A masterpiece? Yes! Definitely! Absolutely!

Rating: 10/10 (17 March 2020)

Whoever thought that a film that's basically about a squabble between a ruthless businessman and a charlatan pastor could ever be so complex and fascinating, yet somehow Paul Thomas Anderson managed to do it with this epic, and it is a film that certainly earns the title. If there ever was the 'Great American Film,' as there is the 'Great American Novel, this film would earn the epithet as well. There Will Be Blood is not simply a mere title, but a promise and your patience will be rewarded.
Daniel Plainview is an oilman, most likely the best in the business. He's a man of relentless contradictions. He's ruthless, determined to succeed no matter the cost, and driven in his journey to his goal. But he also has glimmers of compassion, he's a father who, despite shamelessly using his son to further his own interests, does genuinely love him, and there are glimpses of Daniel that show that there could be a good man within him. But most of those moments are quashed by the power hungry, egotistical man that he is. He rises and falls throughout the run time of the film, and by the end, he has both triumphed over his hated enemy and has been defeated, having alienated the only person that ever mattered to him and being left a sad, lonely, and bitter old man.
Make no mistake, Daniel Day-Lewis gives his most accomplished performance as the ruthless oilman, but don't overlook the rest of the cast. Paul Dano certainly gives one of his finest performances as the slitherly priest Eli Sunday, most likely a nod to the former baseball player turned evangelist Billy Sunday, his character is proven to be no better than Daniel, a false prophet feeding off the adoration of his flock. Every time that he is on screen, you feel the urge to strangle him much like Daniel does. Daniel most likely hates him so because of the aspects of himself that he sees in Eli and, deep down, probably hates about himself as well. Jonny Greenwood, also known as the guitarist for the band Radiohead, gives one of the finest scores that have ever been put to film, and would later collaborate with Anderson on his later films such as The Master, Inherent Vice, and Phantom Thread (still haven't seen Inherent Vice). Many had also praised the cinematography, and while I agree that the film looks great, I would say that Roger Deakins had him beat with concurrent films at the time like No Country For Old Men or The Assassination of Jesse James by The Coward Robert Ford.
Few films border on perfection, and There Will Be Blood comes close, though there are certain aspects that I still question. The child acting does seem stilted, though there are still moments that showcase the compassion that Daniel is capable of that are still strong, and the relationship between 'Henry' and Daniel does seem rushed, but with those little issues I can stack on them with dozens of other praises. The film, at the end of the day, leaves you feeling as Daniel does: alone and hollow.
Watching There Will Be Blood is almost like reading Lolita, it's shocking, vile, and utterly depraved, but also beautiful, irresistible, and rejuvenating. Few words can justify the tour de force that this film is.