User reviews

Leonardo DiCaprio has become one of the premiere American actors. With a set of natural instincts that lends a non-showy, believable quality to all of his performances, versatility, and movie star size charisma that fills up the screen and emotionally hooks the viewer into his character and story, it is hard to think of another male American actor (with the exception of Johnny Depp) who is consistently giving an audience its money worth; these two gentleman have taken the reins from Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington, as those two Oscar-winning future legends of the silver screen gracefully age into more mature roles.

In Blood Diamond, it is Mr. DiCaprio's performance that raises this film above it's standard Hollywood fare of a script (although it is a solid script) into something memorable. His performance here as an opportunistic diamond smuggler equals that of the one he gave earlier in the fall as "Billy Costigan" in The Departed, although the two characters couldn't be more different from each other. It may be his best performance yet, and in terms of sheer charisma and memorability it certainly rivals his mega-star making performance as "Jack Dawson" in Titanic.

I liked Blood Diamond a great deal, but do not think it is a great film. A good movie? Yes. Very mainstream and formulaic, but it is raised up quite a bit by DiCaprio's character and his terrific realization of it. If I had read this script beforehand, I never would have thought of Leo for this role- possibly George Clooney or some other star known for "roguish charm," but not Leo. But now, having seen it, I can't imagine anybody else as "Danny Archer;" it is a fully realized, winning performance.

Mr. Hounsou was wonderful as well, and I liked the chemistry between the two men in their scenes together. He was able to make the audience feel the gamut of emotions his character experiences during the course of the movie- pride and hope, fear, outrage, resignation, mistrust, desperation, and determination, and beautifully rises above the somewhat limiting way his role was written.

I thought Ms. Connelly did as good a job as possible in her role as "the idealistic journalist who wants to make a difference." Her part was just a larger version of Joaquin Phoenix's in Hotel Rwanda. As always, I find she brings a certain dignity and intelligence to her performances and does not allow her incredible beauty to overshadow her acting. I thought she and Leo worked wonderfully together, as well, and along with Mr. Hounsou they make an engaging trio you can't help rooting for.

In comparing it to other recent films about Africa, I didn't think this was quite as good as as Hotel Rwanda, but better than The Interpreter, The Constant Gardener, and The Last King of Scotland. I felt an emotional engagement with the characters I didn't experience in the latter three films. I found the script allowed my care for the characters to grow as the story progressed, and was not overly manipulative. At times it veered too much into standard action movie territory, with much violence and many "close calls" but would then be brought back into the realm of compelling human drama by a wonderfully acted, intimate scene.

After reading some early negative comments, I was pleasantly surprised at my response to it. Compelling characters and the skillful use of a truly gripping global issue as the plot line make this a satisfying viewing experience- one that I would happily see again.

Because I lived in Sierra Leone, in fact in Kono, the diamond-mining area of the country, for three years, I had to see Blood Diamond as soon as it came out. It is an excellent movie. Although it was not filmed in Sierra Leone, it captures the reality of the country to a remarkable degree. There is a great deal of violence in this movie, but that violence is organic, realistic, fitting to what happened there. They even manage to convey the fact that the people are as astonished by this violence as we are; Sierra Leone used to be one of the safest countries in the world. The movie tells the facts about conflict diamonds quickly and accurately. DiCaprio's performance is impressive, certainly the best by him I've ever seen: he is totally believable as a white African. Jennifer Connelly's role is much smaller but she makes the most of it. Djiman Housou has enormous physical presence as the brave Mende fisherman. This movie just gets so many things right that the few places it departs from reality are entirely forgivable. I would heartily recommend this movie to everyone; it is the best Hollywood movie I've seen in years.

In Sierra Leone, there exists diamonds worth a fair amount of money. But they are harvested by slaves and sold to fund genocide. This is the story of one of those slaves, a diamond smuggler (with connections to Belgium, England, And Liberia) and a journalist. Together, they will fight to win a story, a diamond and a family. But sacrifices will be made.

We have an amazing cast, so let me just get them out of the way -- Leonardo DiCaprio as smuggler Danny Archer, Djimon Hounsou as native African Solomon Vandy and Jennifer Connelly as journalist Maddy Bowen. DiCaprio rarely makes bad films, and my unending praise for Connelly is seen in a variety of reviews I've written... this film will be no exception to her glowing track record.

This film has action, suspense and a good story to tell. Like "The Insider" (or whatever the tobacco movie is called), this exposes how diamonds come to be on the market. I'd like to say things have improved since the time period shown here (1990s) but I don't know if I believe that. I appreciate the honest portrayal here, not shying away from the violence or the horrible conditions the children go through. Humor is absent, and even romance (which would be so easy to add in) is never at the front of the story.

I don't know how to sell this film other than that: if you care about world events, or care about the fate of innocent people ,you'll care about this movie. Even if you don't want this to be that heavy and just take it as entertainment (which it is on some levels), I think you'll still enjoy it (Jennifer Connelly!). Wish I could say more, but it's a cut and dry case: great movie, worth seeing, check it out.

"Blood Diamond" is the kind of action film that makes you think that 'a moment of love, even in a bad man, can give meaning to a life...'

The film opens in Sierra Leone, 1999 when Civil war rages for control of the diamond fields…According to devastating reports, these stones are being used with both rebels and government forces to purchase more weapons and finance civil war…

Danny Archer—crazy for diamonds like everybody else—believes this pink gem holds his ticket out of this godforsaken continent… He is a smuggler, a former mercenary and weapons trader from Zimbabwe who bribes all, and supplies arms to both sides… He gets Solomon Vandy—captured by government troops—out of jail only because he overhears that the fisherman might have found a clear massive stone about the size of a bird's egg…

Vandy—forced apart from his family and sent off to work as a slave in the minefields—has hided the enormous 100 carat diamond from his captors and buried it in a secret place within the jungle… His son Dia is taking away by a brainwashing militia called the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) turning him with lies, drugs, and liquor, into a cold-blooded murderer…

Danny makes a deal to help the noble fisherman find his family if Vandy will lead him to the diamond… The majority of the story is their journey across the war torn country…

Leonard DiCaprio is both ruthless and charming as the cynical soldier of fortune who knows an opportunity when it presents itself… But he also is aggressive and selfish willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants… He illustrates the black side of the dirty diamond trade… On his trek to find the stone, Archer's eyes are opened to some enduring values that surpass his own self-profit…

Djimon Hounsou eventually realizes that Danny's connections and money are his only hope… He plays a helpless character totally passionate as the resolving and fiercely determined father desperate to learn the fate of his family…

Connelly is an idealist who wishes to display corruption… She thinks that with Archer's help she can get a unique story line surrounding the civil war but also revealing corporate malfeasance and cover-up behind the diamond trade…

It is also good to mention Arnold Vosloo in the role of Colonel Coetzee, head of the army unit also trying to claim the diamond… He's a great character actor and remains a powerful presence and one of the screen's most efficient scene-stealer…

Nominated for five Oscars, "Blood Diamond" is an action, political adventure at its best!

The torturous road of South African diamonds to the greedy fingers of an indifferent world makes this new Edward Zwick movie one of the most powerful Action/Adventure/Dramas to come out of Hollywood in a long time. The perfect balance between entertainment and a thoughtful social commentary helps the center of the story to have a real heart and a palpable respect for us, the audience. All this praise and I still have not mentioned Leonardo Di Caprio or Djimon Hounsou but I'm going to. Di Caprio opens a new door, introducing us to a character who is a first in his already extraordinary career. He startled us as a very young man with "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" before he fell with a serious case of Titanictis. Now, after a three a long and serious Scorsese cures, this spectacular actor makes me believe that we haven't seen anything yet. Remarkable. As remarkable as the soulful Djimon Hounsou who manages to give the film a visible soul. I was moved and yes, I must admit, surprised. Apart from the visual and interpretative prowess of "Blood Diamond" there is a realistic view of a third world country as shattering as the unforgettable one in "City Of God" Don't miss it.

I have not been a Leonardo DiCaprio fan. I do like Djimon Hounsou and have seen several of his films. Watching this film, I have to say that both deserve every single award they received and should have probably gotten every award they were nominated for. I only hesitate to state this unequivocally because I have not seen The Last King of Scotland yet.

This story needed to be told and I cannot imagine anyone telling it better that DiCaprio and Hounsou in the extremely capable hands of Edward Zwick, working with an outstanding script by Charles Leavitt.

The story was tender, exciting, awesome, and, at times, just plain disgusting. The fact that there are countries that brainwash children and turn them against their parents and make killers out of them is inexcusable. The fact that these people are operating today is a blot of shame on all so-called civilized nations, including my own.

This is our homeland. All humans came from this soil. What we allow to happen there in the name of beauty is disgusting.

I cannot imagine anyone not owning this movie so as to watch it many times and remind ourselves that if we are not part of the solution to this problem, we share some of the blame for it.

An undeniably powerful and breathtaking film from talented director Edward Zwick. 'Blood Diamond' is a beautifully shot war thriller set against the backdrop of the Sierra Leone civil war, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou in their Oscar-nominated roles. By far one of the best war dramas of modern times, 'Blood Diamond' is a powerful testament in the film industry boasting intense and well-executed action scenes and heart-wrenching drama. Zwick's vision truly outpaces his narrative in this compulsive and thought-provoking tale. An exciting and compelling tale, that stand as a great acting showcase for the two leads.

1990 ,Sierra Leona,this is the story of Danny Archer(Leonardo DiCaprio),an ex-mercenary and nowadays diamonds smuggler and a fisherman named Salomon(Dijimon Honsou),besides a reporter named Maggie(Jennifer Connelly).Meantime Danny is prisoned for smuggling ,he learns that the fisherman was forced to quest of diamonds and he hid a giant hot rock.He was kidnapped and removed his family and then their fates become jointed when the two men embark on a dangerous mission throughout enemy lines.They confront perils and risks with imposing tension,action,violence to save his family and retrieve the rough stone,but they find themselves on a collision course with another groups to encounter the marvellous jewell: The revolutionaries forces and the cruel colonel(Arnold Vosloo) who also want to claim.The film displays a political denounce about the countries' indifference to preventing the civil war and horrible genocide and ambition of businessmen on diamonds smuggling.The movie gets an acid critic to the indolence of United Nations and international community(exception by the Ambassador played by Stephen Collins) and the abandon of foreign policy.Thus, a personage says that origin conflict is for apartheid policy realized by Belgian and the King Leopold(like in Hotel Rwanda).The film has lots of action,fast pace,emotional drama,romance and touching scenes.Exceptional performances by its entire cast with special mention by nominated to Oscar,Dijimon Honsou(Amistad,Gladiator).Atmospheric,colorful cinematography by Eduardo Serra(The earring pearl girl).Sensible,perceptible and sometimes spectacular musical score by James Newton Howard.The motion picture is well directed by Edward Zwick(Glory,The last Samuray).

The picture combines action,intrigue,violence,historical backdrop,based on real events.The movie contains exciting and violent scenes like is the breathtaking battle when the military revolutionaries going into the capital Freetown with blood and fire ,including rampage,ravage and indiscriminate massacre.The film will like to Leonardo DiCaprio fans containing numerous scenes have you on the edge of your seat.

One of the best films of the new century so far, Blood Diamond is both great action entertainment and a searing indictment of the exploitation of the African continent even years after the imperial European powers left their colonial possessions to fend for themselves. Africa, a continent wealthy in mineral resources with its peoples reduced to poverty at the mercy of tribal rivalries now armed with the automatic weapons of the former imperialists.

By the title you guess that what people are after are diamonds which is a trade to be sure that has its international regulations. It also has people willing to skirt and ignore those regulations in pursuit of the almighty profit. The brokers be they in London, New York, or Amsterdam pay plenty of money under the table for the gems which then finance various 'revolutionary' groups who have this game going with the governments. They don't really want to take power as Leonardo DiCaprio explains to journalist Jennifer Connelly because then they'd have to govern the country. Better just to keep the revolution going, get bought off until the rulers get rich enough and just go into exile and the revolutionaries are stuck with it. No Nelson Mandelas among this crowd. And the poor as typified by fisherman Djimon Hounsou suffer.

Chance and happenstance throw Hounsou in jail with Leonardo DiCaprio, a mercenary. Hounsou found and buried a large diamond the size of a bird's egg. DiCaprio learns of it when they're in jail together and the two make an alliance of convenience when there is a rebel attack and they're freed from prison. The bulk of the story concerns the two of them trying to retrieve that diamond to get out of Africa and on to a more settled life in Europe and/or America.

DiCaprio and Hounsou were nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor respectively. In different categories to be sure so they would not kill each other off in the voting. Sad to say neither of them won and that is a pity because I think they both deserved it.

Hounsou is best known as the slave leader Cinque who overtook the crew of the Amistad in that film and he also got an Oscar nomination for that film. As for Leonardo DiCaprio, for me this is the best film he's been in so far in his career. His character is absolutely flawless.

DiCaprio is from Rhodesia and lest one thing that whites did not suffer in the changing sub Saharan Africa of the last half of the last century when he tells his story to Jennifer Connelly, you will graphically realize why DiCaprio is the hard case he is. After about five or six generations of settlers there, DiCaprio felt Africa was his home as well. You will empathize with that point of view after that scene.

Blood Diamond got Oscar nominations for Sound and for Film Editing. Sadly it did not win anything that year. And it is beyond belief it was not considered for Best Picture.

There's enough action to satisfy those fans, but the real essence of Blood Diamond is the story it tells both of an exploited Africa and of the alliance/friendship of DiCaprio and Hounsou. Don't miss this one at all.

There is quiet intensity and explosive intensity. I was going to say that 'Blood Diamond' makes no pretense about subscribing to the latter, but the fact is that it does. On the one hand, it treats heavy, salient issues like diamond trade and the trafficking of child-soldiers in Africa, even including a few lines of warning in the credits, but on the other hand it is structured and executed like a generic adventure treasure hunt. It cannot decide what it wants to be, and regrettably botches through both paths.

Set against the backdrop of civil war and chaos in 1990's Sierra Leone, Blood Diamond follows Rhodesian mercenary (oooh, scary!) Danny Archer (Leonardo Dicaprio), Mende fisherman Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) and American journalist Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly) on a quest to find a rare pink diamond that Solomon first found when he was forced to work in the diamond fields. It intertwines bouts of blood-soaked encounters with child-soldiers, one of which is Solomon's own son that has been taken from him, and with emotional blackmail it cues us in to feel for the miserable conditions in Africa and the venality with which things are run.

The problem is that every slightly serious scene—every moment—is interrupted by some loud explosion, gun violence or shouting and sometimes all three. This is irritating in the film and it suggests two things: the script is unbearably lazy and sees action galore as a plot device and way to avoid writing the end of 'difficult' scenes with conversation or character development or 'Blood Diamond' tells us that we should not take it seriously and just treat it as any run-of-the-mill action-adventure. The problem with this is that it lacks the charm and sparkle in the eye of 'Indiana Jones', and Dicaprio is much too moody and unlikeable as a protagonist.

I have not yet seen many of the Oscar nominated actors' performances, but Leonardo Dicaprio's interpretation of the hard-boiled mercenary is the least deserving so far. It baffles me that such an action-oriented adventure with such a testosterone-fuelled lead could snag nominations with the drama-favouring academy, and I suspect this is solely because of its hazy political core. In comparison, Dicaprio is like Daniel Craig in Casino Royale but without the serious, emotional scenes. Apparently his South African accent is fairly in-tune, according to South Africans, but it seems uneven, exaggerated and varying in pronunciation to me.

None of the other performances are noteworthy either. Djimon Hounsou, shouting does not a good performance make. Jennifer Connelly warms up slightly in her role, shifting from her usual emotionally numb and somber state to being a little smilier, but here she is at the mercy of an underwritten character and there are not many ways in which she can go. The supporting cast for 'Blood Diamond' may be rather one-dimensional caricatures of evil corporate white men and black hard-edged guerilla leaders with berets, but they serve their respective functions rather aptly, especially Michael Sheen's brief appearance. The only issue I have here is that African people speak broken English to each other. Even if they're from the same family.

In the end, 'Blood Diamond' snags the 6 out of 10 from me. The cinematography is gorgeous with a screen that is awash with dramatic colours and shots, the action is fast-paced and exciting and the atmosphere is admirably gritty and visceral in the deep jungles of Africa. It features a ridiculous, two-faced mix between heavy-handed politics á la Constant Gardener and adrenaline-pumping action á la... any action film. It should in all theory be possible to join these two sides, and 'Blood Diamond' possesses all the necessary ingredients to do so, but no blender in which to stir it.

6 out of 10

A few years back I had the pleasure of visiting Antwerp, Belgium, a place many deem "the diamond capital of the world." Never before or since have I been in a location where I was surrounded by so much "bling". Storefronts had so many diamonds on display you would think they should be better kept in some European version of Fort Knox.

The film Blood Diamond puts an entirely new spin on Antwerp, the diamond industry and that pricey stone you might be wearing around your neck, on your ring finger, or in your ears (mine are cubic-Zs). Set in the West African country of Sierra Leone during the 1990s, this historical-adventure-drama covers a time when the country was in turmoil. Warlords, smugglers and the diamond syndicate all play roles in a refugee exodus, and the killing and enslaving of men to work the diamond fields. The title refers to diamonds which are harvested, smuggled and traded to finance the purchase of weapons used in Civil War.

Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) stars as a fisherman who has his family torn apart and instead of being killed, is sent to work mining diamonds where he finds and hides a large stone. Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) a former mercenary, diamond-smuggler, middleman, you-name-it, is looking to score with that stone and exit the business for good. Writer Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly) is tired of writing shallow stories about less than newsworthy events; she is looking for information about major players in the diamond trade. They all come together in a fast paced, adventure packed piece of film-making that is brutal at times but never boring. The film has a pleasant, unanticipated ending, something hard to pull off in a film of this kind.

Director/Producer Edward Zwick is probably the best in Hollywood at taking a big budget feature film with a historical theme and carefully relay a message without lecturing his audience. His earlier works include a story of the first all-black U.S. Civil War company in "Glory" a film, which resulted in Denzel Washington winning his first Oscar. Zwick takes credit for works like The Last Samurai, Shakespeare in Love, Traffic and Courage Under Fire. He is second to no one when it comes to balancing a historical event with action-drama entertainment. Edward Zwick is one of few L.A. directors who still works within the Hollywood establishment yet is able to put out good quality film.

Check out Blood Diamond, your "bling" may never look the same again.

I have never written a review but this film was so moving that it made me write in its praise....

well the film is awesome especially the cast has done their best job.... Leonardo is o flawless and so natural and so are the other main cast...

If you like moving film then this sure will make you cry.... It is one of those films that definitely make you cry like Saving private Ryan, gladiator,ip man, up pixar......

All in all great film, greater acting, one of Leonardo's best and absolutely a must watch.

I rate this a ten because I had the privilege of going to Sierra Leone after the war and participate in one of the war crimes trials there at the Special Court for Sierra Leone, created by the Sierra Leone government with the United Nations.

In a bit more than two and a half hours, the writers and directors have to tell the story of the civil war, keep it concise yet true, and tell it through the eyes of a few participants. Because the story line is so true, and the acting, writing, directing, locations, people, and photography are all superior, I must admit prejudice toward such a high rating. My local reviewer gave it a B+.

My exposure to the civil war and only some of the events of this movie were based on reading books, hundreds of witness statements, online material about the war, including the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Report, and listening to over 100 witnesses testify, and my trial was not even those of the RUF and AFRC, the really bad actors of the war, as the movie shows, pulling no punches. The accounts of atrocities are shockingly real. Tens of thousands had hands amputated, people were indiscriminately murdered, women raped or forced to marry, villages were burned, and children were kidnapped and forced to fight the war for both of the rebel factions (RUF and AFRC). Making a child a soldier is a war crime, and this movie artfully shows you why, without saying a word about it.

Sherman said, about our own Civil War, that "War is hell." But, African civil war is far different and atrocious because it inevitably leads to atrocities.

This fine work, with Hotel Rwanda, stands out as a film seriously attempting to explain the atrocities that Africans somehow can do to themselves.

What does it take to turn someone into a killer? The answer is different for each character involved in this movie. For some it is survival. For others it is the hope of escape from a life of hell. For some it is family. For others it is greed. Caught in the middle of it all are the children who have such little desire to kill for any reason that they must be brainwashed into becoming the instruments of their masters who claim to offer freedom.

Every few years an action movie comes along that has amazing depth. Terminator 2 and The Matrix are such movies, and so is Blood Diamond. It is full of characterizations we've seen before, but it's the interaction that raises this film above the masses. Each character has an agenda that forces him or her to distrust everyone else. The paths that some relationships take to develop trust are believable, while others are equally believable in remaining eternally antagonistic. And through it all is the realization that while some characters may change their methodology and morals, none ever change their dreams. Each character fights for the goal to the bitter end. Such is human nature, and such is the conflict of Blood Diamond, the conflict of Africa. In the end, we are left to wonder if peace can ever be attained in such a world. And somehow we are left believing that maybe it can.

This film tells the story of two young men who are involved in the diamond trade, one willingly and the other one reluctantly.

"Blood Diamond"is a tough film to watch. There are many scenes portraying monstrous atrocities that are so disturbing. I can hardly believe that in some countries the political situation it's do unstable that people just drive around with machine guns, killing innocent citizens whenever they want to. The country and the economy cannot develop under those circumstances. It's horrifyingly sad to see such things happening, and it's even more sad to see such crimes against humanity is fuelled by people's demand for diamonds. Diamonds have such a noble image that no one could even imagine how dark the origin of the gem is.

The film is well made, the script is engaging and the pacing is tight. We see the two leads depending on each other to get what they wanted, and the ultimate sacrifice they have to make is shocking. "Blood Diamond" is a must watch for anyone with a heart.

... which is a shame, because if Danny Archer had been anything other than a weak and soft 'Rhodesian' with a dodgy accent I think the film would have been a bit more grounded in reality, that role needed the toughest of the tough to survive in those conditions and poor young Leonardo just didn't cut the mustard. That said, the rest of the tale was sufficient to leave you under no illusion of the events that took place in this part of Africa, the death and destruction as a result and the greed and corruption on other continents that ultimately caused it.

I almost watch this every month or two on Netflix...

First I want to say I went into this movie with hopes of it being great but had heard numerous slams against the acting, mostly Leo's accent. Wow were they DEAD WRONG! The movie delivers everything it should have and more. I like going into a movie and being entertained and learning something at the same time, especially at the ridiculous costs of tickets now days. I must say the movie was graphic at times but I think it needed to be in order to get the point across so if you have trouble watching terrible things happen to people including children then I wouldn't recommend this movie. Overall I hope this movie gets some nods when it comes around to Oscar time, Leo deserves a nod for sure whether it be from this movie or from The Departed. So if you don't have a problem with violence and want to learn something and be entertained at the same time then this is the movie you want to see! Kudos to Ed Zwick and everyone involved in making this wonderful film, it was a real treat to watch.

The year is 1999. Sierra Leone is in a state of chaos with a war going on between the government military and the R. U. F. (revolutionary united front), a rebellious militia who spend their days terrorizing the people of their country, killing them and stealing their children to turn into soldiers for their cause. The R. U. F. Soldiers continuously say they are fighting to make their country better, but they are really just anarchists that are fighting to gain wealth/power.

Soloman Vandy is a fisherman in a local village who lives a quiet life with his wife, two daughters, and son. Soloman's son, Dia, loves soccer and reading. He goes to school everyday to learn in hopes of one day becoming a doctor. One day the RUF attack the village, and capture Soloman while his family escape. A few days later another troop of R. U. F. Soldiers find Soloman's family and take his boy Dia from his mother and sisters.

Danny Archer was born and raised in Zimbabwe. His family was killed when he was a boy, and Danny found himself recruited as a child soldier. After growing up Danny spent time as a mercenary before getting into smugling guns.

Maddy Bowen is a journalist who just can't help but want to live in a constant state of crisis.

All three people find themselves brought together through a series of events happening within the war in Sierra Leone.

This is not a happy movie to view, but it's really good!! The performances of Hounsou, DiCaprio, Connelly, and Harewood are exceptional 👌. I wonder if Hounsou studied acting before he became a model, cause I've always been impressed with him before, but he really deserved the recognition he got for this role (wonder who beat him out for those awards). Harewood was wonderfully evil in his performance. WoW! (I've only known him as Jon Jonz) DiCaprio and Connelly are incredible as always. I give this pic a 7.5 rating all the way!

I was enjoying this very much when Jennifer Connelly entered the story and it began to go downhill after that, big-time. Hey, I always found her pretty fascinating and easy on the eyes, but she seems to play annoying, bitchy characters that I can't stand.

Connelly's role isn't as obnoxious and unlikeable as she was her role in "House Of Sand And Fog," but she's still moody, preachy, profane, sarcastic and too full of herself as she plays a journalist in the mode of some woman who thinks she's some great crusader. According to her, no one in the United States should ever buy a diamond ring for the fiancée/wife because they are akin to murderers if they do. This point is hammered several times and (1) is ludicrous; (2) unrealistic; (3) condescending to any audience of any intelligence.

That's the trouble with the picture, as a whole: too preachy.

We don't need points hammered home the way they are here, thinking us - the audience - is that stupid to get the messages the first or second time. The main characters are all movie cliché types - the greedy smuggler, Watergate-type journalist, brave African warrior, rich and uncaring white men running the operations, etc etc.

In addition, Leonardo DiCaprio's accent is just not believable, perhaps because is something we aren't used to hearing from him. It may not be his fault, because he's a good actor, but it didn't click. The accent didn't sound right, and it became distracting. Conelley, as mentioned, is just super annoying, only there for her looks. Dimon Hounsou as "Soloman Vandy" overacted. Raising one's voice here and there and screaming doesn't make one a good actor.

The cinematography was wonderful. This is nice-looking film which includes spectacular African scenery. It was, by far, the best thing about the movie.