This Diamond Doesn't Shine

Rating: 5/10 (4 September 2009)

Against the backdrop of the civil war in Sierra Leone, a soldier of fortune and a fisherman try to retrieve a rare diamond that the latter has buried. The ravages of war are effectively conveyed but it takes a while for a narrative to emerge from all that chaos. And the narrative is less than compelling due to a weak script and undeveloped characters. Although they find time to espouse philosophy in breaks between frequent gun battles, the characters remain one-dimensional. The film is meant to be emotionally gripping but is tedious instead. DiCaprio sports a goofy accent. Connelly proves the camera is mightier than the sword. Hounsou looks intense. Zwich favors melodramatics.