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Blood Diamond
Director: Edward Zwick
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly
Rated: R
138 minutes
This is not a feel good film. It is a fine action thriller but the message is an ugly one as it shines a light on the sparkling diamond industry. In much the same way that Hotel Rwanda highlighted the hopeless plight of Africans, Blood Diamond gives us a glimpse on how we once again, are directly responsible for much of the problems.
Personally I don’t feel better having watched this
film, and I don’t think anyone can feel good about themselves after
watching no less than two hours of unrelenting slaughter of innocents.
The most horrific attacks were of course the children killing women and
children. Ah yes, the child armies. The children who aren’t shot
or amputated, get drugged and mentally scarred into becoming insane gun
wielding mercenaries. Oh, but those earrings do look great with that dress.
One of the best lines in the film is a local man surrounded by burning
buildings, mutilated woman and infant corpses who turns and says, “be
thankful they haven’t found oil here, then we’d really be
screwed.”
The film wraps with a Raiders of the Lost Arc style ending with the diamond put in a room that stores millions just like it. Then come the depressing fact messages letting us know there are over 200,000 child armies roaming Africa right now. As well it suggests we ask for ‘conflict free’ diamonds next time we’re in the market. Ha, I’d like to see them also ask for conflict free oil.
Sadly, when it comes down to it, poor, non whites are
tortured, killed, raped and mauled in horrific ways each and every day
so that we can continue to live in the lifestyle we have become accustomed
to. These movies help us see that fact but sadly don’t give much
hope that anything will ever change.
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