The action was intense, but the story was a little sluggish
Added 11/12/2009
The action is intense, but like the title of the review states... the story is very sluggish. The movie is weak on character development and that is something that is actually odd for an Edward Zwick (Director) movie. I enjoyed Glory and The Last Samurai, but not Blood Diamond.
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Best seller ever
Added 11/12/2009
I got the movie right away in great shape, like new ... I love this movie it has a big message to all the people who are nuts over Diamonds and dont know where they come from or who pays with their lives.. A movie that makes you think !!.. Thanks Again
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Good action and story
Added 11/10/2009
Really good movie that shows some crazy stuff that happens for control of diamonds in africa. A lot of really graphic violence and realistic affects too. It got passed me in the theatres and when it came out on video it was well worth watching
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Hard-hitting film disguised as an adventure story
Added 10/23/2009
Director Edward Zwick ("Glory," "Courage Under Fire," "The Siege," "The Last Samurai") has never been one to shy away from touchy subjects. Nor is he afraid to tackle morally complex material and put his actors and their characters (and for that matter, the audience right along with them) through the emotional gauntlet. He usually makes his points bearable and--against all odds--entertaining by packaging them in action-packed stories. This time around, he shows how the diamond trade affects Sierra Leone and its neighboring nations.
Playing an unscrupulous soldier of fortune who, after living his entire life in Africa, has become a world-class cynic, Leonardo DiCaprio handles a difficult accent quite well and turns in yet another great performance. With the help of a morally-upright father (Djimon Hounsou)--who has been separated from his family by ruthless rebels who kill and brutally maim entire villages at will and either subjugate or brainwash the few remaining survivors into service--and an ambitious journalist (Jennifer Connelly) who wants to expose the rampant corruption she sees in its effects on the people, he makes his way through one hostile territory after another to find a diamond valuable enough to buy his way out of what he aptly calls a God-forsaken place.
Along the way, he sometimes does the right thing because it serves his purpose, but as he goes along, his motives become less and less selfish. Zwick is one of the few directors who could make such a transformation believable. "Blood Diamond" shows off his ability to portray tragic and horrific things without being exploitative and also how hope and redemption are possible and even necessary in even the worst of situations.
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Insight into high risk smuggling.
Added 9/28/2009
I love the video, it is packed with action. The lead actors do a very good job of portraying the high risks of smuggling in Africa's continual civil wars.
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Terrible movie bad language in it
Added 11/6/2009
I did not watch more than 5 minutes as it had the "F" word every other word
not something I would waste electricity on
had not seen it but bought it for Decapprio's acting
why put filth in your mind?
Will remember that Scorsaie movies have bad language as was pointed out to me later.
This may seem awful to comment on but have seen movies with these actors and clean language that are very enjoyable
the fact that it was a crime drama did not hurt my opinion as the filthy language and that in its self detracts from a good story.
Which is why I buy movies to enjoy the writers thoughts.
So felt it necesary to tell people why I did not like it
then they can choose for themselves to waste good money after bad thoughts.
well that was wasted money
DO NOT BUY UNLESS YOU HAVE SEEN IT I forgot my observations on that statement?
chfancier
0 out of 7 people found this helpful.
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An Instant Classic!!!
Added 11/5/2009
Departed is a crime drama directed by my main man Martin S. It's well acted and the pacing is incredible. If you are a crime buff, buy this movie. I loved the plot, I loved the tension, I loved the gore and I really loved the ending...However, what really struck me (and probably only me) is that this film presents us with one of the greatest battles between good and evil I've ever seen.
Matt Damon is the villain, here, and he's the most digusting person ever. Bred a criminal litterally from the age of 10 to his graduation of the Massachusetts State Police Department, he goes undercover as a police officer in the "Staties" to keep the fuzz off of the back of his boss Jack Nicholson, Boston's most notorious mobster. Meanwhile, head of Internal Affairs Martin Sheen and Marky-Mark have a man or two planted in Nicholson's outfit that Matt Damon doesn't quite know about...yet. Sheen hires "Statie" graduate DiCaprio under the table to go undercover as a muscle for Nicholson to gather evidence for an offical and legal coup. You see, DiCaprio was sort of a black sheep in his family, very innocent and benevolent. Since both his father and uncle once worked with Nicholson in previous years, it's implied that Nicholson just assumes the very smart and talented "kid" is trustworthy enough to resume his family's work in the mafia. The whole point of the film is DiCaprio's taking down Nicholson without being made by Damon.
Damon and DiCaprio are written perfectly into the movie. Damon is a slick smart-alec who can get anything and everything he wants acting like the "good guy"...while DiCaprio (the real good guy) suffers through beatings and murders, totally killing his spirit to fight crime. The movie gets good when an affair with woman brings these two guys together. You can see their true colors and really appreciate the excellent performances they put out. Nicholson is also very sinister in this movie. He was perfect for the role of a criminal that's getting old. Good lines and great expressions. This is definitely his best role as an older character. Sheen and Wahlberg play believable cops. Sheen is completely innocent and kind. Mark W. is a little harsh, but you periodically see him swallow his pride and show that he's a warmhearted guy deep down. Other cast members are great. Some are pretty funny, actually. If the plot sounds cool, check it out. This is a movie about murder, deception, loss and how pride really does come before the fall. A+
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Martin Scorsese is back in a big way!
Added 10/23/2009
"The Departed" inspires many easy superlatives: the director's best since "Goodfellas"--maybe even better; his most entertaining film since "The Color of Money"--maybe even more; and the best story he has put to screen since "The Age of Innocence"--maybe even better. To throw some more hyperbolical praise its way, here goes: This is the best gangster film since "Pulp Fiction"--maybe even...well, you get the point.
Like Michael Mann ("Collateral," "Heat"), Scorsese has gone back to what he does best, yet integrates the filmmaking skills he picked up from his departures from his original genre. The result is a movie that fires on all pistons. The story of two rats--one a cop pretending to be a gangster (Leonardo DiCaprio), the other a loyal gangster who appears to be a cop (Matt Damon)--and the devilish boss they both serve (Jack Nicholson) is an intellectual roller-coaster ride that keeps viewers glued to their seats until the final frames. Working from a superb script by William Monaghan (Kingdom of Heaven), all the actors in the star-studded cast turn in exceptional performances. DiCaprio shines yet again in his third collaboration with Scorsese (the first two were Gangs of New York and The Aviator); beneath his poker-faced façade, Damon shows a greater range of emotional expression here than he ever has before; Mark Wahlberg, as an abrasive, in-your-face, hard-edged bulldog of a police sergeant, has stepped right back into the big time with his Oscar-worthy work here (his best ever and most memorable since Boogie Nights); as the lone lady in a boys' show, Vera Farmiga also holds the screen and provides the movie with some much needed heart; and in the limited screen time they have, Alec Baldwin, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, and even Anthony Anderson manage to be memorable.
Simply stated, everything about this movie works (even Nicholson's reckless excesses): every detail, every plot twist, and every rockin' soundtrack choice. More than any other movie in recent memory, The Departed illustrates how most of us live double lives and how devastating the circumstances of doing so can be when they finally catch up to us.
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