No doubt one of the greatest movies ever made. It has pretty much everything you could want from a movie (of the action thriller genre). The acting is top notch, notably from the fantastic duo of DiCaprio and Hounsou, DiCaprio already being one of my favourite actors of all time is incredible as always, but I gotta say Hounsou really steals the show with this one. His portrayal of Solomon Vandy is moving to say the least, having seen the movie several times, his performance never fails to bring me to tears. And let's not overlook the acting of Jennifer Connelly who also did a fantastic job and the great chemistry created between her and DiCaprio, and even Kuyper's depiction of Dia is wonderful. So great acting all across the board.The movie flows beautifully, it never feels like it drags, and although it feature a lot of dialogue it's never difficult to follow what's going on. It's the perfect balance of action and narrative, a very deep story which at no point feels convoluted, and the icing on the cake is that the story is meaningful, that is, it morally tells a very important story which sends a strong message. Zwick's directing is captivating, and it's no wonder that he's also the director of The Last Samurai (also a fantastic movie), which makes me feel like I should explore some more of his work. In an era where cinema is arguably a dying art, it's a rare case for a film of this caliber to be released, and still over 10 years later it remains one of my top films of all time.

Normally, I wait awhile to review movies unless I see them in theaters, but I feel compelled to review this movie sooner. It had an immediate and profound impact on me in a way that few movies have. The story here is not special in a cosmetic sense, and doesn't do anything fancy in any production areas. But it hits the viewer on so many levels with brute force. There's a ton of emotion that makes you really care for the characters and want to help the characters. It shows a real international issue from all sides and puts it in context of how it impacts one family. Solomon's struggle to get back to his family was tangible at every step along the way in his triumphs and his failures. We see his dedication to raising a safe and successful family right away, which I think is great because it legitimizes the way he is always in contrast to the violence around him. It's wonderful that he gets so much attention because him trying to make a better life for his family is what seems to be the best way to combat the corruption and violence that is tearing the country apart. Danny is the contrast to Solomon, but he's also someone we can root for in a way. His goals are not as pure as Solomon's but they are pressing enough that I found it believable that he would use Solomon the way that he does. The ending with him helping Solomon and his son escape and calling Maddy as he bleeds out is a beautiful moment. Maddy was also an unexpectedly good character. I couldn't tell at fist if she was going to be a big character or just appear for the one bar scene. I really liked the scene where she and Danny talk about how difficult it is for the diamond issue to be solved.The social issue of the diamond trade seeps its way into every scene, even the romantic tension between Danny and Maddy, and the surprise ambushes from the revolutionaries. Even when the focus is on the characters, it's always in the context of the diamond issue. This was what really struck me about the movie. As soon as it finished I immediately felt obligated to start researching the products that I buy and find out how it gets made. Maddy has a line at one point, "People back home wouldn't buy a ring if they knew it cost someone else their hand." Well, this movie made me want to find out how many hands I've chopped off without knowing it and make sure I don't cut off any more. I'm thinking that I'll boycott companies by telling them that I won't buy their products unless I can be assured that nobody's getting screwed over in the process. It might not do much, but if enough people boycott, it might. I'm only mentioning this to show just how powerful of an impact this movie had on me and why you should watch it before it goes off Netflix. Blood Diamond's message to us as consumers is: "Let the buyer beware."If you liked Babel, you will love Blood Diamond. It's not really an action movie even though there's a lot of fighting in it, but it will definitely keep your attention and make you feel something. The scene where Solomon is reunited with his son Dia Vendy nearly made me cry and had me on edge the whole time. It's very character driven, but also shows all sides of the issue. I just cant say it enough: watch this movie. It's your obligation as a citizen of the world. Overall Rating: 8.7/10.

Positives: It's not a bad story, or maybe tis better to say it's not a bad idea for a story. Slaves forced to mine diamonds which are smuggled out of the country to be sold by a second country. Money comes back to the very people in the first country who are keeping the slaves in bondage. Of course everyone gets a cut except for the slaves. The plot as opposed to the story is also good. Well photographed and the music did not get in the way. Bads: Oh, gosh, its Leo again trying to sound like he's not an American. I think his best role was in Catch Me where he played a character who I imagine was most like himself. An American. He cannot maintain any sort of foreign accent. Why do they let him try? I laughed at some of his pronunciations. Jennifer C. I am all in favor of putting her in every movie so I can look at her. I had no idea her nose was that long. I'm surprised she lets herself be filmed in profile, but the fact she does indicates she is not all that stuck up on herself, so that's good. Alas, she cannot act a lick in any language, including English. Action scenes. I'd like to know how many gunshots there were in this movie and until the end Leo avoided them all. "Follow me" must be the most frequently heard phrase in this flick. Length. Waaaay to long. I'd say a good 30 minutes could be cut w/o anyone noticing.

There are few movies that I can cry every time I watch them. This is one of those movies. The performances of all the characters pull at the true balance of mankind. Good versus evil, right and wrong... The price of war is costly, no matter what country. The performances of the actors is of course award winning. My favorite line, "I'm looking at an incredible view right now." The emotional roller-coaster is a wonderful story.