DVD Review: Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition)

By Patrick Luce Mar 26, 2007, 13:34 GMT

Set against the backdrop of civil war and chaos in 1990s Sierra Leone, Blood Diamond is the story of Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio), a South African 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 ...more

Blood Diamond is a film that lives up to the hype, and delivers on every level. The political action drama/thriller features yet another strong performance from Leonardo DiCaprio (who also proved his worth as an actor in The Departed). In addition to being an entertaining thriller, the film also sheds light on the violence being done in the name of the diamond trade – specifically the ‘conflict’ diamond trade which is mined using slave labor and sold to support civil war and terrorism.

The film was directed by Edward Zwick (who also helmed The Last Samurai), and was written by Charles Leavitt (screenplay and story) and C. Gaby Mitchell (story). In addition to DiCaprio, the film also features strong performances from Djimon Hounsou (Constantine and Eragon) and Jennifer Connelly (Little Children and House of Sand and Fog). The film manages to entertain, but also makes you think about what you are seeing on the screen. It is simply impossible to dismiss with one viewing.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays Danny Archer – a white African diamond smuggler with ties to the military. He is clearly a character who is only interested in himself and getting the diamonds that can get him rich. He doesn’t care where they come from or whose lives have been destroyed in the process of getting the diamonds to him.  Djimon Hounsou plays Solomon Vandy – a native fisherman and father. His world is his family – specifically his son who he hopes will grow up to be a doctor and make the world a better place. Jennifer Connelly plays Maddy – a journalist in search of a story that will really matter. In a lot of ways, her character is a hybrid of the two men. She wants to make a difference and help the country, but she also wants to get the big story (seen in scenes where she snaps photos of injured people on the side of the road with the rest of the journalist rather than helping them).

The three characters come together after Vandy is taken as a slave to work the diamond mines and his family is scattered. He discovers a large diamond and is thinking of smuggling it himself when the mine is attacked by government forces. This lands him in jail where Archer is currently spending time after being caught smuggling. When Archer hears of Vandy’s diamond, he arranges to get him out of jail and slowly interjects himself into Vandy’s quest to find his family – including a son that has been taken to be a child soldier of the guerrilla army. Archer and Vandy use Maddy’s ties with the press to get through the country and Maddy uses the two men to get her “big” story about the diamond smuggling trade.

While the three are on their quest for the diamond, Zwick and the filmmakers make sure the film’s horror stays in your face through the “child soldier” training of Vandy’s son and his transformation into a rebel killer of innocent men, women and other children. His training includes being drugged, forced to kill, and brainwashed into believing in the rebel cause. Blood Diamond’s scenes involving the child soldiers (such as the carnage after the rebels invade a city) are some heaviest moments of the movie.

Throughout the movie Hounsou keeps you locked on the emotion of the film through his quest to find his son. The actor provides the intensity needed for the movie’s plot to bring its political message to the screen. DiCaprio again shows he is a talented actor, but Hounsou is the emotional force behind the movie. The film’s ending is a bit long and politically heavy, but a nice way to wrap up the story.

Zwick and director of photography Eduardo Serra do an excellent job of putting the action scenes in your face and the horror of seeing children killing innocent people. The camera never flinches away from the violence of the film, and Blood Diamond has a look to it that matches the grit of the story.

The Two-Disc Special Edition comes loaded with special features that will take you into the making of the film, but also the story behind the movie. Disc one includes a commentary by Zwick – who talks about the film’s production, story, cast, location, and other standard elements.

Disc two includes the 50 minute “Blood on the Stone” – which is a documentary from journalist Sorious Samura (who also narrated it). The documentary is a further examination of the conflict diamond smuggling trade and features interviews with former soldiers, miners, and smugglers. It gives a nice “realistic” spin on the story you just watched in Blood Diamond.

There is also several standard featurettes on the making of the movie. They include the eight minute "Becoming Archer" - which highlights DiCaprio's transformation into the diamond smuggler; the five minute "Journalists on the Front Line" – which highlights Connelly’s performance in the film and the journalist that cover the story; and the 10 minute "Inside the Siege of Freetown" – a detailed look at how they recreated the actual battle. There is also a music video for the Nas' single “Shine On 'Em.”

Blood Diamond is an entertaining and thought-provoking film that should be watched. It features strong performances from its entire cast, and a griping story that is filled with emotional weight. I highly recommend taking the time to watch the film.

Blood Diamond is now available at Amazon. It is available for pre-order at AmazonUK for a May 21st release. Visit the DVD database for more information.