Photo by: Miramax Pictures
Before entering the theater to view “There Will Be Blood” forget conventional story arcs and character types. Forget a struggle between good and evil and the ever-continuing battle of protagonist and antagonist. Forget the staples of Hollywood plot devices that have been regurgitated over and over. Even throw away the many categories in which critics and movie experts group every film into, because this film is simply in a classification all its own.
Loosely based on Oil!, a novel by Upton Sinclair, “There Will Be Blood” provides a window into the oil boom of the early 1900’s, when a race began in the country to secure the rights to the oil rich lands of the West.
The movie follows the life of Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis), a self made oilman of the era. Plainview is a ruthless monster of a man who will stop at nothing to further his oil ambitions.
Along the way, Plainview unexpectedly picks up a son (Dillon Freasier) and encounters an obstacle in the form of an overly dramatic prophet (Paul Dano) obsessed with securing funding to further his church.
This relationship effectively illustrates both an alliance and a clash between corruption of industry and exploitation of religion. The two use one another in order to further their individual goals.
The movie has no real protagonist. Not one of its souless main characters have any real good within. This lack of a “good guy” figure allows for a unique examination of the evil side of humanity. With no hero to compare to, audiences are free to immerse themselves in the character of Plainview without the moral judgment villains are accustomed to endure.
The film is so unapologetically strange it is hard to take your eyes off of the screen. One example of the interesting way this work of art is built is in the film’s first few minutes, which are entirely void of any dialogue. Even so, those minutes prove to be some of the most striking. This silence allows the musical score to take on a personality of its own, leaving audiences unsettled even in the relatively calm stages of the plot.
Despite the dark nature of the subject matter, which is as black as the oil the story is centered around, the beauty of the film is irrefutable. The cinematography is captivating and the art direction puts other period pieces to shame. Each image presented is a masterpiece on its own.
Daniel Day-Lewis proves his acting prowess with his role as Daniel Plainview. His every mannerism and facial expression speaks so well to the character that it will haunt audiences long after the film is over. Day-Lewis has already won numerous well-deserved awards for his role and is a favorite for Best Actor at this year’s Academy Awards. The film has also earned eight Oscar nominations.
“There Will be Blood” is a film that challenges cinematic conventions and audience perceptions alike. It is for this reason alone that moviegoers should add it to their list of must-see movies of the year. Combined with the flawlessly executed performance of Day-Lewis, amazing cinematography of Robert Elswit, and the chillingly mesmerizing musical score by composer Jonny Greenwood, it is a true masterpiece of undeniable cinematic significance.
