There Will be Blood (2007) - Archived Review

Originally published October, 2014.

Daniel Day-Lewis may go down in history as one of the greatest actors who ever lived and who also managed to avoid being the spotlight of American pop-culture. I've seen several of his movies and I believe he is worthy of his Oscars if not several others he hasn't gotten for his performances, yet I rarely ever hear his name mentioned unless simply discussing great movies.

So what then of There Will Be Blood? I'll start by saying, it's a strange film. While Daniel Day-Lewis is the protagonist and certainly the reason to see this film, he's not really the first thing I think of when I recall this film. I just watched it recently and had to take a break in the middle before coming back to it later. If it wasn't for Day-Lewis's performance in this movie, I don't think it would have worked for me either.

I'll be the first admit that I don't think I "got it." I realize it's a character piece about an oil baron in the early 20th century and the power he held over people and the community. I realize that it's supposed to show how a man this "great" is extremely flawed and has certain qualities about him that are truly terrible. In some ways, it's a retelling of the 80's classic Scarface--I've never seen the original Scarface.

There will be Blood is more of an expression through art as there are many moments that something is happening, but nothing is happening. There are plenty of scenes that don't seem to lead anywhere plot-wise, yet they are supposed to be doing something else. For example, the scene with Day-Lewis's character, Daniel Plainview, and his son in a restaurant is noteworthy for several reasons. It's memorable for the performance and for doing characterization, but nothing else comes of the characters in that scene afterwards. Plus, it ultimately doesn't do anything new for any of the characters present. By this point in the film, Plainview clearly has a complex about his family, he clearly has a drinking issue, and he's clearly aggressive. None of what occurs in the scene, while entertaining and tense, really has any impact on the characters or plot; it's just fluff. It's still a good scene and if other scenes where removed where these details hadn't already been established, it would be perfectly necessary.

There are a lot of moments in the film I don't quite get, but appreciate for what they do to me as viewer. There are plenty of silent scenes to cover the landscape and capture the mood. There are scenes where people aren't talking, but the music is swelling and frantic sounding to make you tense (which it accomplishes). There are scenes where talking or violence is occurring is without music, to make it more raw and shocking. It captures my attention, but at the end of the film, I think I missed what the filmmakers were trying to accomplish. Regardless, Daniel Day-Lewis is incredible in it, as always, and is the main reason to watch it, especially for the final scene.

Pros

• Landscape shots are captivating and their serenity really work to contrast Plainview's personality

• Music does what it intends to do and really makes you tense in certain moments but is absent in others, making the movie feel more unpredictable

• Acting is great across the board, but Day-Lewis steals the show

• Final scene

Cons

• A little too artsy for my tastes

• Takes a while for things to start going

Additional Notes

A great movie for a lot of reasons, just certain quirks about it end up making it feel like a strange film by the end.

Should I see it and When?

Yes, it's on Netflix now, go watch it. Maybe you'll understand it.