Blood Diamond

9

Gamer13Mar 18, 2011

Great, atmospheric and moving story, great cast, extremely well made with an important message to deliver which is not sullied by the strong ending. Watch this film if you get the chance.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

8

Potter17Nov 1, 2011

Wonderful and gripping performances and an realistic scenario of Africa helps Blood Diamond to go deeper into its amazing and not so original-story.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

9

layolaAug 18, 2011

This is impressive movie from a talented director but there are som features always irritates me when it comes to hollywood films: no abililty to catch real mental processes of real people but just cliche after another. I don Â´tThis is impressive movie from a talented director but there are som features always irritates me when it comes to hollywood films: no abililty to catch real mental processes of real people but just cliche after another. I don Â´t mean cliche doesn Â´t depict reality -it usually does. And that s why it is easy to use in charachters because everyone in this reality will get in touch with a cliche. Also there are clearly conscious choices not to make those paper thin cliches nothing more than paper thin -for example when it comes to that journalist Maddy Bowen. Ok I don t complain more because some characters were truly impressive and well acted, especially many in supporting roles. As a whole this film was rather well constructed, very realistic story with haunting pictures from the paradise turned in hell. Maybe story goes over the top with its moralism, which is another irritating thing about these hollywood blockbusters and to my mind is a sign of underrating the audience full of grown up people. But even those severe errors can Â´t make this film bad :)… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

8

sinadoomDec 30, 2013

Another one of DiCaprio's greatest movies to be featured in. Definitely a classic. Intense, gripping and generally just awesome. Highly recommend!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

9

BeatHourDec 16, 2013

Without spoiling anything, the ending is very Hollywood. The rest of the movie is complex and based highly on real life events. This got panned by movie critics because of race politics. Comments like "Leonardo DiCaprio mows down blackWithout spoiling anything, the ending is very Hollywood. The rest of the movie is complex and based highly on real life events. This got panned by movie critics because of race politics. Comments like "Leonardo DiCaprio mows down black people" don't take into account that practically every fighter in Sierra Leone was an untrained adolescent and would not stand up to a seasoned mercenary.

This is one of the most accurate depictions of tactical combat in Cinema, and every detail seemed to be finely thought out. Great movie, but it had Hollywood elements that made it just an action movie, and the event research didn't seem to go below the surface.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

9

geedupJul 4, 2012

I hated on Leo for a long time, until I saw this movie. Now I am a fan and this film shows his budding flexibility as an actor. The story is basic in my opinion but snakes with tangents that make the story somewhat unpredictable-which is keyI hated on Leo for a long time, until I saw this movie. Now I am a fan and this film shows his budding flexibility as an actor. The story is basic in my opinion but snakes with tangents that make the story somewhat unpredictable-which is key for a movie like this to keep my interest. Not sure it is raised the awareness of the "blood Diamond" industry in Africa as it should/could have but the film looked wonderful. A classic for heart wrenching and action, combined with a great cast. Add it to your collection.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

8

SpangleJun 14, 2014

I am surprised to not see this one get more praise from the critics. Yes, Leonardo DiCaprio was fantastic and Djimon Hounsou and Jennifer Connelly also turned in great performances, but this film was great beyond that. The depiction of theI am surprised to not see this one get more praise from the critics. Yes, Leonardo DiCaprio was fantastic and Djimon Hounsou and Jennifer Connelly also turned in great performances, but this film was great beyond that. The depiction of the horrors inflicted on the people of Sierra Leone (and, really, Africans everywhere) through civil wars and the harvesting of diamonds is brutal to watch, but very well done all the same. In addition, the brutality of the diamond companies is not forgotten either as they are shown to be just as evil as those actually doing the killings in these countries. However, what this one does really well is that even as a social issue film, it never feels preachy. It tells you its points, but it does so in a way that is obnoxious or annoying, which can be an issue with films of this type. Ultimately, this one deserves the praise it gets from regular old viewers, but the critics were a tad too harsh here for my taste. Yes, it is imperfect at times and the violence can be a bit much and numbing, but the story is necessary, moving, and very well put together, even if some issues are indeed present.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

10

louisemariexoAug 13, 2012

Blood Diamond is an action packed movie, and clearly shows the disastrous events that took place in Sierra Leone, it's highly informative. It really made clear how horrific it was- I personally don't think it was exaggerated at all. However,Blood Diamond is an action packed movie, and clearly shows the disastrous events that took place in Sierra Leone, it's highly informative. It really made clear how horrific it was- I personally don't think it was exaggerated at all. However, you also see it on more of a lighthearted side, mainly from the changes of emotion in each individual character- more from Leonardo Dicaprio (as his character at first appears negative, with a bad attitude!) yet as we progress through the film we see as an audience how his feelings and actions change. I also enjoyed that aside from the horrific events that occurred, it shows us a love story developing between the two actors Jennifer Connelly and Leonardo Dicaprio. Which is, performed beautifully. If I'm honest, I'm glad their love story ended the way it did, because it's completely different from others, which makes this film stand out greatly. In my opinion, I don't see how at all this film can be faulted. Djimon Hounsou performed fantastically, he really portrayed the true emotions of how someone of his culture would feel, yet he was so strong in the end, he persevered to reach his goal and happiness came too him. As for Jennifer Connelly, a beautiful woman she is, again performed of a high standard. She too shows emotion and feeling, especially her chemistry with Leo. Save the best till last, yet again Leonardo Dicaprio's acting was truly phenomenal ( as always ), he portrayed his character perfectly, and I think he was correctly chosen to act the part. He again shown emotion, and I could tell he really could feel the characters feelings. As for the accent, again, wonderful!
But yes, overall this film cannot be faulted, in any way. I love this film, it is honestly a favourite I would watch over and over again. I recommend this film if you're interested in riding a 2 hour or so rollercoaster of action, emotion and surprise.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

8

Compi24Nov 28, 2012

A conventional, yet undeniably crowd-pleasing exercise in drawing the line between simply resembling vapid "Oscar-bait" and being a genuinely appealing film that just so happens to have its eyes set on some kind of prestige, "Blood Diamond"A conventional, yet undeniably crowd-pleasing exercise in drawing the line between simply resembling vapid "Oscar-bait" and being a genuinely appealing film that just so happens to have its eyes set on some kind of prestige, "Blood Diamond" may feel hokey and a bit trapped in its era of filmmaking, sure, but I still really like it. Certainly helps having performers like Hounsou and DiCaprio, the former delivering a career-best performance and the latter somehow selling me on one of the toughest of all accents to imitate. Also doesn't hurt to have your scenes (of varying degrees of entertainment value, I'll admit) underscored by some of composer James Newton Howard's finest work. Throw in a potent third act and you've done enough for this reviewer - a true sucker for the decade of filmmaking he came of age within. "Blood Diamond" is a thoroughly enjoyable, if semi-guilt-inducing, watch.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

8

SwatiFeb 9, 2013

While the acting and drama was very convincing, there were moments when I felt my suspension of disbelief to be lifting. That's always a risk when the subject matter is serious and deals with a real life situation. The director tries to bringWhile the acting and drama was very convincing, there were moments when I felt my suspension of disbelief to be lifting. That's always a risk when the subject matter is serious and deals with a real life situation. The director tries to bring added conflict, suspense, tension and drama when really the formula 'less is more' would have worked better. DiCaprio, however, deserved the Oscar. The Academy makes a fool out of itself for passing over this guy over and over.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

10

ThegodfathersonDec 7, 2013

Blood Diamond is as important as any of the films we've seen over the years about the Holocaust. It shares with them the vital message: "We must not let this happen again."

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

7

LaGuertaMar 17, 2013

Blood Diamond's quality stems from its unapologetically brutal portrayal of its subject matter. However, in places, it panders to the audience by injecting typical Hollywood themes (you'll know them when you are smacked in the face with them)Blood Diamond's quality stems from its unapologetically brutal portrayal of its subject matter. However, in places, it panders to the audience by injecting typical Hollywood themes (you'll know them when you are smacked in the face with them) which serves to cheapen the story and characters.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

10

SEROJAug 26, 2016

What the hell is wrong with the "professional critics"? This movie is stunning - from the beginning till the end! Brilliant acting and intense plot with great action! The Blood Diamond will show you things that you probably never knew thatWhat the hell is wrong with the "professional critics"? This movie is stunning - from the beginning till the end! Brilliant acting and intense plot with great action! The Blood Diamond will show you things that you probably never knew that happened! An absolute masterpiece… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

9

ScorpionMay 6, 2013

Violent, strong and beautifully filmed, this film tells a harsh contemporary reality, the strong storyline and well written account of a hitória shocking, and it comes at the expense of fine performances of L.DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou, andViolent, strong and beautifully filmed, this film tells a harsh contemporary reality, the strong storyline and well written account of a hitória shocking, and it comes at the expense of fine performances of L.DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou, and good action scenes, and end touching.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

10

JordanKingAug 30, 2013

A masterpiece!!!! Years I waited to see a good movie like Blood Diamond. Leonardo DiCaprio was perfect and stunning as always. Jeniffer Connely played a very interesting role and Djimon Hounsou was a surprise for me. A very good movie thatA masterpiece!!!! Years I waited to see a good movie like Blood Diamond. Leonardo DiCaprio was perfect and stunning as always. Jeniffer Connely played a very interesting role and Djimon Hounsou was a surprise for me. A very good movie that tells us something about the cruelty of men. DON'T MISS IT!!!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

7

MovieGuysJan 31, 2016

Blood Diamond is a gem of a movie. Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou give excellent performances, but the story is somewhat neglected in some aspects, taken as violence and car chases instead.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

10

eagleeyevikingJul 12, 2018

With breakneck pacing, a heartfelt character-driven story, an important message, and well-rounded characters, "Blood Diamond" is a terrific Edward Zwick film.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

7

dkg822Aug 5, 2015

‘Blood Diamond’ is in equal measures thrilling, captivating, well acted and frustrating. The biggest positive of the movie is that in its runtime of 2hr 23min, there is hardly any moment of boredom and I was constantly hooked onto its premise‘Blood Diamond’ is in equal measures thrilling, captivating, well acted and frustrating. The biggest positive of the movie is that in its runtime of 2hr 23min, there is hardly any moment of boredom and I was constantly hooked onto its premise which makes the movie very effective. Moreover, the basic premise of diamond trading is intriguing enough to hook us in as viewers. However, what is frustrating is that movie hardly builds upon its interesting premise and rather takes a very predictable route in telling its story. Some aspects of the story telling are very predictable and the movie took a reasonable time in actually developing its characters. Till about halfway into the movie, I hardly cared about any of the characters and felt that the ‘action’ side of the story took over the emotional quotient significantly. However, the last hour or so picks up considerably in terms of its emotional quotient and I started caring significantly more about the fate of each character. The movie, however, still remained quite predictable. These drawbacks of predictability and low emotional connection with each character are fortunately bettered by some brilliant acting, cinematography and fast paced story telling. The cinematography of Sierra Leone is amusing and quite stunning which juxtaposes well with the violence depicted in these areas and worked very well for me. The engaging story telling, as I mentioned, was the movies biggest positive as it helps even keep a predictable story telling engaging. Lastly, the acting by the central actors was particularly terrific. ‘Connelly’ brings emotional heft to her character and her chemistry with ‘DiCaprio’ was refreshing and heartfelt. ‘Kuypers’ and ‘Hounsou’ as the son-father are equally impressive. Particularly, Hounsou displays heartbreak and angst very well and makes you really empathize with his character. I, do feel, however, that he lacked a true chemistry with ‘DiCaprio’. Unsurprisingly, ‘DiCaprio’ steals the show from the lot with a strikingly amusing accent and brilliant display as the smuggler ‘Danny Archer’. He is particularly amazing in emotional scenes with ‘Connelly’ and towards the end of the movie invokes moments of genuine sympathy for his character.
Overall, ‘Blood Diamond’ is a good thriller with good pacing, great acting and amazing cinematography. The movie also has an interesting premise and could have been truly amazing, however, falls considerably short of bringing emotional complexity and unpredictability to its plot.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

8

TrackerDeviceNov 2, 2015

Blood Diamond is an excellent movie with a very good plot, superb acting, and extremely intense. Despite critics not giving Blood Diamond the credit it deserves, this movie will surely entertain a lot of movie fans.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

8

superbatMay 17, 2020

Blood Diamond's central focus is on Western exploitation in Africa. The story's not perfect, but it's emotionally compelling and does a decent job of educating the audience. It's accompanied by great performances from DiCaprio and Hounsou.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

8

TheMovieSceneJun 18, 2016

During the civil war in Sierra Leone, fisherman Solomon (Hounsou) is forced to pan for diamonds. He finds a large one, but it soon draws the attention of mercenary Danny Archer (DiCaprio) among others.

Violence is an overused word.During the civil war in Sierra Leone, fisherman Solomon (Hounsou) is forced to pan for diamonds. He finds a large one, but it soon draws the attention of mercenary Danny Archer (DiCaprio) among others.

Violence is an overused word. Primarily we associate it with fantasy, either in the gory netherworlds of the Hostel or Saw movies or the escapist universe of Bond and Bourne, where tension and excitement overshadow the realities of torture, mutilation and death. Violence, for the most part, is about the human capacity to hurt others; and about the way it destroys lives, communities and countries.

So when you hear that Blood Diamond is a very violent movie, don’t take it lightly. This isn’t simply about gunfights and car chases (although both are present and very much correct); Edward Zwick’s film launches with scenes that startle with their savagery, rivalling even Saving Private Ryan’s opening salvo for squirm value. As Sierra Leone’s anti-government warriors spread across the country, villages are razed, women raped and their children shot or abducted. To ensure voter apathy at the upcoming elections, hands are severed with axes and machetes.

It’s against this hellish backdrop that we first meet Solomon (Djimon Hounsou), a family man whose dreams of medical school for his son Dia (Caruso Kuypers) are dashed by the guerrilla insurgency. While Solomon is spared to pan for diamonds at gunpoint, Dia is taken, brainwashed, given a new identity and a gun. This, we soon learn, is what Sierra Leone is up against: beer-swilling bandits who bankroll their fight with smuggled diamonds and spend their gains on, disturbingly, US gangsta rap.

Solomon’s camp is raided and the inhabitants jailed, which is where Leonardo DiCaprio’s Danny Archer comes in; a sharp-witted player whose eyes widen as he learns of Solomon’s million-dollar find. Though there are similarities with the protean trickster of Catch Me If You Can, this is a Leo we’ve never seen before. Amoral and selfish but self-aware, DiCaprio expands on the reservoirs of darkness that Scorsese found in him. In the film’s final straits, when the diamond becomes his Shangri-La, his power and conviction are something to see.

But Blood Diamond falls maddeningly short of greatness in its final hour, partly because of an abundance of subplots. Alongside Solomon and Archer, Zwick introduces journalist Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), a hard-nosed war reporter just in from Afghanistan, who looks to Archer to help her find the white-collar criminals in the diamond trade. Though her acting is faultless, Connelly’s presence leads to a romance that, however understated, simply stores up trouble for later, requiring redemption and emotional closure on an already overheated climax. On top of that, add an unnecessary political framing device, and what begins as a tough, risk-taking thriller winds down to become a familiar Hollywood triumph-over-adversity story. It’s a heartbreaker. After feeling so much danger, it’s a shame to leave the cinema on a note so safe.

Great performances, provocative ideas and gripping action scenes fall prey to Hollywood logic and pat storytelling in the final hour.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

8

hughes857Jul 14, 2018

Great movie with superb acting and a intriguing story that can be traced in our world today. The motives of each character kept my eyes glued to the screen. A MUST-SEE for people who are interested for a good watch!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

9

FilipeNetoMar 21, 2022

I waited a long time to see this movie. When it was released, it benefited from the whole propaganda machine of the big studios and was successful. Currently, however, I feel that it is a little forgotten, and I am sorry, because it is a filmI waited a long time to see this movie. When it was released, it benefited from the whole propaganda machine of the big studios and was successful. Currently, however, I feel that it is a little forgotten, and I am sorry, because it is a film of great quality and worthy of our attention. It's not a perfect movie, it has some flaws, but I think they're forgivable and don't diminish its value. The script is heavily political: set in the midst of the Sierra Leone Civil War, the film directly links the diamond trade and conflict financing. It's not something that we didn't already know or that was unknown when the film came out: the merit of the film is that it shows us that in such a raw, intense and disturbing way.

Since the 1970s, Africa has been a pole of continuous conflict between countries, ethnic groups, creeds and tribes. From the Rwandan genocide and the war in Darfur to the civil wars and bloody coups in Guinea, Liberia, Angola or Chad, examples abound and have filled the news and also contributed to a small group of people (arms dealers, diamonds, other resources) to make enormous fortunes bathed in blood. If war is a business, Africa is fertile ground to invest, boosted by the abundance of natural resources and the lack of scruples of governments and chiefs, indifferent to civilian losses, hordes of refugees or humanitarian crises, mere collateral damage.

The script begins with an attack by the RUF, the Sierra Leonean revolutionary guerrilla, on a village where they kill many civilians and cut off the hands of those who remain alive. Solomon is taken away from his family by the guerrillas and put to work as a slave in the diamond mines, where he happens to find a huge diamond of great value. He quickly hides the stone, but the guerrillas notice, and he has to flee. Later, the existence of the stone reaches the ears of Danny Archer, a smuggler, who decides to obtain the stone to sell it, taking advantage of Solomon's despair, who only thinks about finding his family and rescuing his son, who the guerrillas turned into a child soldier. Willing to help is journalist Maddy Bowen, who is looking for a truly relevant story to publish.

The cast has immense quality and is intelligently directed by Edward Zwick. Leo DiCaprio is the best-sounding name and the one that stands out the most: used to playing heartthrob roles, this film marks a turning point in the actor's career, determined to become versatile and prove that he is more than a pretty face to spice up his fans dreams. The actor is amazing and does a truly challenging job with a very amoral, complex and psychologically challenging character. Djimon Hounsou is not far behind him, and he also offers us a very competent work, albeit more conventional. Jennifer Connelly also handles the challenges she faces very well, giving life to an active and courageous investigative journalist.

Technically, the film is of immense quality. The cinematography is very good, it takes advantage of the African landscapes and the action scenes are truly raw, intense and fast, taking full advantage of the special effects and the impeccable work of the stunts and sound and sound effects technicians. Very well shot and edited, the film has an excellent pace, and we hardly feel the time passing while we watch it. The editing and sound work deserved an Oscar nomination, along with the efforts of DiCaprio and Hounsou. Despite this, I think the film suffered a lot from strong competition from other high-quality films and only Hounsou really had a good chance of winning the coveted statuette, as Best Supporting Actor. There was still talk of DiCaprio, but I always thought it was impossible for him to surpass the greatness of Forest Whitaker, who won the Oscar for Best Actor with an impeccable work in a film that, curiously, also has Africa as a privileged stage. Finally, with these considerations made, a word of appreciation for the soundtrack, signed by James Newton Howard.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

8

d0vla11Sep 8, 2021

Perfect performances from both lead actors, perfect soundtrack, perfect story and conclusion. A must-see movie, classic.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

9

jonslowJan 8, 2019

The greatest performance of Leonardo DiCaprio acting. Great story too. Blood Diamond is a surprisingly intense and informative movie that the general public needs to see.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

9

SamMeh04Apr 6, 2020

This movie has a moving plot and is full of emotion and action sequences, and is all tied together with fantastic acting from DiCaprio and Djimon Honsu. Fantastic watch.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

10

HabibiehakimNov 8, 2021

One of the characteristics of a good film is to keep the audience stuck with the movie all the way through, especially when the movie is long, and Blood Diamond is succeed on that, Blood Diamond is a frightening experience, fills with more ofOne of the characteristics of a good film is to keep the audience stuck with the movie all the way through, especially when the movie is long, and Blood Diamond is succeed on that, Blood Diamond is a frightening experience, fills with more of a brutallity than a action, it's nerve-wracking, it's incredible, DiCaprio and Hounsou is really powerful, and Connelly is just mesmerising, overall Blood Diamond is terrific.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

8

SuperbaDMIkeJun 15, 2022

Blood Diamond is a Leonardo DiCaprio movie that is mixed reviewed by critics but beloved by others along with me.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

Blood Diamond

User Reviews