Directed by Edward Zwick

Guns, close-range shootings, extreme violence, and completely gut-wrenching tragedies — all coupled with Leonardo DiCaprio‘s Rhodesian South African accent, brih.

Blood Diamond requires some time to get adjusted to, but once you’re in, you’re in. Oscar nominated for the part, DiCaprio stars as a gunrunner during the Sierra Leone Civil War who is forced to partner with fisherman Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou in another Oscar-nominated role) on a quest to find and sell a gigantic pink diamond. Along the way, they meet journalist Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), an American covering the war.

The plot

Blood Diamond had a well-vocalized goal to build awareness of an extremely serious issue (one that is still relevant a decade-plus after the movie’s release), and it’s successful in that regard. Edward Zwick is not afraid to showcase the brutalities of war, which, in many moments of this film, are horrifyingly impossible to watch.

In some ways, the story is a bit formulaic (bad guy meets girl and turns good) but it keeps you engaged thanks to some really incredible performances and quick pacing.

Despite a dramatic plot, there are a lot of realities from a production standpoint. The movie was filmed in the places it represents — Mozambique, Cape Town, Port Edward, and London — and the original story writer, Charles Leavitt, did tons of research on the diamond industry while drafting because he knew there was a possibility major players (like De Beers) might get upset and sue. He wanted to make sure every subtle accusation was so rooted in truth that they wouldn’t have a case. More on that in this LA Times piece from 2006.

Final thoughts

Almost every review from the original release period mentioned that the movie might “save a viewer three month’s salary,” but Blood Diamond did not have any legitimate affect on diamond sales. This is a generally good movie with some really incredible acting performances that outshine faults in storytelling.

This movie is good.

My rating: 3.5/5