Film Talk: Looking Back – Powerful political punch with Blood Diamond
Politically-charged conflict dramas can often fall short of making their intended point and evoking the thought and emotion that is hoped for. This one, on the other hand, achieves these goals in a masterful fashion.
Directed and co-produced by Edward Zwick, 2006's Blood Diamond is a stand-out noughties offering that set the bar for political action thrillers in that decade.
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, and Djimon Hounsou, the film's title refers to conflict diamonds – stones mined in war zones that are then sold to finance conflicts and bring profit to warlords.
Set against the backdrop of the Sierra Leone Civil War, Blood Diamond follows the intertwining stories of white smuggler Danny Archer (DiCaprio) and Mende fisherman Solomon Vandy (Hounsou) as they work together to recover a particular diamond and save Vandy's son from exploitation.
Hard-hitting and more than a small dose of cold water, the film does not shy away from presenting the atrocities of the war in which it is set – including the rebels' amputation of civilians' hands and the conscription of child soldiers.
With such a fresh conflict at the heart of its plot (the Sierra Leone Civil War only ended in 2002), the spotlight was on Blood Diamond and anticipation for its release was high. Would invincible leading man DiCaprio once again knock it out of the park? The critics sharpened their pencils...
1999, Sierra Leone. Fisherman Solomon Vandy fantasises about his young son's bright future as a doctor, but his vision is shattered when rebels invade his village.
Kidnapped and forced to work in the diamond mines, Solomon soon discovers an enormous pink diamond, the value of which would be stratospheric. However, while hiding it, Solomon and his rebel minders are attacked and arrested by government troops.
In jail with Solomon, Rhodesian ex-mercenary Archer hears about his discovery and arranges for the fisherman's release so that they can both retrieve the stone. Archer sees the diamond as his way out of Africa for good, while Vandy is drawn to Archer's promise to help him find his family.
When Vandy is reunited with his wife and daughters in a refugee camp, he learns that his son has been taken by the rebels and brainwashed to become a child soldier. Meanwhile, Archer strikes a deal with American journalist Maddy Bowen (Connelly) to help her expose the diamond trade if she will assist him and Vandy in getting closer to the hidden stone and Vandy's son. But will they make it in time to save the young boy from a lifetime of inhuman manipulation?
Grossing $171 million worldwide, Blood Diamond was applauded by critics who directed particular praise toward the performances of DiCaprio and Hounsou. The flick garnered five Oscar nominations including Best Actor for DiCaprio and Best Supporting Actor for Hounsou, and a Golden Globe nomination also came DiCaprio's way.
2006, in my opinion, represented one of the finest years in DiCaprio's career, with sensational mob drama The Departed also hitting cinemas and, along with Blood Diamond, cementing his status as the most bankable leading man on the planet.
Blood Diamond is certainly not one for the faint of heart, but if you are looking for a compelling action thriller that bravely makes a multitude of political points, Zwick's triumphant picture will not disappoint. A true diamond in both name and nature.
