Based on the book 'Oil' by Upton
Sinclair 'There Will be Blood' tells the story of a man building a large empire from Oil
mining. It is a film that mesmerises and
perplexes in equal quantity.
On paper this is a simple affair but
the tale unfolds into the story of a man blacker than any oil the
earth has. Along the way we delve into family, greed, money, and
eventually sheer madness.
The main element which holds the film
together is the over-whelming performance from Daniel-Day Lewis. The
British actor has transformed his entire psyche and is almost
unrecognisable. He has altered the way he walks, talks, and even
looks. One of the films two Oscars was awarded to Lewis. He plays the
films protagonist, Daniel Plainview - an oil prospector with an
insatiable thirst for all things oil.
Paul Dano is young but does his best to
keep up with Lewis' on screen persona. He leaves the picture with
heaps of credibility and as the preacher of the oil-soaked lands
exudes a confidence and certain eloquence. The physical dominance of
Lewis over Dano makes for an interesting battle and the warfare
becomes one of the mind as well.
The score is sparse but deeply
effective when it rears its head. The varied use of percussion and
psychotic strings are used to distort us further into Plainview's
land.
Paul Anderson has a unique eye that has
the ability to create a wide and absorbing landscape. The director
can also build a story around a relatively small script. This again
is credit to the actors.
Anderson is also a director who releases
work sporadically and does not attempt to juggle multiple projects.
This certainly enables him to focus on one film and certainly focuses him
to create masterpieces.
The turn of the 20th century
is perfectly crafted and recreated with effective costume and set
designs. The barrenness of the small towns are made clear and the
effect of industry and subsequent growth is also replicated.
The significance of the oil industry is
still present today and plays a no less dominant role in the building
of fortunes and empires. With Middle East disputes still ticking away
today the story is still a relevant and detailed depiction of the
greed and near insanity created from the devils blood.
The film is lengthy and borders into
difficult and warped territory. This is not viewing for all and many
people will be left feeling perplexed and slightly drained from the
experience.
Critics loved the film and so did many
other people who watched it. Anderson does not create larger than
life box-office sell-outs and films like this can sometimes make a
loss. They do however stand the test of time and show the
possibilities of great cinema.