I just don't get it

Rating: 6/10 (8 January 2008)

It was pretty good for the most part. Then it fell apart in the last half hour or so. The ending had me scratching my head, wondering what the point was. I felt that it was operating on a metaphorical and thematic level that eluded me.
It also would have helped if Daniel Plainview had any redeeming qualities. Think of a lot of other anti-heroes or antogonists in movie history: Jake LaMotta, Darth Vader, Travis Bickle, Gollum, Tony Montana, or even Bill the Butcher. Each of these characters had some sort of positive quality that you can relate too. Daniel Plainview's character arc is just a slow steady descent into a black hole. I understand that not every movie can be sunshine and roses, but I just can't revel in this kind of nihilism. There has to at least a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel.