There Will be Blood (2007)

There Will be Blood (2007)

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Writer: Paul Thomas Anderson (based on a novel by Upton Sinclair)

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Dillon Freasier

Director of Photography: Robert Elswit

Editor: Dylan Tichenor

Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) is a small-time oil miner with a young adopted son. When he stumbles onto a fairly large oil mine, he makes enough money to try to start his own...

9 years later, he and his son are working on their own mines, when a young boy, Paul Sunday (Paul Dano, who also plays his twin brother, the very religious Eli Sunday) comes and tells him, for a price, where he can find an oil mine. And Daniel does find it, and make his fortune. But money can lead to greed. And greed can lead to murder.

Writing

4.0/5.0

Although a very intriguing story, it dragged a little in some parts. But the characterizations were extremley strong, the foreshadowing was evident, and the subtext was amazing. As we see how much Daniel hates religion and everything associated with it, we can assume that he had a religion-filled childhood, which he did not enjoy.

Directing

4.5/5.0

Brilliantly done! Anderson really manages to make every situation suspenseful and exciting, and brings every character to life.

Acting

5.0/5.0

Day-Lewis does a magnificant job as Daniel, making us hate him and sympathize with him at the same time. Also, the actor that played young HW, (Dillon Freasier in his first performance) did a surprizingly spectacular performance, as well as Paul Dano as Eli.

Cinematography/Sound

5.0/5.0

Brilliant! The shadows dancing across Daniel's face, the fire burning up the towers, everything was brilliant. The sound was also amazing. It's eerie when you hear the baby's crying coincide with the sound of the oil drill, or hearing the eerie music under the choirs singing "What a Friend we Have in Jesus".

Editing

3.5/5.0

Nothing great, maybe a little above average.

Overall

88%