Blood Diamond

Was expecting a run-of-the-mill action flick from this. Quite surprised as to the depth of the film.

I don't know why I was expecting it to be some pointless action film, but it certainly wasn't. I really wasn't expecting a film the highlighted issues as grim as the diamond slavers and child soldiers that were portrayed in this. It was also quite refreshing to have some real, three-dimensional characters. Leo DiCaprio's protagonist was hardly a hero and ultimately, just an ordinary, selfish guy who made some choices and ended up doing some good things. Not what you generally get from Hollywood.

An underappreciated film, I think.
 
I thought it was brilliant too, so I bought the DVD. I thought Leo's accent was excellent, not that I'm any sort of expert you understand.
 
Yes, I'm not sure why it didn't get a better reception on its release. By tackling a serious issue in an action film context it possibly alienated the audience for serious films and the one for action films. It's well-made, thought-provoking and gripping and, indeed, underappreciated.
 
I rewatched this a couple of days ago and it's such a powerful film.

I really urge everyone who hasn't seen it to check it out, especially with the issue of blood diamonRAB being raised in the media at the moment. This movie highlights really well what it's all about. It's shameful that DiCaprio didn't win an Oscar for his role here.
 
I think this is the reason why it failed to find an audience. With action films you are there to enjoy the spectacle, the last minute escapes, the chases and explosions but it is difficult to enjoy a film which also shows such human rights abuses.

While watching it I remember thinking it was well-made and engrossing but the two sides were uneasy bedfellows, so to speak.
 
Completely agree with this, which is why I didn't bother watching it in the cinema :mad: My flatmate rented it and I loved it so much I went straight out and bought the DVD and have watched it loaRAB of times still. I could still kick myself for having missed it at the cinema :cry: :(
 
Leo Di Caprio is probably one of the most under-rated actors around at the moment (in terms of people thinking of him as a pretty face and not noticing how much talent the guy has), and Blood Diamond was one of those fantastic movies that just seemed to slip completely under the radar. I think the fact that its setting was something that US audiences 1. don't know about and 2. don't care about meant that it was never going to perform particularly well at the box office.
 
In between films he keeps a very low profile in the media and unfortunately today a lot of people equate fame with talent. I think he'll be one of those actors who quietly gets on with the job and flies under the radar and will have a very long and successful career, gradually building up respect as he goes. A lot of actors are in your face 24/7 and they have a succesful 10 or 15 years and then the public grow bored with them.

He kinda reminRAB me of Cillian Murphy, in that he plays very different roles and plays them really well but because he doesn't keep a high media profile, he's not at the top of the general public's mind when they think of talented actors.
 
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