There Will Be Blood Review

The main character Daniel Plainview  (played by daniel day lewis) was a person you rather loathed from start to end and it only got worse as time wore on. He was despicable and he never got any better. It was disturbing that this character didn't move or grow but I felt for this film,  it was not necessary.  The point of the film was to make people see what happens when you live a life full of greed and excess- not caring for anyone but yourself. Everything was all about gain, a means to an end- for Daniel Plainview.    

I think that the importance of the film, of this story is to show how greed/money/power really does corrupt society. it happened back then [the film is set in the old west and in the 1800's and 1900's, based on upton sinclair's novel- OIL!] and i believe it continues to take place in present society in many ways. It is very relevant to our current time.   

Daniel Plainview is greedy, selfish, corrupt, and destructive. always wanting more, always lusting for excess. He even uses his "son" to cultivate trust from people and gain control and power over the town.  It was a perfect film to point out the ways in which evil is truly man-made.

I felt it curious that the two strongest characters (Daniel and Eli)  in the film shared much of the same motivations, underpinnings-- while outwardly showing something else. Both deceptive and under-handed in nature, they really were so very awfully a like - and yet,  one could see the duplicities in both of their characters. 

The greed [for oil and money and possession of land and property] of daniel plainview and the christian fanaticism of  Eli Sunday (Paul Dano) illustrated the different ways in which people can become corrupt [capitalism vs. religion] in their quest for power and in their greed.  

As everyone knows, too much power equals corruption and destruction of humanity. Both characters knew how to manipulate people and how to sell themselves to people to get what they wanted. I felt there was a correlation between the two. It seemed as if both were charlatans, in a sense.  

IF you see There will be Blood- be prepared for a long and heavy film - one that is filled with real intensity.  It was very dark. The film and even the soundtrack [as produced by Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead] was very raw, stark, full of dischord and dissonance not unlike the characters or the storyline of the film. It further illustrated the feeling and atmosphere, as well as the direction the film was traveling towards. Ominous and quite intense. Brooding.  

Also, I felt this film to be far different than any of P.T. Anderson's previous films. For sure, it is a film that holds deep meaning and reflects on the way society [past and present/modern society] and humanity can create destruction in the wake of man's selfishness and greed. In all of its raw nature of man's complexities and failings is the obvious truth and knowledge that too much power put into the wrong hands is deadly and that greed and hunger will only further facilitate the downfall and ruination of man.