Very intriguing

Rating: 8/10 (26 July 2016)

The "rise and fall" archetype is often complimentary for gangster films. I wouldn't call "There Will Be Blood" a gangster movie. However, it was interesting how they implemented that archetype into this film. They did so with great results.
The rise of a miner named Daniel Plainview turned wealthy oilman is explored in this film from the years 1898 - 1927. The film shows how he becomes wealthy, and how he takes advantage of those around him in order to achieve his goals at all costs.
This movie is very depressing in many ways. After H.W.'s father dies in an accident when he's an infant, Daniel adopts him, and he pretends that he's his son. He uses him just so he can help him deceive the Sunday family more. Also, it's really hard to watch the scene where he becomes deaf in an accident. However, despite everything he experienced in the film, his character represents hope. He shows that even though Daniel used him as a ploy for better business and wealth, he is still able to break free of the chains he's held down with. Since he and Daniel Plainview are more educated than the Sunday family, he is easily able to see through all of it and know that what Daniel is doing is wrong.
After you think about the film a little bit, you start to realize how Daniel used every character he met in the film. After he becomes fed-up with H.W., he spares no time in finding an excuse to get rid of him by sending him to a school for deaf kids. He just works with his long-lost brother to keep deceiving his workers with the family image. If his brother leaves the film, he - only then - brings his son back. Daniel Plainview is a really memorable character, because he is able to expertly deceive those around him without them being able to notice nor do anything about it. At some points in the film, the viewer starts to be tricked into liking Daniel Plainview and it's very easy to forget about his true colors as a result.
The cinematography in this movie is excellent. The shots of the desert are gorgeous to look at, and the shots of the ranch feel atmospheric. Every shot makes you feel like you're actually in the time period this movie takes place in. One of the shots that the movie does very well is how it shows you how insignificant the characters are. It shows you a shot of a character. Then, the camera would move up to make it seem like they're in the middle of nowhere. This technique is best utilized in the beginning. After Daniel falls into a mine and breaks his leg, he has to climb out and crawl back to his fellow miners. A shot is pointed at him crawling on his back. Then, the camera moves up and shows us how much he has to trek back. This is a powerful shot, and it's good that they made this technique clear by utilizing it very well in the beginning. That way, the viewer would continue to be immersed every time they did this in the film.
The acting was really good. Daniel Day-Lewis as Daniel Plainview stole the show. He deserved that Oscar he won. Every single line he spoke was convincing. Near the beginning of the film, his voice continuously evoked a slight feeling of distrust. As he got more suspicious and as he made more enemies, his facial expressions gave the viewer a feeling that something bad was about to happen. The highlight of his performance was at the end of the film though. He gives reactions so convincing that they might as well by passed off as genuine. When he slowly goes insane, the viewer feels like the same is happening to them. I honestly can't decide who I liked more: Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men or Daniel Day-Lewis in this film. Both of them were about equally amazing. I liked most of the cast. They were pretty good. However, if I'd have to criticize one actor, it would have to be Paul Dano as Eli Sunday. His performance was good for the most part. However, I felt like he lost some of his believability during the scenes of him preaching at his church. He seemed a bit over-the-top in those scenes. Also, there were a few other parts in the film where when he was yelling, his voice got a bit high-pitched and that didn't fare too well with me. Overall, however, he gave a good performance. He just didn't balance out the impact that Daniel Day-Lewis left.
The soundtrack works very well in the movie. There are some songs which sound very haunting, and they do a very good job at representing the feelings of deception that the movie provides. An example of a really effective soundtrack comes in during the gas blowout scene. The striking minimalist soundtrack sets a feeling of urgency, and it makes the scene suspenseful as a result. While the soundtrack worked very well in the film, I found it a bit uninteresting and bland to listen to on my own. It was a soundtrack which was meant to be listened to in the movie. It was still pretty good, but I'm not going to be signing off on its praises anytime soon.
In conclusion, this was an amazing movie which was almost perfect. Daniel Plainview and the tension he had with other characters in the film was great and the cinematography was very well-done. For the most part, the acting was good and the soundtrack was still good despite its flaws. This movie is often compared to "No Country for Old Men" as the 2 were filmed in the same desert. I think that this was an amazing film. However, I liked "No Country for Old Men" a little more.