Year of Release: 2006
Rating: R
Blood Diamond, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, and Jennifer Connelly, is a great movie. The title refers to the diamonds – nicknamed “blood diamonds” – that are mined in African war zones and sold to finance the conflicts that are happening in Africa and profit the warlords and diamond companies across the world. This is a very moving movie; at times you will want to laugh and at times you will want to cry.
Set in 1997-1998 during the Sierra Leone Civil War, the movie follows Danny Archer (DiCaprio), a white Rhodesian smuggler and mercenary, and Solomon Vandy (Hounsou), a black Mende fisherman, who join together to find a diamond that Solomon buried not long ago. Before this adventure, however, Danny meets Maddy Bowen (Connelly) an American journalist who wants information about blood diamonds for the world to see. Solomon’s son, Dia, is captured by RUF rebels and is turned into a child soldier. Danny agrees to help Solomon find his son if Solomon will show him where the diamond is. This diamond will change both Danny’s and Solomon’s lives.
This is probably DiCaprio’s best performance. He was great in The Departed but I honestly think he did a better job in Blood Diamond. The accent sounded hard to master but DiCaprio did it.
If you want to see this movie, I recommend buying the DVD or not watching it on public television. When it’s on public television, there are no swears and some of the brutal scenes are actually not shown. And with no swears, it can sound cheesy sometimes.
The soundtrack to this movie is great, too. My two favorite songs off of the soundtrack are “London” and “Solomon Vandy.” They just have that mood to them that makes them sound so great and fitting for the movie. Listen to them and you’ll know what I mean.
Overall, this is a great movie and I recommend seeing it.
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