might have to be the years best!

Rating: 9/10 (13 April 2007)

After 'The Departed' won Best Picture...I continue to compile films that are easily superior to the Oscar winner. I thought 'Pans Labrynth' was a little better than Scorceses flick, but this one is better than both. You are unlikely to forget the characters or the impact of this great movie. Where the ending may bring mild scrutiny, and the accuracy of the political nature of the film may be questioned,....this is still one powerhouse of a movie. Leonardo and Djimons' performances are dead-on. The two bring a power to the film that is only equaled by the fantastic an under-appreciated action sequences. The film is incredibly well-fashioned and the plot flows with grace while never leaving the viewer with any of those 'uncomfortable' lulls in the story or in its action. It gains momentum early and then builds to a fantastic fallout of superb thrills and first-rate performances. I find it hard to believe that a film with such a benign premise(the sale of a valuable conflict diamond) can be so fantastically entertaining.....more entertaining than films that have even more interesting story lines....like say 'Children of Men'....which I find to be a good film...but one that takes a great premise and makes it good....where 'Diamond' takes a basic storyline and executes it to near perfection.....the script, the performances, the action, the sheer entertainment...this is a can't miss in my opinion! If it would have ended on the mountainside....or with the reunion(minus the 'hearing'/'meeting') it would have been a 10....a minor and trivial negative....either way...YOU WON'T BE Disappointed with this selection! 88/100
You'll like this if you liked:The Power of One, Catch a Fire, or Body of Lies.