Blood Diamond was Directed by Edward Zwick. Charles Leavitt wrote the story and the screenplay. It takes about 1 hour and 45 mins. to see it.
James Newton Howard was the Composer. Released on December 8, 2006 by Warner Brothers. The Rating is R
The Stars:
Leo DiCaprio plays Danny Archer who is a South African mercenary.
Djimon Hounsou plays Solomon Vandy who is a South African Mende fisherman.
Jennifer Connelly plays Maddy Bowen who is an American journalist.
The Plot:
The movie is about Sierra Leone in the 1990’s when there was a civil war happening.
Danny Archer and Solomon Vandy have very different backgrounds. Danny Archer is in prison, (charged with smuggling), when he hears that Solomon, (who was taken from his family and forced to work in the diamond mines), has found an special rough stone.
This stone is so extraordinary that everyone is trying to get it.
When Danny gets out of jail he meets Maddy Bowen and he tells her the story about Danny and the diamond.
She questions him, like a reporter should. He answers, In America, it’s bling bling. But out here it’s bling bang".
Solomon finds out the diamond is pink and he will be killed if they owners of the mine find out that he has kept it.
He also knows the diamond could not only provide the means to save his wife and daughters from a life as refugees but also help rescue his son, Dia, from an even worse fate as a child soldier.
In the end a farmer, a smuggler and a group of businessmen try to get possessions of the priceless diamond.
Four families from Mexico, Japan, South Africa and the United States are all connected to one another in this film.
I’ll never forget the son yelling, " Daaaaaaaaad"!
The Music:
Blood Diamond Titles, Crossing the Bridge, Village Attack, Ruf Kidnaps Dia, Archer & Solomon Hike, Maddy & Archer, Solomon Finds Family, Fall of Freetown, Did You Bury It?, Archer Sells Diamond, Goodbyes, Your Son Is Gone, Diamond Mine Bombed, Solomon’s Helping Hand, Shine on ’Em, G8 Conference, Solomon & Archer Escape, I Can Carry You, Your Mother Loves You, Thought I’d Never Call? and London
My Thoughts:
I couldn’t believe that Leonardo DiCaprio could learn to speak like the Boars of South Africa. He was fabulous.
The music was fabulous. I liked "Shine on ’Em" the best.
I was wondering what it take to turn someone into a killer? I guess the answer is different for everyone. It was for every character in this movie. For some it is survival. For others it is the hope of escape from a life of hell. For some it is family. For others it is greed. Since I have been doing Pilates I know if anyone hurt my family I would kill them with my cane.
After seeing this movie I looked at my diamonds and I am sure that all of them are "blood diamonds"! It makes me sick to think about it . I have given away most of my jewelry to my children and what I have left I have to donate to a fund to save Africans.
To make sure you don’t buy a "blood diamond" ask your Jewelry Shop to get one from Buffalo Hills, north of Edmonton, Alberta.
Every one should see this film in order to understand the terrible conditions in Africa.
Thank you so much for reading my review.
©LL2007