrinking in the presence of any man.
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