BLOOD DIAMOND
Sierra Leone, 1990s. Archer, a white South African who survives the civil war by smuggling diamonds, learns that the fisherman Solomon has discovered a rare pink diamond. In order to get his hands on it, he teams up with Solomon and an idealistic American journalist to help him find his captive family.
A 2006 adventure film that was nominated for six Oscars, and deservedly so in my view. It never received the hype it should have, and to me it’s a very solid film.
It takes a slightly didactic approach to depicting exploitation, something that may spark reactions. We see the portrayal of the hardened rebels and the scale of the tragedy plaguing so-called developing countries that possess rich natural resources.
Blood Diamond is a well-crafted thriller with notable performances, especially from Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou. Jennifer Connelly is good as well, just not on the same level as the two mentioned above.
It has a well-written script that makes the viewer reflect, with a fairly realistic perspective at times even shocking, particularly the scenes with the children who spread death, though it doesn’t avoid its activist undertones. In my opinion it could have gone even deeper, and it does carry several genre clichés, though they didn’t bother me given the strength of its subject matter.
The story is gripping and tense until the very end, and if you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it.
CAPE FEAR
A psychopathic rapist threatens the family of his former lawyer, whom he blames for his imprisonment.
1991, directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro, Jessica Lange and Nick Nolte in this psychological thriller, a remake of a black and white film by J. Lee Thompson. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor (Robert De Niro) and Best Supporting Actress (Juliette Lewis).
An interesting dramatic thriller, though not a quintessential Scorsese. Its final half hour is visually striking and drives the story forward, yet it leans more toward a commercial tone compared to what Scorsese usually delivers, at times drifting into excess. It portrays a flawed man and a dysfunctional family, unfolding as a sadistic cat-and-mouse game leading up to the film’s final act.
The performances in Cape Fear are outstanding, with well-crafted characters. De Niro is once again exceptional in the role of the villain, while eighteen-year-old Juliette Lewis steals the show. The film features strong editing and an atmospheric score.