To forget you are watching a film

Rating: 10/10 (22 May 2008)

Daniel day Lewis gives possibly the best acting I have seen, ever. When I'd read my own words without having seen there will be blood, I wouldn't believe it too. For the record, I've seen quite a few good movies in my life, just as most people here probably will have.
Whether Deniro plays a disturbed cabbie in taxidriver or a boxer falling from his throne in Raging bull, or even when Brando plays parts like the famous Don Corleone, they are only acting their parts.
Daniel Day Lewis IS the part. And that is the biggest reason why this movie is already destined to be remembered by coming generations.
One could argue that this movie stands out so much because of the overall lack of quality coming from Hollywood for the last 10 years or so. I beg to differ. Were this movie made in the good 70s, it would still be one of the high and mighty.
So why is this film so astounding to me? It's certainly not perfect! It has a few scenes of which (I think at least) are either too long or just obligatory. The Preacher role by Paul Dano isn't hardly fitting or acted too well for the claims I just made!
Well, first of all; if you get this film, you can proudly say you are a lot smarter then all the self-proclaimed film-critics who saw this movie and immediately drew lines to citizen Kaine and socialist themes. That's just incredibly silly. Whereas Citizen Kaine is indeed a movie with a clear objective against materialism (as well as a personal vendetta with Welles and the man he portrayed behind the screen), this movie is much more alive and breathing. The main character can't be summarized in 1 sentence, only the full 2,5 hours will do. This is where all similarities end, besides the fact that both characters are becoming wealthier, and the perfection of both movies.
There will be blood isn't about one theme really, the circumstances (the oil, greed, time and other characters) function more like a setting, where the main character is created and evolves. Although the movie does (very) effectively display the use of new technologies, and sketches an especially accurate image of the circumstances of small towns during the oil rush.
I am fond of history and I really like it when movies accurately portray such things whilst not bragging about it, or making it hinder the plot or feel forced in any way. Because it oftentimes goes so horribly wrong I'm under the conviction that this is also a showing of true artistry, combining this element of film, without the viewer noticing it.
I think the greatness of this movie can be summarized in 2 things. The perfect acting that daniel day lewis is doing here. I can't even remember the last time I saw a flick in which I was terrified and melancholic at the same time about a character. Mister Plainview (d.d.l.) isn't good, bad white or even gray, he's very complex, and it will be quite rewarding to study this film more than once to just see more of this conflicting behaviour. Just like the real world (something movies always have difficulty portraying for obvious reasons), this character is not just hard to read, but wholly multi-interpretable. This makes watching his actions and reactions to his surroundings very rewarding and looking closely is not, as in 99% of any stories in any form, something you shouldn't do, in order to find the boundaries of the creator's mind. In fact, it only gets you deeper into it. I can't even remember the last time I had that notion on film or book.
The story is also superb, and while complex and long, it's also great writing that revels here. Why is the story so great? Same reason like the acting: It takes a hold of you and you'll forget that you are looking at a movie or a story. You are experiencing it.
Personally I think method acting is just a Hollywood fad, I'm partially referencing to this inferior actor who was in the machinist and lost some weight with a lot of huzzah. The Stallone's Or even Deniro who started boxing.. for one of his parts. For Daniel day Lewis however, it seems to work perfectly. I've yet to meet the Hollywood actor who refuses medicine against pneumonia on ground that those things weren't there in that period of time, because he's playing bill the butcher and want's to ''stay in character''. I think that's just nuts, but I can't praise his stellar acting enough, so I won't.
I doubt this movie will ever get as much credit as it deserves. I think it's a little too dark and difficult for that. But in my opinion it's the nihilist and very human (although many won't see it) touch this story has, which makes it one of the best movies created so far.