A Pound of Flesh for an Carat of Diamonds

Rating: 7/10 (6 March 2019)

In 2003, director Edward Zwick was praised for his power to tie together seemingly conflicting cultures. His hit, The Last Samurai, told a story of a late 1800s American military advisor who adopted the Samurai culture of Feudal Japan. The longest lasting impression was not only the film's beauty, but its humanity. In 2006, Zwick returned. This time he again tugged on the world's heartstrings by depicting the plight of the African farmer, fisherman, and toiler whose lives are endlessly complicated by civil war.
Blood Diamond centers on Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), a Sierra Leone commoner whose family is ripped apart when the Revolutionary United Front, a rebel group, sacks his village. Solomon is enslaved in a diamond mining camp whose product feeds rebel armament and Western greed for glitz and glamour. Solomon finds a giant diamond and decides to bury it, believing it will help him and his family in the future. But as the political climate in Sierra Leone deteriorates further, so do his chances of ever seeing his family again. Solomon encounters Danny Archer (DiCaprio) who seldom altruistically aids Solomon on his voyage.
The film is immersive, beckoning the viewer deep into the heart of Africa. Every frame feels authentic. The plant life, costumes, and culture brew before you into a stunning almost documentary take on life in Sierra Leone. Hounsou is the work's center of gravity. It has been a long time since an actor has displayed such peaks of brokeness, rage, wisdom, and fulfillment. The writing itself follows an easily identifiable three-act structure an nearly every scene seems in place. There are some moments that seem excessive, like the long montages of Solomon and Danny hiking over the African plains. These moments lead to an exhausting 143 minute run time, but the emotional payoff is well worth the investment.
Overall, the film succeeds in crafting an emotional adventure that makes us feel closer to our true selves. It kindles a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood across cultures and language barriers. It makes us appreciate the simple things we take for granted, things like going to school. And most importantly, it takes us far from our living rooms, dropping us off in a land of bold adventure.