So, the end of this weekend's movie binge was Blood Diamond. I didn't know a lot about this film going in (I'd only seen one preview and apparently have had my head up my arse for sometime because it's gotten quite a bit of publicity) and wasn't expecting a lot.
What I got was what I would expect from an essentially 'Hollywoodised' account of the diamond conflict/civil war in Sierra Leone. It was unsubtle, and nothing was left to the imagination. The action sequences were brutal and full on, but the performances were strong. Even Leonardo Di Caprio's South African accent didn't grate on my as much as I thought it would.
David made an important observation - the grittier nature of the issue this film dealt with would have been better off framed in a drama, rather than an action/thriller which is really what Blood Diamond was. The action/thriller elements took up a lot of time that I feel could have been better used explaining the conflict more fully. Even the quiet personal moments were always interrupted by perfectly timed, hollywood gunfire. A little infuriating. Having said that, I realise that I am predisposed to liking movies that delve into the issues deeply, and this movie can definitely be enjoyed without the political side of it all being addressed in any depth.
That aside, this film had some good points. It was entertaining (which is something that should never be underestimated in a film in my opinion) and the performances were strong. But for me, the best part about this film was that it is bringing several incredibly huge issues to the public in a very accessible way - on the smaller scale, the black market in 'conflict' diamonds and civil war in Sierra Leone, and on a larger scale the situation in Africa and the plight of Africa's refugees and child soldiers. So as much as I whinge about it not being in depth enough for me, I think that's almost outweighed by the fact that it has brought attention to something so important.
7 for me.
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The DaveScale(tm)
1 - 4.5: Fail, based on how fired up I get about it's crapness.
5 - 5.5: Thumbs down but a pass (something like a C-)
6 - 7.5: Fair to Good - a good way of thinking about this is a really good bad movie (a guilty pleasure or similar) or a film that should have been higher but just missed the mark.
8: The first mark for a very good film, 4 stars. This mark and above is really a matter of taste.
9: something like an A grade.
9.5 -10: A+
5 comments:
Yes, 7 is a good score for this one. Blood Diamond walks a very fine line, trying to be both message picture and action adventure. I think it pulls this off very well, despite its implausibilities. And DiCaprio is setting himself up as one of the best character actors of his generation!
Hi Jim! My head is THIS BIG because of the fact that you're not only reading my blog but commenting in it.
Di Caprio has finally shaken off the stigma of Titanic and returned to his former self. Thank god for that. I think he was a very large part of making this film the relative success that it is.
Not only has he shaken off Titanic (which is just a bloated Hollywood blockbuster), but for me he is now finally forgiven for the stupefying "The Beach". What a stinker. One of the few times in my life I've wanted to hurl something at the screen!
I haven't seen 'The Beach' - apparently that's quite fortunate! I have read the book though....i think it was one off those stories best left to text.
6.5 from me. I found Blood Diamond a bit predictable and long in parts, which had me sitting around waiting for the movie to catch up. It still carries an important message, and is worthwhile viewing.
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