Not as great as I thought it would be, but still pretty great...

Rating: 7/10 (7 October 2007)

This film initially captivated me, and I immediately fell head over heels for Solomon and his family. Djimon Hounsou always gives a phenomenal, passionate performance, whether he's in Amistad, Beauty Shop, or as a guest on ER. Whether he's a lead or a footnote, he's simply marvelous in the roles he chooses. In Blood Diamond, the other family members were also compelling in their roles, however brief.
DiCaprio really is a gifted actor. His accent in this film was very convincing. However, he played his role SO well that I had trouble believing in - or having any empathy for - his character until his last moments in the film. I fault the writing for this, not Dicaprio, for making it so difficult to care for a pivotal character that the viewer is supposed to care for. He ran the gamut of facades, but he proved again and again that his motives were exclusively self-serving. I was never able to trust Danny Archer until he knew he was dying. At that point it was too late to care for him.
And Jennifer Connelly? Though I love a couple of the movies she's been in (Labyrinth, House of Sand and Fog), I've never seen her in anything where her character does any more than superficially interact with other characters in the films. She's not engaging at all, and even DiCaprio couldn't pick up the slack for her to save their scenes in Blood Diamond. What her character accomplished in the end was the only thing that endeared her, otherwise I felt nothing.
The action of the film was fantastic, the cinematography beautiful, the fundamental story haunting and heartbreaking. I've never been a big fan of diamonds because they're too expensive and they look gaudy, but since seeing this film, I like diamonds even less.
Djimon Hounsou made this film the incredible experience that it was. The character of Danny Archer and Jennifer Connelly's lack of acting skill prevented it from being more for me. It is definitely worth watching; I'd even say it's worth buying on DVD, but lower your expectations a little or you'll feel a bit let down.
Recommended. Thanks for reading my comment.