Blood Diamond (2006)

Capturing both the physical beauty and social ugliness that makes up the African continent, Blood Diamond is a traditional heavyweight drama. Its goal is not to entertain but to captivate and illuminate. Exposing the dark corners of the diamond trade that most people are ignorant to or choose not to acknowledge, this film ties big business, organized crime and human drama all into one.

When his village is destroyed by rebels, Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) is torn apart from his wife an children and forced to work in a rebel-owned diamond mine. When the Sierra Leonean Army attacks the rebels, Vandy escapes knowing the whereabouts of a massive pink diamond. Vandy crosses paths with Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio), a Zimbabwean diamond smuggler with powerful connections. Their relationship is shaky at best and, with the help of an American journalist (Jennifer Connelly), they set out to retrieve the diamond before anyone else can as well as Vandy’s son, who has been forced to join the rebel army.

The above paragraph is actually a pretty poor description of the entire plot of this film. The three central characters are operating on a grander scale than I can put into one paragraph. Colonialism, capitalism, barbarism, and humanitarianism all interplay in Blood Diamond. With all that’s going on, the film can’t help but get bogged down in the intricate weaving of plot details. While the diamond is the focus from 30,000 feet, this film is more like a collection of smaller conflicts, internal and external.

While DiCaprio is the star of the film, Connelly is its conscience and Hounsou is its heart. The combination of DiCaprio’s hard-nosed determination, Connelly’s lectures about the evils of the diamond trade, and Hounsou’s intense emotional roller coaster, this film will leave you feeling mentally and physically exhausted. Is it rewarding though? Pre-credit text encourages audiences with the fact that a super-minority of diamonds come from such entities since conferences between the diamond powerhouses in the 1990s. That either leaves you feeling a little warmer inside or it enables you to distance yourself from the events of the film.

The one thing that bugs me throughout the film is DiCaprio’s accent. It’s bad enough that his youthful looks make it hard to believe him as a seasoned smuggler, but his never-consistent accent is distracting as all get-out. They needed someone of DiCaprio’s pedigree and popularity to anchor the film and secure audiences but, just as I have issues with Americans playing British roles, there’s just something off about having him play an African white man.

While it may be a little too much to take in at one time, Blood Diamond is a very good film. The locations look sharp and Hounsou’s performance is wonderful. One might think this film was intended as Oscar bait but I disagree. This was a film made by people who appreciate the true dramas of old. It won’t likely become one of your favorites, and you may not even feel the urge to watch it a second time, but one viewing is certainly worthwhile.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider- The Cradle of Life (2003)

Proof that Angelina Jolie’s breasts do not guarantee box office success. This movie is even more ridiculous than the first and the only reason this film is not relegated to the 0.25 star section is because, well, Angelina Jolie is hot.

As dumb as it is, her hotness at least numbs you somewhat to the pain that trying to follow and make sense of this film will inflict. At least Indiana Jones went after real artifacts and sites, not made up crap that this series pushes on its viewers. The prospect of a third Tomb Raider has me assured that there is still hope that Joile’s breasts will fail her and she’ll find herself at the very bottom of my list.

RATING: 0.5 out of 5

The Island (2005)

I enjoy pleasant surprises. One of the all-time US box office bombs, I picked up The Island expecting to watch a delightful disaster that would fit nicely in my lower ranks. As it turns out, there are only a few things wrong with The Island.

First, it should have been made for $80 million less than it was. Going low-tech on some of the special effects would have made the film grittier. There was just too much splash and polish. Second, Sean Bean is cast as a mastermind villain. This just doesn’t work people! He’s good at being a thug but Bean is simply incapable of portraying a highly intelligent person.

Third and lastly, Hollywood should know better than to release an intelligent film during the summer. Summer movie-goers just want flashy effects and pretty faces. Granted, The Island delivers this with Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson, but the movie has an intelligent concept at its core. This will make the summer crowd try to think, which almost always fails. Instead, the film puts up a brick wall and the crowds couldn't “get it.”

McGregor and Johansson are believed to be living in a colony of survivors from some devastating epidemic. In reality, they’re all clones of rich and famous people that will be used as a costly “insurance policy” when the rich folk need a healthy transplant. The colony has strict health guidelines and relationships are taboo. They discover what they are and escape into the real world but are pursued by the company that grew them.

Kind of a unique “fight for truth” and morally challenging film. I’m surprised there wasn’t more buzz over it, what with all the fuss over stem cell research and where it could go. This film takes it to one extreme and does so admirably. Shame on all of us for not making The Island a success.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5