Blood Diamond (15)
Set against the backdrop of the chaos and civil war that enveloped 1990s Sierra Leone, “Blood Diamond” is the story of Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio), an ex-mercenary from Zimbabwe, and Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), a Mende fisherman.
Both men are African, but their histories and their circumstances are as different as any can be until their fates become joined in a common quest to recover a rare pink diamond, the kind of stone that can transform a life…or end it.
This film was a pleasant surprise, having heard mixed reviews from friends. The acting is generally strong although Jennifer Connelly isn’t given a great deal to do as the earnest journalist. Hounsou gives a fierce performance – I was first impressed by him in Amistad – but risks being lazily typecast as the token oppressed African. I expected to cringe at DiCaprio’s South African accent, but he pulls it off convincingly enough.
It is a violent film, quite shockingly so for a 15. The indiscriminate horror of war is captured, with women and children finding themselves in the firing line as often as soldiers.
The main criticisms that I would level at the film are that the Archer’s redemption story is so heavily foreshadowed that you find yourself simply waiting for his Good Deed At The End. It is also overlong - Steph and I felt that at least 20 minutes could have been edited without compromise. I suspect that The Last King of Scotland is better on the whole.
[rating:3.5]
Visit the Blood Diamond website for more information.
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