Blood Diamond is a film that takes place in Africa during a time of civil war. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Danny Archer, a former Mercenary from Zimbabwe turned diamond smuggler. Djimon Hounsou counters DiCaprio playing Solomon Vandy, a Mende Fisherman who’s been taken as a slave. Separated from his family, Solomon finds an enormous Conflict diamond that he buries and then after escapes. Eventually fate brings both Solomon and Archer together and it seems finding where Solomon hid this diamond could help them attain mutual goals. Of course, it is no walk in the park. The two men have to travel threw a chaotic, violence filled civil war to find their precious trophy. 

While the intensity of the journey itself is enrapturing, there were some problem areas. In particularly the way the film ended. Without giving anything away, the film really should have ended on the mountain top with the plane flying away. The audience is intelligent enough to decipher what happens after that, and what did happen felt forced and uncomfortable compared to the rest of the film. Also, the role of the reporter, played by Jennifer Connelly, often seemed forced, as though she was speaking the message of the movie to the viewers. It felt a little moralizing, and insulting that the writer and or director didn’t think the viewer could figure out the message on their own accord. But while the film occasionally borders preachy it in general manages to stay balanced both by entertainment and the true heart behind what fuels the story. One of the men in the story said, 

“People are just people, they aren’t bad, it’s the things they do that are bad.” 

The high points of the film were the cinematography and the stellar acting. The film was shot exotically and yet remained palpable. The entire movie boasted a grit and coloring that made Africa come alive on your screen. It was no surprise to see Leo DiCaprio shine on screen, it’s become expected. Djimon Housou was nothing short of incredible, and Jennifer Connelly played her part cold and calculated, yet with a grain of sentiment. Each character has an agenda that forces him or her to be in distrust of everyone. The roads that some of the relationships take to develop trust are forced, but credible, while others are equally believable in remaining eternally antagonistic. By the end, the characters may have changed, altered slightly, but they still are there to fight for the goal they started with to the bitter death. 

In any case I say if you haven’t seen it already, go to your local video store and rent it. It’s a very moving and intense film. Three out of Four stars.