One couldn't make a film on carpentry without churning woods.

Rating: 10/10 (3 December 2009)

On verge of souding hyperbolic, I regard "There will be blood" as unheralded modern masterpiece in tradition of John Huston and John Ford. Done in vein of a character study in proportions of Welles "Citizen Kane". DDL's performance merits engagement on its own, an aggressively driven protagonist that almost embodies the ambitions of the film. Intense to a great degree, and yet with nuance no less important. The film is centered on dawn of 20th century, with themes resonating to present-day. Something that works on different levels. Starting with personal & cultural decadency, the facade, and overblown uprightness of the nation through two important factions of it. A bold framework, and a denouement that answers and questions in equal measures. Yet it is vague and disguised. Akin to "Apocalypse now" in that respect.
"There will be blood" paints a polemical subtext on Oil and Religion, Capitalism and Evangelism - the fraudulence of it all. Or maybe the moral shortcomings of the two main protagonist. As failed human beings. With that, the ability to "attack but not necessarily antagonize" is achieved. And this is less problematic. The narrative is NOT a mere carrier for such reflections. I ascribe the underlying piece-de- resistance of what is in show. By canons of film criticism, it is essential the social and political persuasions of the creation had to be dissected. The very absence of such a statement is in itself a political viewpoint. The filmmaker cannot hide. One couldn't make a film on carpentry without churning woods.
It's a showdown of two pivotal characters, Oil prospector in Daniel Plainview, and a young priest, Eli, as two-fold manifestation of essentially the same. Daniel Plainview is flamed by burning desire to "hunt" for gold. As a characteristic baron/salesman, connives people for cheap off their land to drill oil. Eli is of ignoble ilk, connives people with false prophecies and superstition. they are both failed human beings. A film theorist once said films are moving pictures with accompanying sound. The story and themes are excuses to entice & indulge the audience. There will be blood provides enough to relish the experience.
The Oil drilling has never been captured cinematically and as thrillingly as in show here. This being the primal period of drilling, the film stays true to some of the medieval methods, with stew-pans and sauce-pots. An unreliable Pumpjack made with manual shafts. There will be casualties (and therefore, of 'blood'), but the drive of the protagonist remains unmatched for treasure. In that, it is no different to "Treasure of Sierra Madre" and many great Hollywood epics from 30- 40s. There is one major set-piece where the fire gulfs from ground, almost too hellish and devilish of a grasp to let loose. Visual metaphors are aplenty. Yet, such cinematic devices and symbolism are not aberrations to the narrative.
A final word on DDL's performance to end this writeup. His rendition is probably the best of modern era. When we see aging Plainview and ensuing character dynamics, we are convinced he had gone through all the dangers and asperities of hands-on Oil drilling and continual failure in human relation/connection. His rough edged surface is backed by subliminal subtleties. His reaction, introspection, and secretive quirks in private, especially to his son & faux-brother, are utter genius. This film makes use of father-son thematics like other PTA films.