The most awe inspiring, thought provoking film I've ever seen

Rating: 10/10 (2 April 2009)

What is the defining aspect of P.W. Anderson's There Will Be Blood that kept me so captivated throughout its running time that fell just under three hours? I think it's probably a good many things. There's the beautiful, Oscar winning cinematography, there's the driving message of greed and corruption in society, there's the Kubrickian styled direction, and of course there's some of the best acting performances of the year, but only one stands out to draw me into this film. The character of Daniel Plainview (Oscar winning performance by Daniel Day-Lewis) is perhaps the most complex character ever captured on film and is one with whom I found myself strangely attracted to, for I saw something about his character worth pitying.
Daniel Plainview is a cut throat business man during the industrial revolution (an "Oil man," he calls himself) who uses a persuasive speaking voice and enticing promises, but at the end of the day he only is wishing to fulfill his everlasting greed. Eventually he is lead by the tip of one Paul Sunday who tells him of oil in a far off location known as Little Boston. Plainview takes the bait and moves in and realizes that this could be his big haul that makes his fortune, but in the process he meets his greatest adversary. Eli Sunday (a very underrated performance by Paul Dano) owns and operates his own church (The Church of the Third Revelation) where he claims to act as a prophet and the embodiment of the Holy Spirit. Naturally the two of them clash as the audience realizes they are both driven by mostly selfish desires.
As Daniel's fortune increases his hatred towards himself and mankind expands, and he realizes that all he wishes is to be far from it, but it is apparent he has become incapable of being happy. His son, H.W. Plainview seemed to be his only way to happiness, but Daniel in his denial just push H.W. and everyone around him far to the side, preferring to suffer miserably by himself until he completes his long drawn out self-destruction.
This is why I pity Daniel Plainview when others say he is a character that deserves our loathing. What they are failing to grasp is the inner struggle taking place in this man and how very confused he must be, because they only seem to note the negative things he does in the film. Daniel Plainview is a man who has let the natural desire to compete absorbs him and he has given up the fight to suppress it.
Is Daniel Plainview a man, or is he the representation of a spirit that is found throughout mankind? Each time I see this movie the impact increases. Every single time I watch this two-hour forty-minute film I find more reasons to be in love with it. Each time I find more ways that Daniel Plainview can be related to the human race as a whole.
"I don't want to talk about those things. I see the worst in people, Henry. I don't need to look past seeing them to get all I need. I've built up my hatreds over the years, little by little. Having you here gives me a second breath I can't keep doing this on my own with these... people. {Daniel laughs as if his final comment were a joke}" "I look at people and I see nothing worth liking." I think everyone occasionally has thoughts such as those stated in the above quotes. We just don't act on them in the manner in which Plainview does. The problem with Daniel is that he never lets go of the feelings and lets them push him forward rather than think to the back of his mind.
This movie deserved Best Picture and Director for 2007 because of the fact that I have never seen a more stunning, magnificent illustration of human greed and corruption. There Will Be Blood is a movie that will be seen twenty-years from now and like Apocalypse Now people will believe that the Academy made the wrong choice in regards to choosing their Best Picture winner (like anyone REALLY cares what the Academy has to say now of days). I think everyone will need to see this film at some point or another or they will have missed one of the most important films of the 21st century, and that is just a fact, plain and simple.
Just you watch. Ten years from now this film will be taught in film classes and Daniel Day-Lewis' performance shall undoubtedly be used as a subject of study in drama classes for aspiring actors and actresses.