$19 and 2 1/2 hours you'll never get back.

Rating: 3/10 (22 February 2008)

If I wanted to watch John Huston, I'd have rented Chinatown. Daniel Day-Lewis does a great impression of Huston in this film. The unrelenting sociopathic nature of Plainview wears over time. A long time. There doesn't seem to be any point except oilmen are ruthless and evil, and religion is a scam. There is a trend of excessive violence and brutality in many films these days, instead of a good story and great characterizations. Ciaran Hinds is underutilized Much is promised- nothing much delivered but an "ambitious man" story. Taken from "Citizen Kane", and a cheap supernatural thriller hinted at when it seems God will take a hand. He never does. There is also a frisson of "Moby Dick", man pursuing the leviathan. Woe is me.