Blood Diamond (DVD)

It is an excellent movie. Although it was not filmed in Sierra Leone, it captures the reality of the country to a remarkable degree. There is a great deal of violence in this movie, but that violence is organic, realistic, fitting to what happened there. They even manage to convey the fact that the people are as astonished by this violence as we are; Sierra Leone used to be one of the safest countries in the world. The movie tells the facts about conflict diamonds quickly and accurately. DiCaprio's performance is impressive, certainly the best by him I've ever seen: he is totally believable as a white African. Jennifer Connelly's role is much smaller but she makes the most of it. Djiman Housou has enormous physical presence as the brave Mende fisherman. This movie just gets so many things right that the few places it departs from reality are entirely forgivable. I would heartily recommend this movie to everyone; it is the best Hollywood movie I've seen in years.

I saw this film the first day it came out in England, and i must say that this was one fascinating film for the mind. The acting was absolutely excellent and the casting was just perfect.

This is an excellent film which is acted out very well by all the actors! This is a film about the diamond smuggling and the use of child soldiers in Africa, who shoot the innocent in different villages, which within this film you will see, portrayed very well by the actors but also make you think what on earth this world has come too as this is what is happening in real life!

I am not going to give anything away as you got to see this film as it is very good to watch! I gave it an excellent rating as its got action all the way through it with a strong well acted story line!

The climax of the movie is decidedly sweet-hearted without being saccharine. Unsentimental and not going the way that cynics might have incorrectly predicted, the closing scenes complete each main character's arc in a way fitting in with what has preceded them. Whether or not the circumstances are as realistic as the rest of the movie is another story, but the end result is worthwhile, seeing that the ultimate goals of the characters' are either achieved or not in a masterful way from a narrative standpoint. Does it overstep the boundaries? No, but one still cannot question the ambition or morality of every single scene, beginning to finish.

"Blood Diamond" is an expertly crafted motion picture that so far qualifies as one of the year's best releases. This movie is strong throughout, without viewing itself as some holy, immensely important picture. It sees the central issue as being of importance, not itself.

Definitely worth recommending.

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it's scary to know that the trade for diamonds did actually happen as in the film, Leonardo took a great part and the film actually had me watching it til the end. I would definately recommend it,

this film gives you a feel of what people and there lifes are puth through to get diamond smuggled around the world this film is not for the faint hearted but is so compelling you just cant help but watch unfortunatly the only down fall is leonardo di caprios south african accent lol happy watching folks

Review

Set against the backdrop of civil war and chaos in 1990's Sierra Leone, Blood Diamond is the story of Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) - an ex-mercenary - and Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) - a Mende fisherman. Both men are African, but their histories as different as any can be, until their fates become joined in a common quest to recover a rare pink diamond that can transform their lives. While in prison for smuggling, Archer learns that Solomon - who was taken from his family and forced to work in the diamond fields - has found and hidden the extraordinary rough stone. With the help of Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), an American journalist whose idealism is tempered by a deepening connection with Archer, the two men embark on a trek through rebel territory, a journey that could save Solomon's family and give Archer the second chance he thought he would never have.

Highly under-rated - This is in my top 5 films of the last two or three years, with another powerhouse performance from an actor that so many people dislike, You just have to look at his acting in films like The Departed, The Beach, The Basketball Diaries, Gangs of New York and Catch Me If You Can to realise how talanted DiCaprio actually is. An outstanding movie and it opens up a world that some would rather the general public never knows about. If you never gave a thought to where the diamond you just bought or "put on" came from before seeing this film, then I'm sure you will now x

In Ed Zwick's movie The Last Samurai, Tom Cruise singlehandedly sorted out feudal Japan. In his follow-up Blood Diamond Leonardo DiCaprio does much the same for Africa. Sporting what may well be a plausible Zimbabwean accent, the boy wonder plays a tough diamond smuggler drawn against his will into Djimon Hounsou's search for his son, who has been kidnapped by Sierra Leonean rebels. But what Leo really wants is the massive diamond that Hounsou has hidden in the jungle.

On their quest to find the elusive diamond and Hounsou's missing kid, our heroes encounter Jennifer Connelly, playing an implausibly gorgeous foreign correspondent with even less plausibly rigid principles. Naturally, she and Leo fall in lurve and she teaches him to be a better man.

If you can ignore Zwick's colonial bombast, Blood Diamond is quite a ride: a gripping tale of greed and exploitation set against a background that seems constantly on the verge of explosive violence. It's the sort of film that mainstream studio Hollywood does extremely well - handsome, an expensive production, classy acting, unobtrusive direction and a good story. Plus, it's a relief to find an Oscar-baiting prestige product like this that actually has a story to tell and a degree of thematic depth - nothing world-shattering, but an interesting examination of exploitation as a concept.

"A ROOTIN' TOOTIN' YARN"

Shame, then, that the African side of the story gets so little attention. While Leo and Jennifer have good crunchy characters to play with, the always brilliant Hounsou is stuck with an underwritten, saintly tribesman type. Director Zwick has a tendency to lecture the audience about the dirty business of "conflict diamonds", but his film is too simplistic to function as an effective political commentary. However, as a rootin-tootin boy's own adventure yarn it works just fine.

This film is set in war torn Sierra Leone in 1999.

Leonardo Di Caprio plays an Ex Mercenary turned smuggler and Dijmon Hounsou plays a Mende Fisherman, in the middle of the explosive civil war.

These 2 men join for 2 desperate missions : recovering a rare pink diamond of immense value and rescuing a fisherman's son, conscripted as a child soldier into the brutal rebel forces ripping a swath of torture and bloodshed across the alternately beautiful and ravaged countryside.

I found this film to be very moving from a human story perspective.

The film is 137 mins

This movie really brings a lot of issues with it that are otherwise left alone as they can be discomforting to address, particularly when they make the very base of a film's plot and that film is a major movie rather then some independent documentary which only a few people will ever see. The cast delivers throughout the movie and really worked well together why the script and direction kept it all going right through questions no one else wants to ask and does not stop until the reality of the answer hits home. Not enough good things can be said about this film, if you have not watched it yet do not hesitate any longer. 10/10.

I never got the chance to see it when it first came out but I promised myself to buy or rent it. Good thing I did I was not dissappointed. Great set and characters though it brings tears to your eyes. The story line and all the events are interesting I am glad I've seen it.

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The film starts in Africa with a average black family, but soon after a group of rebelion forces take control in their village stealing their children and men and raping the women.

The men were taken to work on a diamond farm to fund the rebelion and the children brought up as troops.

This epic film tells a fictional story of a diamond smugglers effort to recover a diamond worth alot and helping a man find his son.

Thanks for excellent DVD .........................and delivery......................................................................

This is a film I have wanted to see since it was released - having seen it now can only 100% recommend as one of the best....

An ex-mercenary turned smuggler (Leonardo DiCaprio). A Mende fisherman (Djimon Hounsoue). Amid the explosive civil war overtaking 1999 Sierra Leone, these men join for two desperate missions: recovering a rare pink diamond of immense value and rescuing the fisherman's son conscripted as a child soldier into the brutal rebel forces ripping a swathe of torture and bloodshed across the alternatively beautiful and ravaged countryside. Directed by Edward Zwick (Glory, The Last Samurai), this urgent, intensely moving adventure shapes gripping human stories and heart-pounding action into a modern epic of profound impact.

An excellent and intelligent Action Thriller that tells the tale of an ex-mercenary turned diamond smuggler in war torn Sierra Leone. As it says on the cover – A stonking good action movie breathtakingly well made. The film is fast paced without being frantic and holds the attention from start to finish. A great cast take their roles well and are believable in their characterisation. All in all a superb film and an excellent evenings entertainment.

An excellent thriller outlining the etiology and facts about the conflicts in some of the poorest countries, but rich in resources. And how the rogue elements in those countries are manipulated by the influential people in developed countries, to drain their wealth.

Based on true life this film you have got to watch, the acting is fantastic and you just felt for the innocent lives just torn apart, over what it always comes down to money. It opens your eyes to what goes on in this world, action all the way through this film. A must see movie ;)

great film i loved every minuite of it. it has a great storyline and this is like wacthing a documentry on it also as it has so much information on the diamond trade.

This is a good film to watch..It is based on a true story..I have seen it advertized on tv and i am glad that i have it on dvd now..

i would recomend buying blood diamond excelent film
loved every bit of it good quality sound and picture brilliant

This was a great film and kept me entertaind thouh out the whole time i was viewing it. great film and quality recording.

i have to be honest in all manners as im not a fan of dicaprio but i must say he gave an outstanding performance in this movie playing a diamond smuggler on the other hand you can see that he struggled badly with the south african accent overall this was a very good movie supported by the beautiful jennifer connelly playing a journalist out to expose the antics of a corrupt goverment and the rebel factions who oppose the goverment and their own people if you remember a film called once upon a time in america then you wont forget the young girl who played de niros girl friend deborah when they were young yes thats jennifer connelly back to the movie look out for the bad guy in this movie remember the mummy then look out for the guy who played the lead role overall its a movie worth watching a bit slow at first but the pace moves fast with the action pretty graphic stuff based on real events remember this movie next time you purchase a diamond ring thats why its called blood diamond

i decided to buy this dvd as iv never seen it before and like to watch new material, i found the film very interesed and it had me capturedd the whole way through it,,,,, i loved it