Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Paramount Home Entertainment – 158 minutes – 2007 – Rated R – 1080p -Widescreen 2.35:1 – Dolby TruHD 5.1 audio mix

Daniel Day-Lewis will go down in the history books as one of the greatest actors of all time, and anyone who has seen There Will Be Blood can in no way dispute this. With most movies today you’re just watching elaborate special effects roller coaster rides, or a high- priced “movie star” playing themselves once again in a sequel. It’s very rare that you watch an actor on screen and become so totally immersed in the character they are portraying, that you seriously believe that they are that person. Daniel Day-Lewis delivers one of the best performances recorded on film, earning his recent Academy Award for best actor in There Will Be Blood, now available from Paramount Home Entertainment on Blu-ray. If you missed this film in theaters and you’ve got a good home entertainment center with all the bells and whistles, you’re in for something special.

THE MOVIE

Writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson likes to make films about characters that are as real as the people watching his movies. No one has superpowers; no one gets in a massive shootout and only takes a bullet in the arm; and there are no ten-minute car chases with tons of explosions. Just look at his previous films, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Punch Drunk Love; Anderson is an actor’s director and that’s why big names are drawn to him, (even Tom Cruise pursued him for his role in Magnolia).

There Will Be Blood is an epic about the oil rush in California during the late 1800’s that leads an ambitious man, Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis), on a quest to become wealthy by any means necessary. He’s ruthless and only cares about two things, himself and how much money he can make. When one of his workers is killed on the job, Plainview adopts his son, not because he doesn’t want the child to be an orphan, but because he can use the child as a device to bring in more business by giving the illusion that he is a decent man who cares for his son. Plainview meets his match when he attempts to con a family out of their land to get the oil beneath it, and goes head to head with their son, a shady young minister named Eli Sunday (played by Paul Dano), who uses the bible as his weapon of choice to get what he wants. Plainview and Sunday hate each other from the start because they are one of the same, fusing a battle that goes on for years. Plainview’s desire to have it all slowly sends him into an abyss of insanity, where he sees everyone as a foe, and uses his power to cut down anyone in his path.

This film is very slow paced, but Lewis’ performance holds your attention better than any action scene would, because you’re always waiting to see what he will say or do next. There are moments when Lewis, as Plainview, will just sit silently starring at someone and it will creep you out, because you’re waiting for him to explode. Robert De Niro is another actor who is capable of this, knowing that there are times when only the look in a character’s face is more powerful than any word they can say. Paul Dano was completely robbed of an Oscar nomination, because there are not that many actors who can stand up against a performer like Lewis and hold his own; especially for an actor as young as he is, he did an excellent job. The chemistry bouncing between this took actors will keep you glued to the screen.

The photography of There Will Be Blood becomes a character of the film as well, going for the epic feel that you rarely see in today’s movies. There are fantastic wide shots with depth of field that goes on forever, and extreme close ups to purposely show every flaw on the actor’s face. Director Anderson is anti-mainstream Hollywood, and his films demonstrate that with long takes of characters just standing around, or Plainview just sitting down and thinking what he’s going to do next. When was the last time you saw a character in a movie think? If you’re into snappy editing, shaky camera shots, out of control 360 degree action shots, this is not the film for you. But if you have the patience to see a story where characters evolve, and not one cliché scene to note, There Will Be Blood is a movie for people who love movies. Plus, Daniel Day-Lewis is the only actor who could have pulled off the now famous line, “I drink your milkshake.”

VIDEO

There Will Be Blood is a one of the best incentives to owning a Blu-ray player. With its brilliant cinemaphotography, and art direction, you will be very impressed by the transfer. The 1080p image and 2.35:1 aspect ratio shines in HD offering a picture quality that compliments the film. Turn of the century California was not a pretty place, and the film’s look completely focus in on its crudity. Whether it is the dust soaked terrain, the dirty faces of the characters, or the monstrous oil derricks that stand in the foreground, every bit of detail is present. There are times when character’s skin tones look a little too red, but overall for a film that’s not relying on CGI, it looks excellent. If you can, take a look at some scenes on the standard DVD, and then watch the same scenes on the Blu-ray version; the difference is like day and night.

AUDIO

This is a dialogue heavy film so it’s important to hear every whisper, grunt, yell, and of course the milkshake line, in absolute clarity. Thanks to the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio mix, every subtle sound flows smoothly, and in moments where the sound level is raised, such as the baptism or oil fire scenes, you’ll feel like you got a hit of adrenaline, because you’re so used to calmer sequences. There are no massive explosions, gunfights, screeching cars or the various other sound effects normally used to measure audio quality, but There Will Be Blood’s holds it’s own.

EXTRAS

For a film of this scale, the extras are very skimpy, not even offering a director’s commentary. Basically that means Paramount may double-dip this in the future with a deluxe edition. It sees like what has been included was just rushed together just so that something would be there; but at least it’s all in HD.

‘The Story of Petroleum’ is a half hour silent movie from the 1920’s that was used as a promotional film to show the growth of the oil industry in America. It’s an interesting history lesson if you give it your attention, and makes you realize how things have changed, particularly with today’s oil prices.

‘15 Minutes’ is a fifteen minute photo montage that compares real archive material with footage from the film. This sounds dull, but if you stick with it, it shows how much attention to detail was placed in the production.

‘Fishing’ and ‘Haircut/Interrupted Hymn’ are two deleted scenes that run just under ten minutes combined; and unlike most omitted scenes you see for movies, these are actually very good scenes that would have worked if they were added into the final film. This film was long, so it’s understandable why they removed these scenes, but maybe a director’s cut will offer even more in the future.

‘Dailies Gone Wild’ (what and odd title), is an outtake that shows an alternative way Daniel Day-Lewis did a scene. He even comes out of character in the end and laughs, the first time you’ll actually see him do this as Plainview.

BOTTOM LINE

For those out there who always say there are no good movies made anymore, just junk made for teenagers; There Will Be Blood will be like a breath of fresh air. Daniel Day-Lewis gives what may be the best performance of his career to date, and director Paul Thomas Anderson shows that he is growing as a filmmaker. This Blu-ray displays a practically flawless picture quality, and a great audio mix to compliment it. The extras leave a lot to be desired, making you wonder if a deluxe director’s cut is on the horizon, but whether or not that ever happens, There Will Be Blood is a must own.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 4.5

Video: 4.5

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 2.5

Bottom Line: 4.0