A deeply disturbing but excellent film

Rating: 9/10 (11 February 2008)

There have been assertions made that this deeply disturbing and powerful film, directed by the great Paul Thomas Anderson (" Boogie Nights" "Magnolias"), somehow parallels Modern America because it involves an American Oil Baron and greed. However it it is set at a time when the Saudi Oil family a was monstrous, uncivilized warlike and brutal regime far worse than America. It maybe that The problem lies that Australians and similar western societies are immersed into this populist and mindless antipathy toward America that the subject of Oil barons ignites preposterous and ignorant theories that consume the sophist conspiracies of contemporary youth. This film is begins in 1898 with the arduous struggle of a silver and gold miner Daniel Plainview played by Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel develops the mine and employs men to help him including a widowed father with a baby who subsequently dies in a mining accident. Daniel adopts the baby boy and names him H.W.. Daniel then strikes oil then ruthless expands his oil drilling empire at great speed. During this rapid rise in power and wealth Daniel use his boy to project a family image even though he secretly yearns his real long lost family. A young man Paul Sunday, played by Paul Dano visits upon Daniel and sells him information of the existence of great oil prospect under his family's farm in Little Boston California. Daniel and his son go there and discovers the oil and the Religious Sunday family and communities barren land. He swiftly buys out all the regions lands in a bid to open a oil pipeline to the ocean sea port in partnership with Union Oil to avoid the huge imposts from rail transport owned Standard Oil. In the process Daniel is this tile visited by a man claiming to be his brother. From there murder and mayhem erupt as Daniel is revealed as man who hates all including any competition even from his adopted son. Daniel day Lewis Oscar worthy acting is absolutely spelling and magnificent. A masterpiece film.