Blood Diamond

A winning combination of social drama and action/adventure. Bleak scenes of violence are insterspersed with gripping action, which is tempered by intimate dialogue – and this pattern is repeated over and over again, which unfortunately makes Blood Diamond seem drawn-out and repetitive in places. In the end, however, it is still a respectable example of first-rate Hollywood filmmaking, like almost everything else by Edward Zwick. And that is thanks to the beautiful visual aspect, the attractive setting, great actors and a lot of very powerful scenes, especially the last one. (01/21/2007)

Do not be fooled by the long exposition into an important and dangerous topic. What will follow is worth it. Edward Zwick proves that "The Last Samurai" was not just a coincidence. The harsh scenes of the ruthless R.U.F. group, Djimon Hounsou's breathtaking determination, and the uninterrupted tender love story symbolizing undying hope. Additionally, DiCaprio, as Danny Archer, is a properly angry Rambo, and the scene where he wades through muddy water in the camp amidst explosions and bullet salvos is an unexpected action thriller. Give "Blood Diamond" a chance, no matter what you think about the subject and genre. And it will hurt for Africa. (09/12/2007)

Yes, Blood Diamond can be criticized for a certain sentimentality, which stands out especially during the death of one of the characters, and overall a slightly Hollywood-tinted script, which caters to an American moralistic and positive view of the world. However, it is top-notch directorial craftsmanship with plenty of quality performances, a story set in a realistic environment, and a rarely functional combination of political themes that reveals a burning issue of the present, with a quality adventure story. If a tragicomic mishmash like Rambo has almost the same rating, while the difference in quality is like that between a grain of sand and the Sahara, then I have no choice but to give Blood Diamond five stars. If the adventure and action genre were always represented by such high-quality films as this one, then I would have no problem with it. The fight scenes, whether in the jungle or especially during the siege of the capital, are among the best I have seen in the relevant genre in recent months. Overall impression: 90%. (04/08/2010)

Visually refined viewing that is intended to provoke that proverbial chill down your spine. Unfortunately, just showing is no longer enough these days, so no chilled spine. It needs more. The trailers were much better at it (I would even place one of them in my golden trailer fund). Even so, Zwick did a perfect job. It’s been a long time since I saw such wonderfully filmed scenery (locations, landscapes). In terms of acting, hats off to the great Hounsou, the gorgeous Jennifer Connelly and especially to DiCaprio who very pleasantly surprised me. So that’s a solid 4 stars and if Edward Zwick intends to continue in this direction, I’ll make very sure I don’t miss his pictures. (07/03/2007)

Hotel Rwanda meets John Rambo :) Exactly one of those Hollywood films that fascinates me with their courage to combine so many clichés and hundreds of times-worn plot structures into an idea, exterior and narrative so vast, exotic and heavyweight. Zwick is a true visual craftsman and a master at building moving human stories, and his cinematic excursion into a dark background of cruelty and moral misery offers, formally speaking, exactly what we would expect from a first-rate overseas filmmaker: a lot of authentic battle scenes, lots of emotionally powerful moments, even more dramatic camera rides and shots of majestic scenery, and finally, plenty of supporting motifs and "wannabe smart" dialogues that already foreshadow something wicked inside the engrossing high-budget tinsel. The story is simple and more or less unrealistic, based on the heroic heroism and eternal happiness of the protagonists or on methodically repeated sequences of bloody action and quieter, ostentatiously humanistic or blandly romantic parts, which often unnecessarily stretch out the runtime and somehow seem contrasting and insignificant. It’s a shame that a project so masterfully written and acted, impressively reflecting the horror and physical hopelessness of its world, ends with a pathetic final applause and a simply depicted happy ending. But that doesn't change the fact that Blood Diamond is a really, really incredibly compelling, honest and unrelenting cinematic adventure, with a slightly more sophisticated one-of-a-kind script. 80% (04/17/2016)