Awful

Rating: 2/10 (30 March 2009)

I can't believe this movie received so much hype. It makes me think someone like Daniel Plainview, the protagonist (antagonist?) of the film, is in charge of the movie studios. Someone is using his guile to dupe us sheep into giving away our money for no good reason, namely this film.
This movie should only be viewed by those who loved Upton Sinclair's novel "Oil!", on which this film is based. The cinematography is excellent. Daniel Day Lewis is excellent, as usual. But the film is nothing more than a moving-picture-slide-show of the key scenes from Sinclair's novel. There is no coherence, rationality, or depth to this film. We never feel compelled to root for a sympathetic character. Granted, Daniel Plainview is a monster, but there should still be a hook in the film. There is none. The director relies on our patience, or resistance to just walk out, to hold us in our seat.
This is a beautiful film but it is only for the extremely patient. One should also not be squeamish. There are scenes of very realistic violence and harsh emotional abuse.
The only reason I don't give this one star is that it is watchable. (Keeping in mind that I have never been able to sit through Annie Hall.) A great book does not automatically make a great movie. See Angela's Ashes or Seabiscuit (speaking of a movie that is really just a slide show). Sometimes a book is great because of the great writing. Hollywood doesn't seem to get that. They didn't get it for this movie. That's for sure.