There Will Be Blood (Movie Review)
Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:32 pm
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Genre: Live Action Film – Drama
When an incisive story told with an adeptness for pacing appears like it does in the film There Will Be Blood, many viewers either relate to the character and are absorbed or reject the character and become bored. This latest film from director Paul Thomas Anderson wisely hedges bets upon the performance of lead actor Daniel Day-Lewis to carry the film and if one is mesmerized by the acting of Day-Lewis, Blood offers a truly remarkable film experience.
Daniel Day-Lewis plays turn-of-the-century oil entrepreneur Daniel Plainview, an ambitious and incredibly competitive man seeking success in California. With his son H.W. Plainview (Dillon Freasier) on proud display, Daniel attempts to win the hearts and minds of the common people as he purchases land which contains rich oil deposits. Not long after Plainview’s early success, demure common man Sunday (Paul Dano) arrives to offer Daniel the location of lands where the oil literally pools on the surface. Daniel takes his son cautiously across California to find Sunday’s oil lands and begin large mining operations.
There Will Be Blood takes the time to establish both mood and character with equal measure and builds to some incredible moments littered throughout the film. Daniel Day-Lewis as Plainview turns in a performance that elevates the film to such a degree it’s almost impossible to separate the movie from the man. Daniel Plainview is truly a hideous human being but his struggles are so genuine and his portrayal by Day-Lewis is so enthralling we are swept up into the story and marvel at each scene. Director Paul Thomas Anderson never moves the focus away from Daniel and the whole film becomes pointedly self-centered just like the character. Sunday becomes involved more and more throughout the story but only in as much as he crosses paths with Plainview. The pull and push between these adversaries plays out over many years and the conflicts are filled with palpable tension. Visually and musically, Blood is both hypnotic and repulsive. Jonny Greenwood (of Radiohead fame) adds a unique musical score to the visuals of cinematographer Robert Elswit to make Blood majestic when the story rises and malignant when film grows dark, as it so often does. The brilliant meshing of performance, music and picture in such unison only amplifies the focus of the movie on Daniel Plainview and never allows the audience a chance to wander even during Blood’s lengthy 2 ½ hour running time.
The one major flaw in There Will Be Blood can certainly be summarized as the arrival of Daniel’s brother and the unlikely dialog that shortly follows. Daniel becomes introspective with his brother almost instantly and one can’t help but feel this sudden complicity with his brother is far too unbelievable for a man who thrives on hating others. Fortunately the subplot serves as more delicious development for the character of Plainview, the climax of which propels the audience toward the final act with Day-Lewis’s performance to appease our suspension of disbelief. Little else maligns this film and the occasional weakness in the script is easily forgiven as the movie charges toward a very satisfying close; milkshakes and all.
Rating: 4 out of 5. There Will Be Blood succeeds on almost every level as an involved story of a vicious oil man and his quest for success who we watch in spite of ourselves due to an amazing performance by Daniel Day-Lewis.
There will be milkshakes and we will drink them up!
Genre: Live Action Film – Drama
When an incisive story told with an adeptness for pacing appears like it does in the film There Will Be Blood, many viewers either relate to the character and are absorbed or reject the character and become bored. This latest film from director Paul Thomas Anderson wisely hedges bets upon the performance of lead actor Daniel Day-Lewis to carry the film and if one is mesmerized by the acting of Day-Lewis, Blood offers a truly remarkable film experience.
Daniel Day-Lewis plays turn-of-the-century oil entrepreneur Daniel Plainview, an ambitious and incredibly competitive man seeking success in California. With his son H.W. Plainview (Dillon Freasier) on proud display, Daniel attempts to win the hearts and minds of the common people as he purchases land which contains rich oil deposits. Not long after Plainview’s early success, demure common man Sunday (Paul Dano) arrives to offer Daniel the location of lands where the oil literally pools on the surface. Daniel takes his son cautiously across California to find Sunday’s oil lands and begin large mining operations.
There Will Be Blood takes the time to establish both mood and character with equal measure and builds to some incredible moments littered throughout the film. Daniel Day-Lewis as Plainview turns in a performance that elevates the film to such a degree it’s almost impossible to separate the movie from the man. Daniel Plainview is truly a hideous human being but his struggles are so genuine and his portrayal by Day-Lewis is so enthralling we are swept up into the story and marvel at each scene. Director Paul Thomas Anderson never moves the focus away from Daniel and the whole film becomes pointedly self-centered just like the character. Sunday becomes involved more and more throughout the story but only in as much as he crosses paths with Plainview. The pull and push between these adversaries plays out over many years and the conflicts are filled with palpable tension. Visually and musically, Blood is both hypnotic and repulsive. Jonny Greenwood (of Radiohead fame) adds a unique musical score to the visuals of cinematographer Robert Elswit to make Blood majestic when the story rises and malignant when film grows dark, as it so often does. The brilliant meshing of performance, music and picture in such unison only amplifies the focus of the movie on Daniel Plainview and never allows the audience a chance to wander even during Blood’s lengthy 2 ½ hour running time.
The one major flaw in There Will Be Blood can certainly be summarized as the arrival of Daniel’s brother and the unlikely dialog that shortly follows. Daniel becomes introspective with his brother almost instantly and one can’t help but feel this sudden complicity with his brother is far too unbelievable for a man who thrives on hating others. Fortunately the subplot serves as more delicious development for the character of Plainview, the climax of which propels the audience toward the final act with Day-Lewis’s performance to appease our suspension of disbelief. Little else maligns this film and the occasional weakness in the script is easily forgiven as the movie charges toward a very satisfying close; milkshakes and all.
Rating: 4 out of 5. There Will Be Blood succeeds on almost every level as an involved story of a vicious oil man and his quest for success who we watch in spite of ourselves due to an amazing performance by Daniel Day-Lewis.
There will be milkshakes and we will drink them up!
On the plus side I'm seeing ATONEMENT thursday after school 
WOOHOOO!!!!!!!!