Yes, Blood Diamond is preachy, but it's a sermon we need to hear.
Blood Diamond (2006)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 203
Fresh: 128
Rotten:75
Average Rating: 6.4/10
Consensus: Blood Diamond overcomes poor storytelling with its biting commentary and fine performances.
Runtime: 2 hrs 23 mins
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release: Dec 8, 2006 Wide
Box Office: $57,312,489
Synopsis: 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... 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. Solomon, who has been taken from his family and forced to work in the diamond fields, finds the extraordinary gem and hides it at great risk, knowing if he is discovered, he will be killed instantly. But he also knows the diamond could not only provide the means to save his wife and daughters from a life as refugees but also help rescue his son, Dia, from an even worse fate as a child soldier. Archer, who has made his living trading diamonds for arms, learns of Solomon's hidden stone while in prison for smuggling. He knows a diamond like this is a once-in-a-lifetime find—valuable enough to be his ticket out of Africa and away from the cycle of violence and corruption in which he has been a willing player. Enter Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), an idealistic American journalist who is in Sierra Leone to uncover the truth behind conflict diamonds, exposing the complicity of diamond industry leaders who have chosen profits over principles. Maddy seeks out Archer as a source for her article, but soon finds it is he who needs her even more. With Maddy's help, Archer and Solomon embark on a dangerous trek through rebel territory. Archer needs Solomon to find and recover the valuable pink diamond, but Solomon seeks something far more precious…his son. Directed by Edward Zwick, the action drama "Blood Diamond" stars Academy Award nominee Leonardo DiCaprio ("The Aviator"), Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly ("A Beautiful Mind") and Academy Award nominee Djimon Hounsou ("In America"). The screenplay was written by Charles Leavitt, from a story by Leavitt and C. Gaby Mitchell. Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Virtual Studios, "Blood Diamond," a Spring Creek / Bedford Falls production, in association with Initial Entertainment Group, released by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. "Blood Diamond" is produced by Paula Weinstein, Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz, Graham King and Gillian Gorfil. The executive producers are Len Amato, Kevin De La Noy and Benjamin Waisbren. The film also stars Michael Sheen, Arnold Vosloo, David Harewood, Basil Wallace and introduces Kagiso Kuypers as Dia. Collaborating with Zwick behind the scenes were director of photography Eduardo Serra, production designer Dan Weil, costume designer Ngila Dickson, and editor Steven Rosenblum. James Newton Howard composed the score. This film has been rated "R" by the MPAA for "strong violence and language" "Blood Diamond" opens nationwide on December 8, 2006, and will be released by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. -- © Warner Bros. [More]
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, Djimon Hounsou, Stephen Collins
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, Djimon Hounsou, Stephen Collins, Jimi Mistry, Ato Essandoh, Michael Sheen, Basil Wallace, Kasigo Kuypers, Arnold Vosloo, Marius Weyers
Director: Edward Zwick
Director: Edward Zwick
Producer: Gillian Gorfil, Marshall Herskovitz, Graham King
Composer: James Newton Howard
Studio: Warner Bros.
Get This Movie
Release:
Jul 3, 2007
HD DVD Features:
- Region 1
- Widescreen
Audio:
- Dolby TrueHD 5.1 - English
- Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 - English, French, Spanish
- Subtitles - English, French/Quebecois, Spanish
Additional Release Material:
- Audio Commentaries - Edward Zwick - Director
- Documentaries - "Blood on the Stone"
- Featurettes - 1. In-Movie Experience: Embark on an epic journey with Director Edward Zwick charting the emotional and filmmaking challenges of BLOOD DIAMOND
- 2. "Becoming Archer"
- 3. "Journalism on the Front Line"
- 4. "Inside the Siege of Freetown"
- Music Videos - Nas - "Shine On Em"
- Trailer - Theatrical Trailer
Interactive Features:
- Weblinks
Reviews for Blood Diamond
This is one powerful film. The shooting style is intense, mixing action with heart-wrenching drama with Leonardo DiCaprio's faux South African accent.
Truly offensive is the film's go-nowhere result, its purported liberal ideologies untapped beyond their potential for speedy, soulless entertainment for the masses.
Exciting and compelling, but even more than that, it's a great acting showcase for Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou.
It's a film about exploitation that sometimes feels like it IS exploitation and is only going to leave you frustrated.
Blood Diamond has all the cinematic punch of a lengthy Nation article.
Issue-tainment. Puts the issue of conflict diamonds in the public eye. Whether or not that makes it a great drama is a slightly different question.
Zwick does a fine job in combining a broad range of elements and turning them into a compulsive and thought-provoking adventure and is aided by beautiful cinematography.
The issues may be simply put, but the brilliant action sequences engage us viscerally.
DiCaprio deserves his Oscar nomination for the breathtaking intensity of his performance.
The best thing about it is the convincing acting by DiCaprio and Hounsou.
a fascinating action-adventure with uneven and unsure tendencies for politcal comment
A comparatively honest effort from Hollywood but one fatally weakened by the familiar scent of compromise in its final reels.
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