Movie Review: There Will Be Blood

Oil has the power to change people. Look at today's world, the United States has blatantly taken over Iraq with the intent of consuming the masses of oil under the desert. Iraq, we claim, was coveting "nuclear weapons" when we all know the take over was about the oil. Look out Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, you may be next. This type of pillaging is no different than the oil tycoons who would conform to greed and corruption during the oil boom in California during the turn of the century a hundred years ago. Based on Upton Sinclair's novel, "Oil!", There Will Be Blood is a crude and peculiar story about the oil tycoon, Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis), and his quest to control the oil under his feet.

In all, the film lacks the basics for a fundamental story. The first 15 minutes or so are shown without a single word spoken by Daniel Plainview, who strikes it rich with a discover of oil. The film takes place in a rundown town in California, where the main excitement centers around the sermons of devout preacher Eli Sunday (Paul Dano). Even with the fortunes from the wells, nothing remains the same for Daniel Plainview after his strike of oil as conflicts intensify and every human virtue is complicated by corruption, deceit, and the discovery of oil. Many themes were brought up in the story without any further explanation with a lot of jumbled information, which just skimmed at the surface. And yet, even with the lack of a story, Paul Thomas Anderson delivers a provocative film in comparison to last year's Oscar winner for Best Picture, The Departed.

Where would we be without the great American conflicts between greedy corporation and religious fanaticism? This story proves that business people can be blinded by their desires just like religious fanatics.

Daniel Day-Lewis is the reason to see this film. His performance is a lock for the Oscar for Best Actor. His speech, his walk, his powerful presence during the film command respect from the audience. Utterly provocative, awe inspiring, a performance which hasn't been seen since Denzel Washington in Training Day. Paul Dano plays the overzealous religious figure of the town. Dano's performance seemed over the top and not believable as a charismatic preacher who only thinks about the good for others.

Of course, the film has an ending that no one will see coming, but is relevant to the rest of the film. Who would have thought that bowling was such a violent sport?