Movie Review: There Will Be Blood
Published January 07, 2008
There Will Be Blood stars Daniel Day-Lewis as Daniel Plainfield. Plainfield begins his career looking for silver, but finding oil. From the moment of this discovery through the final shot, the man is constantly seeking ways to make money, cheat people out of money, and eliminate the competition so he can get more money. Despite that single-minded goal, he is built of contradictions. There are moments of hate (plenty of them), moments of love, touches of faith at odds with his usual contempt for the conceit. Through all of his menacing moments, Daniel Day-Lewis shines. He is on camera for almost every scene, and there is no way that you can take your eyes off of him. His performance is riveting. Day-Lewis delivers a charismatic performance of a man who is carried by his charisma.
The other primary character is Eli Sunday, played by Paul Dano. Eli is another charismatic indivudual who is at odds with Plainview. It is clear that the two will never get along as they vie for control over the area where the wells are. Dano gives a performance that is elevated by Day-Lewis' presence. Paul Dano is a bright young actor, last seen in Little Miss Sunshine.
Now, as I alluded to earlier, There Will Be Blood is more than the script, story, or characters. There is a lot more to like than you would think. First, the cinematography from Robert Elswit; this film is absolutely gorgeous to watch unfold. There is always something to look at and it is beautifully shot. Combine the looks with Jonny Greenwood's (member of the band Radiohead) score. It is beautifully haunting; it has a very personal and sorrowful feel that feeds the epic look of the film. I know that sounds weird, but this score is perfect for the film and stands as one of the finest works of the past year.
Bottom line. In conclusion, this is a masterful film that has plenty to offer and will take multiple viewings to uncover all of its facets. It may not have grabbed me emotionally, but there is more to a story than emotional involvement. This is definitely a film that needs to be experienced.
Highly Recommended.
Christopher Beaumont spends much of his time writing about entertainment when he isn't sitting in a movie theater. He is known around the office as the "Movie Guy" and is always ready to talk about his favorite form of entertainment and offer up recommendations. Interests include science fiction, horror, and metal music. His writings can be found at Draven99's Musings and Draven99's Media Center. 
- Movie Review: There Will Be Blood
- Published: January 07, 2008
- Type: Review
- Section: Video
- Filed Under: Video: Drama
- Writer: Chris Beaumont
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Comments on this articleComments
i use a 5 star scale, but rarely give out 5's. do have not come across many i would deem to be completely perfect. There have been a couple over the past few years. United 93 and Passion of the Christ. i did not award any 5's this year.
No, it did not take away the top spot. i am working on getting the top ten together, finally. Cutrrently it is at number 4.
i will definitely put Magnolia in the queue.
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Chris,
Do you operate on a four-star scale? I've noticed your image depicts a five-star scale, yet I've never seen you give more than four.
Also, is Sweeney Todd still your #1 pick of 2007, or has There Will Be Blood stolen the status?
Okay, no more questions, but I do have a recommendation: place Magnolia on your films to see list. It's a motion-picture that is hard to not appreciate.