246. Blood Diamond

Blood Diamond (2006)

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio

Jennifer Connelly

Djimon Hounsou

IMDB Rating: 7.9

MY Rating: 8.5

"A moment of love, even in a bad man, can give meaning to a life."

I am fortunate enough to live in a very nice one bedroom apartment. My neighborhood is mostly crime free. I go into an air conditioned job every morning. If I ever miss a meal, it's because of my own forgetfulness to pack a lunch. Although, I have over ten seperate food vendors a five minute walk away should I forget. These are things that I take for granted on a daily basis. I am blessed to have the life that I do. A film like Blood Diamond is a constant reminder should I forget.

Solomon Vandy's (Djimon Hounsou) village in Sierra Leone has been raided by R.U.F. rebels. He has been separated from his family, and put to work mining for diamonds. When he finds a large diamond, he attempts to hide it, but is caught in the process. His commander is about to kill him, when the R.U.F. rebels are attacked by the government army. The army puts Solomon in prison. When his former rebel commander sees him in prison, he begins to tell everyone of the diamond Solomon is hiding. This catches the ear of diamond smuggler Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio).

Once out of prison, Archer proposes aid in the search for Solomon's family, for the location of the diamond. With the help of journalist Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), they find Solomon's family. The tearful reunion is cut short, when Solomon's emotions go out of control. He learns that the R.U.F. rebels have taken his son and plan to make him part of their rebel army. The three continue on together for three different treasures. Solomon seeks his family and son's safety. Maddy wants to expose Sierra Leone's diamond industry's murders and violence to the world. Archer wants Solomon's diamond as his ticket out of Africa.

Director Edward Zwick has a fantastic ability of blending intense action with emotion stirring drama. It's rare that one comes without the other in this film. There are more than a few scenes where the R.U.F. rebels invade areas. In these scenes, the rapid gunfire is meshed perfectly with expressions of sheer terror. Zwick has mastered this technique, almost making it stand alone as it's own individual genre.

The performances are outstanding. Leonardo DiCaprio has never been better. The Academy got it right when they gave him a nomination for Blood Diamond, rather than the more popular The Departed. It could just be the subject matter, but DiCaprio adds a maturity he had never brought forth before. Also his accent is not forced and does seem rather natural. No performance is more impressive though, than that of Djimoun Hounsou. His portrayal of a father who would do anything for the family that he loves, is simply brilliant. His raw emotions were perfectly suited for this film. This is his career defining moment for Hounsou. It is rare to see one performance of this magnitude in a film, let alone two.

Blood Diamond is filmed near perfectly. The war scenes leave you feeling shaken, but not sick to your stomach. Dirt flies in the air as Solomon and Archer run from gunfire. There are also a few serene moments where you get to see Africa's natural beauty. A cheetah slowly walking through the grass is briefly seen. Archer leans on a boulder as the sun is setting across a beautiful green valley. The first sight of the refugee camp where Solomon's family is located, will simply leave you breathless. The visuals in this film are a high point indeed.

I remember seeing Blood Diamond in the theater and being blown away. I am happy to say that it has not lost it's appeal or effect on me. Films with similar subject matters easily can become too depressing for the viewer. This film does have it's depressing moments, but it leaves you feeling inspired. If you enjoyed Hotel Rwanda, you would like this film. I highly recommend that you take the time to see this film.