"I am Born Trouble."

Rating: 9/10 (3 December 2011)

I almost never catch these big time films when they make their initial debut, but keep their critical acclaim in the back of my mind when I'm trying to decide on what to watch next. "Blood Diamond" grabbed a lot of attention when it came out for it's stars DiCaprio and Hounsou, and I have to say, their team up was one of the more eclectic casting decisions I've come across. It reminded me a little of Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier in "The Defiant Ones", and if you think about it, that kind of described the main characters here as they pursue a large rare diamond amid rebel strife in the African country of Sierra Leone. My biggest takeaway from the film was just how brutal and uncivilized life can be in parts of the world we're unfamiliar with while we sit in our comfy living rooms watching stories like this unfold. As far as the action component of this picture goes, it's almost too intense with scene after scene engaging in hostile gunfights and brutal combat. The harrowing family ordeal of Hounsou's character is undeniably overwhelming, and given the odds it's miraculous that he makes it out of Africa alive, especially having found his son already brainwashed by his captors. This won't be a contender for a round the fireplace family movie night, but if you're in the mood for unrelenting action and suspense, you'll get your fill here.