Blood diamond is an exciting and stunningly well made attempt to combine the budget and the stars of major league Hollywood with a serious message about difficult un-Hollywood subjects like child soldiers, contraband diamonds and amputations as a tool of war.
Set in Sierra Leone during the1999 civil war, Blood Diamond is the story of Danny Archer (DiCaprio), an ex-mercenary from Zimbabwe, and Solomon Vandy (Hounsou), a Mende fisherman. Both men are African, but their histories and their circumstances are as different as they could be until their fates become joined in a common quest to recover a rare pink diamond that Solomon buried while working at a diamond mine controlled by the guerrilla army (Revolutionary united Front).Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly),is a magazine reporter, that tries to cozy up to Archer so that she can get the story of how the smuggling racket works. Solomon, Danny, and Maddy all want something and they take turns using, helping, and half trusting one another to get it, stumbling in and out of war zones as young killers raid the towns firing AK-47s from the backs of pickup trucks. The overall effect is that of a fast paced and intense movie.
There are no major surprises in the plot of this movie; you can tell where it is heading to at any point. I guess the surprise is in that it actually is a good movie after all. A powerful storyline and fantastic acting held the movie together. A lot of attention is paid to the murder, mayhem, and chaos that have resulted in activist pressuring the Diamond industry to create The Kimberley Process. A joint government, international diamond industry, and civil society initiative to stem the flow of conflict diamonds (rough diamonds that are used by rebel movements to finance armed conflicts)
The filmmakers let us know that every time a valuable natural resource has been discovered in Africa—whether it’s ivory, gold, oil or diamonds—white Europeans have hired surrogates to plunder the goods, and the Africans have suffered terribly. But they do not preach to us; they work out the social meanings and the controlling economic interests through action.
There are no major surprises in the plot of this movie; you can tell where it is heading to at any point. I guess the surprise is in that it actually is a good movie after all. A powerful storyline and fantastic acting held the movie together. A lot of attention is paid to the murder, mayhem, and chaos that have resulted in activist pressuring the Diamond industry to create The Kimberley Process. A joint government, international diamond industry, and civil society initiative to stem the flow of conflict diamonds (rough diamonds that are used by rebel movements to finance armed conflicts)
The filmmakers let us know that every time a valuable natural resource has been discovered in Africa—whether it’s ivory, gold, oil or diamonds—white Europeans have hired surrogates to plunder the goods, and the Africans have suffered terribly. But they do not preach to us; they work out the social meanings and the controlling economic interests through action.
Very good review, I agree I didn't think the movie was going to be as good as it was. I think it was brutally honest without really going overboard with the graphic scenes. I have heard many stories from people who have lived through what happened in Sierra Leon, I think the movie did a good job in covering the major issues.
ReplyDeleteI like your review. I never seen this movie before. After reading your review it made me want to watching movie. I cannot say if i could agree or disagree when i haven't seen it. From what i know from your review I have to say it covers the issues well.
ReplyDeleteyour review is very good. and although i did not see the movie, your review has piqued my curiosity and makes me want to watch it now. also, you cover the issues in your review very well too. Well Done.
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