Synopsis

Solomon Vandy, who has been taken from his family and forced to work in the diamond fields, finds an extraordinary gem and hides it at great risk, knowing if he is discovered, he will be killed instantly. But 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. Danny Archer, who has made his living trading diamonds for arms, learns of Solomon’s hidden stone while in prison for smuggling. He knows a diamond like this is a once in a lifetime find, valuable enough to be his ticket out of Africa and away from the cycle of violence and corruption in which he has been a willing player. Enter Maddy Bowen, an American journalist who is in Sierra Leone to uncover the truth behind conflict diamonds, exposing the complicity of diamond industry leaders who have chosen profits over principles. Maddy seeks out Archer as a source for her article, but soon finds it is he who needs her even more. With Maddy’s help, Archer and Solomon embark on a dangerous trek through rebel territory to find and recover the 'Blood Diamond'. But Solomon Vandy seeks something far more precious than a stone. His son! The odds of succeeding are not good.

What The Critics Say

"Performances filled with conviction and dignity from all three principal actors, powerful action, and a strong structure that ties together all of the strands of the story and all of the reaches of the diamond industry, from the child soldiers to the glossy magazine ads make this a stirring and powerful story." Nell Minow MOVIE MOM "There hasn't been a more entertaining and satisfying drama released to theaters in months. Dustin Putman THE MOVIE BOY "The movie is fueled by DiCaprio's intensity and believability." William Arnold SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER "One of the best films of 2006 -- opens our eyes to the bloody brutality of civil war, corporate malfeasance, and the training of child soldiers." Frederic and Mary Ann SPIRITUALITY AND PRACTICE "Ed Zwick's masterful drama features Oscar-caliber performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou. I'm betting DiCaprio earns his third Academy Award nomination for the film and takes home the Oscar. I'm hoping the same for Djimon Hounsou, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for In America in 2004 and is equally impressive in Blood Diamond." Diana Saenger REVIEWEXPRESS

"Edward Zwick directs "Blood Diamond" with fast-paced kinetic energy and draws first-rate performances from his cast." Jack Garner ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE "It's exciting and adventurous. Leonardo DiCaprio's forceful maturity is a revelation." Susan Granger SUSANGRANGER.COM "Whether or not viewers heed the moral of Zwick's film, they should be wowed by his adventure story." Forrest Hartman RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL "It succeeds well at what it sets out to do: wrapping a worthy message in a compelling story." Moira MacDonald MIAMI HERALD "Blood Diamond is never dull." Rex Reed NEW YORK OBSERVER "Blood Diamond is, in the vernacular of Old Hollywood, a rip-roaring adventure, the kind made in the '30s with Clark Gable and the handiest leading lady on contract at MGM. Gem-dandy tale of greed." Jack Mathews NEW YORK DAILY NEWS "Like Syriana and Traffic, this is the story of deeply entrenched corruption on a global scale, corruption that permeates all levels of society and sustains governments, corporations, and wars. A stirring and powerful story." Nell Minow MOVIE MOM

The Inside Story "Great acting and the gorgeous African scenery combine to form what is easily one of the best films of the year." Sean McBride. "In a film climate stuffed with empty-headed blockbusters and heartfelt, critically adored independent tales, "Blood Diamond" attempts something truly ambitious; a mainstream, big-budget, star-driven film with a conscience. It succeeds admirably." Jim Schembri. "DiCaprio and Hounsou both put in blistering performances; the former is absolutely one of the finest actors of his generation. "Blood Diamond" sheds light on the terror and suffering undergone by humans in a part of the world that gets a woefully small amount of Western attention. For that, it deserves to be seen," Samuel Downing. "Blood Diamond is a rough-cut tale of greed and redemption set against a spectacular natural backdrop and given traction by a violent political upheaval. An action adventure with a conscience, confidently directed by Edward Zwick." Vicky Roach. "Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a superb characterisation.. Hounsou is formidable.. Connelly is all piercing blue eyes and determined decency.. These performances, the film's riveting production design, its music and its evident good intentions help us overlook its flaws and raise our consciousness, while keeping us glued to our seats." Andrew L Urban. "Everyone uses everyone in "Blood Diamond", a blistering political thriller that scratches furiously in Africa's red soil to reveal what is priceless. There are thrills, double crosses and plenty of opportunities to be enveloped in the lush, dense and harsh African landscape." Louise Keller. For adult cinemagoers, there is much to like and precious little to dislike in Academy Award winning director Ed Zwick's latest big screen adventure, "Blood Diamond". Leonardo DiCaprio continues his good form, following on from "The Departed" with another powerful performance, this time as ex-mercenary and now diamond smuggler, Danny Archer. His performances as Danny Archer ("Blood Diamond") and, Billy Costigan ("The Departed") have received nominations for this years Golden Globe Awards. When it comes to taking in the real message in "Blood Diamond", I think audiences are far more astute than many film critics give them credit for. There's little doubt that except for humanitarian programmes and those that focus on fundraising, it seems when it comes to Africa, the world at large, tends to turn its back on this rich and colorful continent. Who can blame them many would argue, Africa has learnt its lesson of greed from the white man. One despot falls and another rises up. Civil wars, poverty, starvation, sickening genocidal brutality have become a way of life. To tell this powerful African story, set against the backdrop of the chaos and civil war that enveloped 1990's Sierra Leone, required a bold director and there's none bolder than Edward Zwick. "To me, this movie is about what is valuable," says director/producer Edward Zwick. "To one person, it might be a stone; to someone else, a story in a magazine; to another, it is a child. The juxtaposition of one man obsessed with finding a valuable diamond with another man risking his life to find his son is the beating heart of this film." Also at the heart of "Blood Diamond" is the tale of how the conflict diamonds make their way to the free world. Where does the description 'conflict' diamonds come from? Zwick explained that, "Conflict diamonds are stones that have been smuggled out of countries at war. They then go to pay for more arms, increasing the death toll and furthering the destruction of the region. They may be a small percentage of the world's sales, but, nonetheless, in an industry worth billions of dollars, even a small percentage is worth many millions and can buy innumerable small arms. In the late 1990s, people from such NGOs as Global Witness, Partnership Africa-Canada and Amnesty International gave them a name in order to help bring the crisis into the public consciousness: They called them ‘blood diamonds." Zwick admits that, like many of us, he only had a passing knowlege on the subject. Until Paula Weinstein first sent him the script. "I had heard the phrase, but I didn’t fully understand its implications," Zwick offered. "The more I learned, the more fascinated and horrified I became, and the more I realized this was a story that needed to be told." For EMMY Award winner Weinstein, the story of conflict diamonds wasn't new. The producer recalls, "recalls, "I had made an anti-apartheid movie called "A Dry White Season" many years ago and spent some time in South Africa. I knew about conflict diamonds, so the idea of making a film that showed their effect on the people of Africa was very significant to me." When it came to bring Zwick and his partner, Marshall Herskovitz on-board, Weinstein never hesitated. "I knew they would not only embrace the material but be fearless in telling the whole story. A project like this needed someone with a creative backbone in order to get it made, and made right." Herskovitz, who has worked with Zwick for thirty years recalls that "the subject matter of "Blood Diamond" posed a challenge to the filmmakers in balancing images that have the potential to, at once, confront and entertain an audience but adds that there is ample precedence for walking that tightrope." Multi talented actor Leonardo DiCaprio admits it was Zwick's take on the film that attracted him to the project. "What really impressed me about Ed," DiCaprio notes, "was that he wanted to make an entertaining adventure film, but mixed in were some complex, highly charged political statements. That's what really got me excited about this film." Producer Gillian Gorfil (a native of South Africa) stressed that "while shedding light on the issue of blood diamonds, this movie is not intended to cast a shadow over the entire diamond industry. It is important to me that this film is not anti-diamond. The issue is blood diamonds, which have very specific origins." But blood diamonds are not the only focus of the film. At it's heart is also the tale of one man trying to recliam his son. To remind himself of what was most important about the filming, Zwick says "there was a phrase I wrote on the outside cover of my script. It was the first thing I saw at the beginning of every shooting day." It was a simple phrase: "The child is the jewel." As fate would have it, Zwick was about to be delivered an ace. "A godsend", as Zwick would later say. That godsend was Sorious Samura, whose documentary about Sierra Leone is the single most authoritative record of what happened there during the civil war. "Sorious was a godsend. He made himself available to me, and I took full advantage of that," Zwick says appreciatively. "You cannot put a value on having someone who was actually there. He became much more than a technical advisor. He didn’t just advise us on practical things like wardrobe and props. He led us to people who understood the Mende language, Krio dialect, and so many nuances of Sierra Leonean culture. He had spent time with child soldiers, smugglers and mercenaries. He was indispensable to the actors, especially Leo and Djimon. He was a friend, a consultant, an authority. He was the soul of the production." How did the two meet. Samura is famous for his documentary work which includes the award winning "Cry Freetown"(2000) and "Exodus from Africa" (2001). Zwick ordered a copy of "Cry Freetown", paid by for it with his credit card and a week later received a letter from Samura who recognized the name. "When I learned that Ed Zwick was working on a feature film about Sierra Leone, I wanted to make sure he got the details right," Samura recalls. "Even though it was going to be a drama with fictional characters, it was important to convey a sense of what really went wrong: when it happened, how it happened, and why. When I talked to Ed, I could see he was as committed to getting it right as I was. I gained great respect for him, and told him I wanted to be a part of the film." Two actors and one actress play big parts in "Blood Diamond". The first is lead actor Leonardo DiCaprio. "To see Leonardo DiCaprio take on that challenge was thrilling for me," says Zwick. "Leo was ferocious in his commitment to his role," Zwick states. "He has this uncanny ability to completely inhabit the character, a willingness to go all the way. He hung out with ex-mercenaries, NGO workers and former soldiers and spent hours just listening to people talk. He finally reached a point where he could improvise even in the dialect. But what emanated from him was not just the language; it was the essence of Danny Archer." "To me, Leo is one of the finest actors of our time," Paula Weinstein declares, "not just in the way he speaks his lines but in what he is able to express without a single word. An emotion can simply cross his face and you know what he is feeling." One thing which stands out is DiCaprio's distinct South African accent. "Leo took on the challenge of speaking in an authentic southern African accent, which is extremely difficult to master," notes Gillian Gorfil. "I think what he achieved was astounding. There were times when, if I closed my eyes, I would have mistaken him for one of the members of the local crew." Playing opposite DiCaprio is a rising star. Djimon Hounsou (pronounced Jie-mon Hahn-soo). "There were so many aspects of the film that appealed to me," Hounsou said. "Certainly, as an African myself, I appreciated that the story is viewed through Solomon’s eyes." "I could tell Djimon was very moved by his experiences making this film," Gorfil recalls. "He is a child of Africa, so he could relate to Solomon and his circumstances in a very personal way." "Djimon’s performance was just wonderful. The fact that he is from that continent, that it is in his blood and in his bones, contributed so much to the role. There is just no substitute for that," asserts Zwick. Academy Award winning actress Jennifer Connelly rounds out the lead cast members list. "What I love about the character of Maddy is that she is cynical and idealistic at the same time," Herskovitz remarks. "Jenny is someone who exudes extraordinary intelligence and empathy, and that is not as easy to convey as you might think. She also did her homework," states Zwick. "She met with women journalists, watching them and assessing some of their habits and attitudes. It really informed her performance." As Amnesty International USA's (AIUSA) Ambassador for Human Rights Education the role is perfect for Connelly who served as an AIUSA spokesperson for the United Nations screening of "Innocent Voices," a film about child soldiers in El Salvador. On her roel of a reporter and real life experiences other reporters conveyed to her, Connelly notes: "A lot of the reporters I spoke to told me how hard it is to control the urge to intervene, to do something to effect a more immediate change. It is difficult to be in that kind of environment, surrounded by tragedy, and feel like you are in some way benefiting from another person’s grief." The Verdict "Ed Zwick has a reputation for making big, bold and colorful films, and "Blood Diamond", is no exception. Extremely well cast, this rollicking tale of ex-mercenary Danny Archer, a Mende fisherman Solomon Vandy and a beautiful idealistic American journalist Maddy Bowen whose lives are changed by the discovery of a "Blood Diamond" is sure to be a hit with cinemagoers who enjoy a gritty, struggle against all odds story with, a twist. D.O.P Eduardo Serra and composer James Newton Howard's contributions to "Blood Diamond" are to be commended as is the work of EMMY Award winning Editor, Steven Rosenblum. Everything about this film is big. Big action scenes, big panoramic views of the landscape and big performances by the cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou. It is indeed a powerful tale of adventure and redemption. And yes, there is a moral to Zwick's latest film, but you'll need to see "Blood Diamond" to discover what that powerful message is. Excellent entertainment. 4 1/2 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "BLOOD DIAMOND" stars .......
Golden Globe Best Actor Award, Golden Bear Best Actor Award and 2004 Hollywood Film Festival Actor of the Year Leonardo DiCaprio ["Titanic", "Gangs Of New York", "Catch Me If You Can", "The Aviator" and "The Departed"]; Academy, Golden Globe, BAFTA, American Film Institute (AFI) and Critics’ Choice Awards winner Jennifer Connelly ["Mulholland Falls", "Requiem For A Dream", "A Beautiful Mind" and "House of Sand and Fog"]; Laurence Olivier Bursary recipient, London Critics Circle and the London Evening Standard Award winner Michael Sheen ["Bright Young Things", "Underworld", "Laws of Attraction" and "The Queen"]; TWO time Dalro Best Actor Award winner Arnold Vosloo ["Progeny", "The Mummy", "The Mummy Returns" and "Global Effect"], David Harewood ["The Hawk", "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" and "Separate Lies"] as Captain Poison; Ato Essandoh ["Garden State", "Prime", "Hitch" and "Bloodmask"] as Commander Rambo, and Image Award and Independent Spirit Award winner Djimon Hounsou ["Gladiator", "In America", "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life" and "The Island"] as Solomon Vandy.
"BLOOD DIAMOND" was .......
directed by Academy Award and BAFTA Award winner Edward Zwick ["Glory", "Traffic", "Lone Star State of Mind" and "The Last Samurai"]; screenplay by Charles Leavitt ["The Sunchaser", "The Mighty" and "K-PAX"]; production design by Dan Weil ["The Fifth Element", "The Bourne Identity", "King Arthur" and "Syriana"]; costume design by Academy Award and Costume Designers Guild Award winner Ngila Dickson ["The Lord Of The Rings I, II & III", "The Last Samurai and "The Illusionist"] director of photography Ordem do Infante D Henrique Award recipient and BAFTA Award winner Eduardo Serra ["The Scent of Yvonne", "Unbreakable", "Girl with a Pearl Earring" and "Beyond the Sea"]; original music by Emmy Award winner James Newton Howard ["8 Million Ways to Die", "Pretty Woman", "My Best Friend's Wedding", "The Sixth Sense" and "King Kong"] and edited by Emmy Award winner Steven Rosenblum ["Glory", "Legends of the Fall", "Braveheart", "Pearl Harbor" and "The Last Samurai"]. Run Time 143 minutes Rated MA 15+ [AUST] Copyright ©2007 - Warner Bros - All Rights Reserved ENDURING © - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved