There Will Be Blood (2007)

There Will Be Blood is a dark, slow-burning character drama set in turn-of-the-century California that follows Daniel Plainview, a driven and increasingly ruthless prospector who rises to power in the early oil business. Using an adopted boy, H.W., to cultivate the image of a trustworthy family man, Plainview manipulates and bullies local landowners into selling their property so he can build his oil empire. His growing wealth and single-minded ambition bring him into a bitter, obsessive conflict with Eli Sunday, a charismatic young preacher whose attempts to build a religious following clash with Plainview’s commercial aims. Watching the film you’ll experience an intense, often unsettling portrait of ambition and moral decay: long, deliberate scenes that build pressure; explosive confrontations between two very different men; and a mounting sense of isolation and madness as Plainview sacrifices everything to his drive for control. Themes of greed, family, faith, and the corrosive effects of power are explored with bleak, uncompromising detail. Expect restrained but powerful performances, stark visuals, and a haunting atmosphere that lingers after the story ends.

Actors: Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Ciarán Hinds

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Runtime: 158 min

Genre: Drama

7.3 /10 93 /100 8.2 /10 8.3 /10