Meant to blog about this ages and ages ago…
Blood Diamond (Movie Teaser Poster)
Blood Diamond was one of the best Hollywood film I’d seen in a long time. Was getting so annoyed with all the silly hyped up shows that really aren’t anything more than bells and whistles just enough to fill the trailors. At least this one lived up to expectations.
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“A blood diamond (also called a conflict diamond or a war diamond) is a diamond mined in a war zone and sold, usually clandestinely, in order to finance an insurgent or invading army’s war efforts” - Wikipedia
The movie is set in Sierra Leone in the late 1990s, right in the midst of civil war… Where diamonds are mined and smuggled to neighbouring countries for cash & arms, fueling the war effort…
I’m glad Charles Leavitt did his research…
There’s a lot of truth in the movie. (More about the UN resolution toward conflict diamonds here)
The fighting, the smuggling, and the brutality were all very real. It was commonplace for the rebels to chop off the arms of people to force them into compliance, and kidnap young boys and condition them to become ruthless killers. And not just in Africa either, but in any place where war and conflicts occur…
Overall, the cinematography was excellent. Edward Zwick did an excellent job of weaving the whole story together. The story kept me captivated throughout the show… I was particularly pleased that he didn’t distract from the plot by putting in the cliched bedroom scene between Maddy (Jennifer Connelly) & Danny (Leonardo Di Caprio). About time too!
The acting was truly top notch.
Di Caprio’s performance as Danny Archer, smuggler and selfishness personified, is a real cut from his past acting stints. He really looked rough and tough, as his character was supposed to be. Djimon Hounsou was an excellent actor, moving the story along, and tugging your heartstrings together with him. (I cried when he did…) Jennifer Connelly had a very minor part in the show, but even then, she makes sure you never forget her intense glares. (She’s a cool woman!)
Other resources for the movie:
- Official Website
- Yahoo News
- Reelviews
- Writer’s Guild of America
- Wikipedia
- Wikiquotes
- IMDB
- Rotten Tomatoes
TBP Rating: Well worth the weekend ticket & the DVD…
Is the DVD a hint for the upcoming week? ;-)
Don’t be silly, dear… That’s too cheap for such an important day… :lol:
Besides, the DVD isn’t even out yet…