A dark and marvelous cinematic tale of greed

Rating: 10/10 (21 April 2008)

I don't think I've ever seen a movie like "There Will Be Blood". It takes time for the greatness of this film to sink in and happens upon reflection, but it truly is a great film.
Directly after viewing the film, I felt it was overrated. But not anymore.
"There Will Be Blood" is pretty much a movie about a determined oil man who sets up a well in Little Boston, but others want him to share the wealth, and he gets greedy. And yes, there is blood.
Daniel Day Lewis gives the performance of a lifetime here, playing a generally nice man who is being driven insane by the greedy people around him, and his own greed and lust for success begins to overtake him. Paul Dano plays opposite him, an equally greedy religious boy who feels that he is a chosen vessel of the Lord, and feels that he deserves what he desires. And of course, he wants money for Daniel Plainview's success, and uses his religion as a vehicle for money and revenge. There aren't too many other important characters aside from H.W. Plainview, the son of Daniel, and Henry Plainview, the man who appears to Daniel eighty minutes into the movie and reveals to him that they are brothers (or are they?).
Every performance hits you like a bombshell. None of the characters, with the exception of H.W., are even remotely likable, and they don't have redeeming qualities. It's a bitter movie to take in because of all the selfish people involved, but its a classic one. Each actor does a very good job with the exception of Daniel Day Lewis, who does a great job.
The first half of the movie establishes Daniel Plainview's time in Little Boston, drilling oil, and focuses mainly on oil, until a terrible oil accident. The second half focuses on his transformation from a business-driven man to a man gone mad by greed, resulting in a climatic conclusion. The final scene, in my opinion, is one of the greatest put to screen. The actors, characters, and script all work together beautifully, like an elegant but gloomy dance.
The only thing that doesn't fit into the rest, is the music. It only goes with some of the parts, but the music is really wacky in some parts and sticks out like a sore thumb, degrading some of the scenes a little.
This might be a hard film to take in because of its somewhat slow-moving, oil-based first half, then dark and disturbing, quicker-paced second half. With the exception of the music, the movie is flawless. Every line is delivered with significance and conviction, and all in all, this film should leave you breathless. I really hope its remembered with the old classics, because it boasts of their impact. Don't miss this. It's a film that sometime in a life, everyone should see, and it should be remembered forever. 9.5/10.