Blood Diamond

Go see this movie. If you have an ounce of sympathy, adrenaline or cultural awareness anywhere in your body you will enjoy and appreciate "Blood Diamond." *WARNING* - this is a violent and vivid film with a true-to-its-core "R" rating and is not intended or suggested for young audiences.

Leonardo DiCaprio (as Danny Archer) has done it again. He seems to be able to land fantastically epic roles representing fictional characters wrapped up in true, historic events. There are many resemblances to "Titanic" here but I will leave them for you to discover.

I used to think of Leonardo (Titanic, The Aviator, Catch Me If You Can) as a young actor with uncertain talent and a lack of grit; in "Blood Diamond" however, there is no question my previous scrutiny has been washed aside. In this movie alone he brings to life multiple characters with ease, conviction and grace while never losing his impeccable screen presence. I also love his hair.

Both supporting actors: Djimon Hounsou (Solomon Vandy) and Jennifer Connolly (Maddy Bowen), gave exactly what was necessary for this film to toy your conscience and beliefs. Hounsou (Laura Croft: Tomb Raider, Eragon) had the toughest role of the movie and definitely took the bull by the horns to bring a memorable character to life. I look forward to seeing him in future films with even bigger roles. As for Jennifer Conolly (Labrinth), it has been a while since I've seen her in any major film and I can say with my own conviction that I am glad she landed this one. She is an excellent actress and was a great counter-part to Leonardo in the movie. She has plenty of talent, excellent screen presence and fit the reporter-adventurer role perfectly.

As for the cinematography and directing, I just can't begin to say enough. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire movie. Producer/Director Edward Zwick (The Last Samurai, I Am Sam, Traffic) did a fantastic job of bringing you close to the characters, while never letting you forget the gravity of the entire situation. There was no of my dreaded "sensory-overload" and enough unexpected twists to keep anyone interested for the two and a half hour run time.

The story itself is very heavy and represents a significant truth. There is no dramatic love scene to mar the message and pace while it does have a few sentimental moments for general audience satisfaction. "Blood Diamond" is meant to be taken seriously and undoubtedly can be done so.

In my very humble opinion, this is a must see movie for those over the age of 17 and who give a damn. The movie as a whole was excellent and for that I give "Blood Diamond" 4.5 "Mitch Heads." If it weren't for a couple slightly cheesy and cliche moments it might get a full 5.

- Mitch G