Review of Blood Diamond (2006) by David F — 26 Aug 2011

If you can buy Leo as a cynical and world-weary Afrikaner soldier-of-fortune, you could do a lot worse than Edward Zwick's handsome and action-packed message drama. The very real problem of diamond-financed civil war in Sierra Leone, vividly fought through the horribly perverse phenomenon of orphaned and kidnapped child-soldiers, is given the pat Hollywood treatment, doling out consumer-ready outrage as commendably as can be possible in its two-hour run time.

Sadly, as always seems to be case, the struggles of post-colonial Africa and Africans must be played out by surrogate white actors - I really could have used more of the fascinating Djimon Hounsou over Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Connelly, although they acquit themselves well.

Worth seeing if only to learn about this deadly trade.