'There Will Be Blood' is a grand and powerful epic about the ceaseless pursuit of success. 'There Will Be Blood' is a movie about capitalism, about greed and the human abysses associated with it.
At the center is the oilman Daniel Plainview. He is an unscrupulous man who is willing to use any means to get what he wants. What he wants become clear relatively quickly. He wants to be successful and everything, really everything he does is aimed at this goal. Nobody should be more successful than him. He has no empathy and yet it is fascinating to follow this character and his development.
There are always moments when you have the feeling that deep down there is more. The pure pursuit of success is not everything in his life. These moments flash especially when it comes to his son. These are brief moments when his hard core cracks.
But the movie is much more than a character study. It is also a juxtaposition of morality and the human abyss. His biggest competitors are not other companies or the like. His biggest competitor is the seemingly harmless Eli Sunday. He represents the church (morality). He is in every respect the pure opposite of Daniel, but is not less extreme. Everyone is subject to temptations and so he too gives in at some point. Phasewise you have the feeling Daniel is the devil in person.
There is nothing special about either person. You don't even learn any real background information. They remain anonymous and could be replaced at will.
Also, it has to be said, 'There Will Be Blood' is bursting with epic settings and scenes. There are so many moments that remain in the memory. Be it the incredibly good opening scene, the burning derrick or the final scene. Every shot is like a portrait.
'There Will Be Blood' is a great movie that doesn't lose its intensity even if you watch it several times.
At the center is the oilman Daniel Plainview. He is an unscrupulous man who is willing to use any means to get what he wants. What he wants become clear relatively quickly. He wants to be successful and everything, really everything he does is aimed at this goal. Nobody should be more successful than him. He has no empathy and yet it is fascinating to follow this character and his development.
There are always moments when you have the feeling that deep down there is more. The pure pursuit of success is not everything in his life. These moments flash especially when it comes to his son. These are brief moments when his hard core cracks.
But the movie is much more than a character study. It is also a juxtaposition of morality and the human abyss. His biggest competitors are not other companies or the like. His biggest competitor is the seemingly harmless Eli Sunday. He represents the church (morality). He is in every respect the pure opposite of Daniel, but is not less extreme. Everyone is subject to temptations and so he too gives in at some point. Phasewise you have the feeling Daniel is the devil in person.
There is nothing special about either person. You don't even learn any real background information. They remain anonymous and could be replaced at will.
Also, it has to be said, 'There Will Be Blood' is bursting with epic settings and scenes. There are so many moments that remain in the memory. Be it the incredibly good opening scene, the burning derrick or the final scene. Every shot is like a portrait.
'There Will Be Blood' is a great movie that doesn't lose its intensity even if you watch it several times.