An amazing film from Paul Thomas Anderson.

Rating: 9/10 (25 September 2008)

In the early 20th century, an ambitious man by the name of Daniel Plainview (Oscar-Winner:Daniel Day-Lewis) discovered Oil in the desert of Texas. Soon enough, he find himself to be an modest rich man. After the death of an worker on the job. Daniel decides to raise the man's son to be as his own. Years has passed... Daniel has truly become successful at finding Oil and his adapted son grown up & his name is H.W. Plainview (Dillion Freasier). When an mysterious young man by the name of Paul Sunday (Paul Dano). He goes to Daniel to tell him, there's Oil in his father's farm. He tells him, he could make millions on his father's land. Daniel, H.W. and his assistant Fletcher (Ciaran Hinds) goes to Sunday's farm to find Oil. Which they do sooner enough but Daniel meets his match, when Paul's twin brother named Eli (Also played by Dano). Who's just as ambitious as Daniel but for different reasons. Eli wants to build an Church and he thinks, he's great preacher. But Daniel's life slowly changed... when his adapted son turns deaf, Eli becomes greedy by asking Daniel money and Daniel's mysterious half-brother Henry (Kevin J. O'Connor) shows up. Daniel's life turns darker and darker and oh yes, there will be blood.
Written and Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, Hard Eight, Magnolia) made an absorbing drama that manages to have an dark sense of comedy at times. Day-Lewis is excellent as the smart Oil dealer tycoon, who may be way over his head at times but he's an deeply flawed man. Which Day-Lewis own an Oscar for his memorable performance. The supporting cast are first-rate, especially young Freasier and Dano. But some viewers might be turned-off by Dano's tole as a young, slightly crazed preacher. Cinematographer Robert Elswit (Return of the Living Dead Part 2, Tomorrow Never Dies, Punch-Drunk Love) won an Oscar for his beautiful cinematography.
The two-disc Collector's Set of "There Will Be Blood" is somewhat disappointing. No audio commentary by the writer/director:P.T. Anderson (Although there's rumour, he stopped doing audio commentaries after his enjoyable infamous comments on "Boogie Nights" or no behind the scenes footage. But the bonus disc on the special features are decent enough. DVD has an featurette made sometime in the 1920's titled "The Story of Petroleum" with music by the film's composer Jonny Greenwood (Member of the band "Radiohead'). DVD also includes moments that inspires the film by using old photographs of the 1920's with photos of Anderson's movie, deleted scene titled "Fishing", dailies outtakes and trailers. Deleted Scene "Fishing" is a good scene but it is easy why Director Anderson deleted it, because there's no place in the picture. Disc one has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an strong Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound.
"There Will Be Blood" is certainly one of the best movies of 2007. It may be not for everyone, some viewers might find it too slow. But i think, Anderson's film is fast-paced and fascinating. I wasn't sure what to make out of it at first but i did liked it. But after watching it in the second viewing, i loved it even more. At times, it seems that writer/director Anderson was paying tribute to the late Stanley Kubrick and the late Robert Altman & especially the music that sounds eerily enough to Kubrick's picture "The Shining". If you haven't seen this, don't miss it. Panavision. (**** 1/2 out of *****).