The message cut short by the action

Rating: 6/10 (11 January 2012)

"Blood Diamond" sheds light on the complicated, far-reaching, and bloody world of the conflict/blood diamond trade. 2 hours and 20 min is hardly enough time to expose every detail; so the film focuses on the most evocative aspect: the innocent bystanders, the refugees, the slaves, and the death generated by civil wars and greed for prized resources.
The main characters, through whose eyes we learn about this vicious world, are Djimon Hounsou, an honest family-man/fisherman, and Leonardo DiCaprio, a cynical and driven smuggler. Hounsou has a great character, full of strength and love, and who faces terrible struggles. Sadly, his performance is given the passenger's seat to DiCaprio. DiCaprio's character hardly speaks for the film (that's Stephen Collins's job). He is at every point the embodiment of the "white devil", the trickster caucasian, betraying even himself at his best moments. DiCaprio plays this with a drive devoid of remorse - good or bad, he survives on his selfishness.
Hats off to Kagiso Kuypers (playing Hounson's son). A dark and challenging role for someone so young.
The film makes compelling points about the immorality of the blood diamond trade; how even the ends - the classic diamond engagement ring in Sydney, Toronto, or Honolulu - still bear the stain of rape, mass-murder, and colonialism. However, these points are given to us in brief, expositional dialogue between aggressive and apathetic action/battle sequences. These scenes are shot fast and loud - like a short roll of black cats - popping machine guns flash between quick shots of women and children falling, cap the enemy soldiers or rebels, back to DiCaprio bossing Hounsou around. Apartheid isn't over here.
It seems like "Blood Diamond" was dumbed down for Americans, betting against our empathy and instead trying to exploit the action/adventure blockbuster market. There are some deep, touching scenes, but they're cut short and ruined predictably by gunfire and explosions.