Arts and Entertainment
Film Noir Review
by Judy Marker, Film Critic
"Blood Diamond" is a real movie gem!
Leonardo DiCaprio ("The Departed") gives a second straight ‘titanic’ performance in "Blood Diamond," an action-adventure based on true facts set in 1999 during the civil war in western Africa’s Sierra Leone.
As Danny Archer, South African mercenary, he is sent by a rogue organization to buy diamonds from the rebel forces known as the Revolutionary United Front (R.U.F.) for weapons to overthrow the government.
Caught at the Liberian border trying to smuggle the gems out of the country, he is sent to a prison in Freetown, the Sierra Leone capital.
While waiting to be released he overhears an argument between a rebel commander and a slave laborer Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounson "The Island"). He who is accused of finding a rare 100-carat red diamond worth tens of millions of dollars but denies it.
Hearing this, once released Archer makes sure his agents meet Vandy upon his being freed. He tries to persuade Vandy to sell him the diamond. At first the simple tribal fisherman denies the story but then tells Archer he will only help him if he can find his family.
His 1O-year-old son Dia (Caruso Kuypers) was taken away by the R.U.F. to be made a child soldier. Vandy was captured and placed into slave labor mining rivers for diamonds. His wife and daughters had fled during an R.U.F. attack on their village.
He tells Archer that he did find the jewel and buried it safely just as the government forces attacked the mining camp.
Hearing this Archer makes sure his organization locates Vandy’s wife and daughters. They are found in a refugee camp in neighboring Guinea.
While safe, they will not be released by the Guinean government until the war has ended. Now it is on to find the diamond and rescue Dia.
With the help of Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly "Dark Water") an American journalist in search of her first love, Archer or an exclusive story, the three become a team.
"Blood Diamond" is truly one of the better movies this year. While not my choice ("The Departed" is) for best picture, it is definitely a must-see and should garner a number of academy awards.
While the true jewels in ‘Blood Diamond" are the dozens of local citizens who appear in the countless scenes, many upsetting, "Blood Diamond" tells the sad but true story of how "conflict diamonds" helped pay for Sierra Leone’s civil war. Having cost thousands of lives and human limbs, it ended in 2003.
So powerful is the movie, that the world diamond industry is reported to be spending more than $15 million in a worldwide marketing campaign to refute its claims.
Director Edward Zwick ("The Last Samurai") gives us a spectacular presentation. Director of Photography Eduardo Serra projects the most realistic combat scenes and majestic African settings I have witnessed. Both DiCaprio with his masterful performance and Hounsou with his exceptional performance as the tender-loving human being, stand tall. All four deserve academy nominations.
"Blood Diamond" is rated "R" for strong violence and language and has several combat scenes that may be upsetting. Unfortunately its two hour and 15 minute running time brings this extremely fast-paced thriller to several almost complete stops.
That is why "Blood Diamond" receives my second highest rating of "4-J’s /Don’t miss it!"
