Just been to see Blood Diamond: an entertaining boy's own adventure, that hints at the political shenanigans that occur in the background.
Leonard DeCaprio is shaping up to be a very good actor, but is out-played by Djimon Hounsou, who is entirely convincing as a father on a single-minded quest to find his family. Jennifer Connolly is pretty much side-lined, which is disappointing, but then this is a boy's own adventure (no girlies allowed).
Very violent but rarely gratuitous - to coin a phrase from the film "TIA: This is Africa". Impressively directed by Edward Zwick (I prefer this to Last Samarai), specifically the scenes where young children are brain-washed into murderous soldiers.
I particulary liked Danny Archer (DeCaprio) insisting on where he was born: Rhodesia not Zimbabwe. This is not a racist statement, but rather the fact that what Mugabe did/doing to the white farmer's is no different to what Sir Cecil Rhodes did in the very beginning.
In fact, the film sparked off a larger-scale conversation on the way home with my mate, where we asked: are those ex-British colonies really better off under self-rule than when governed by Her Majesty's Government? It seems to me, that the little guy - the poor bloke at the bottom of the rung - continues to live in squalor whereas his brother now lives in splendour... or am I being too simplistic in my viewpoint?
Anyway, back to the film: wholeheartedly recommended. Will be keeping an eye on Hounsou this Award's season - be very surprised if he doesn't get the Oscar for supporting actor.
Mind you, I'm still reeling over the Academy's decision not to nominate Children of Men's Alfonso Cuarón for best director.
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