“There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage)
There Will Also Be Boredom
Moviemaker Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the most gifted and imaginative in the business today. “Magnolia” was a work of pure genius and “Punch Drunk Love” was staggeringly unique. In fairness I do have to say that though those two movies appealed to me, millions were left cold by them. Now he has created “There Will Be Blood” and though it is a film of incredible acting demonstrations and beautiful cinematography, the film itself left me on the outside looking in. I was at times bewitched by his craftsmanship, but mostly bothered by his execution that resulted in my overall impression being one of boredom.
The film tells the story of Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) a prospector for silver who inadvertently discovers oil. This happens in the first fifteen minutes of the film, and the rest of the two hour and thirty-eight minute running time explores his obsessive greed and his pathetic relationships.
His main nemesis in the movie is a religious fundamentalist named Eli Sunday (Paul Dano). Oil is discovered on Sunday’s family land and Plainview negotiates rights to it. Sunday is constantly trying to get Daniel to do more for his church and Daniel resists. This antagonism between the two men culminates in a battle royal at the end of the film.
Getting to that climactic sequence is like getting on board a slow boat to China. It takes forever, and it is tedious and boring most of the journey. There is no romance in Plainview’s life, and basically no relationships based on anything other than greed.
Day-Lewis is excellent in the main role. He gets inside Daniel Plainview’s skin and makes you believe he has become the man. It is not his fault the man himself is not that interesting. He does everything he can to make him more appealing in his intensity.
Dano’s character is quirkier and therefore a bit more interesting than Plainview, still he is basically one dimensional in his religious fervor. The best scenes are when the two men are pitted against each other for something the other wants or demands.
Dillon Freasier provides interest in his character of H. W. Plainview, son of Daniel. Freasier does this mostly with his bemused looks, but with very little dialogue. He manages to hold his on when on screen with Day-Lewis and that takes talent.
The film is rated R for violence and profanity.
“There Will Be Blood” is a film that will garner critical acclaim but will do only moderate business at the box office. It’s sluggish pace and non-involving story line will turn most moviegoers off. Only the true student of film will find redemption for the movie in its acting and complex storyline. And they too might finally admit it is just too much ado about nothing.
I scored “There Will Be Blood” an enigmatic 4 out of 10.
