Nappaland's MovieBlog

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THERE WILL BE BLOOD (R)

Plot Summary: When a self-made oilman discovers a wealth of oil in a small California town at the turn of the century, his family, life, faith and the town he inhabits are gripped by the growing force of his greed.

Reason for the Rating: Violence.

It takes a rare and superb actor to truly anchor a movie—to be the single focus of the film and to make it worth watching. Daniel Day-Lewis, though, is that kind of actor, and he does this for There Will Be Blood. He owns the screen, and it is his transformation into a greedy and conscience-deprived oilman that drives home the movie’s message. As the events unfold onscreen it’s clear that the man you are watching is force of the film. He is why you are interested, and he captivates you. In There Will Be Blood, Daniel Day-Lewis is the anchor of another excellent film. Without him, it simply wouldn’t have the same power.

The film takes place in California around the start of the 20^th century. This is the period when oil boomed in America, and the discovery of “Black Gold” forever altered the existences of many small towns. Day-Lewis plays the part of Daniel Plainview, a self-proclaimed “Oil Man” who travels around the West with his young son, trying to convince poor towns to let him drill their land for oil and make them rich. Even from the beginning, Plainview is not portrayed as a good man; he is greedy and cold, but he goes about his business with a single-mindedness that is somewhat admirable—at least when considering the fact that he has truly achieved the American dream. He began as a poor silver miner, and discovered oil in the process, a true rags-to-riches type of situation. He has done fairly well for himself by the time he discovers massive amounts of oil in a small California town, but he realizes that this is the place that can truly solidify his fortune. He dreams of running an oil pipeline all the way to the sea.

Plainview has little respect for others, but he is a master manipulator. He knows just how to capture the enthusiasm of people’s hearts and excite them with promises of wealth and prosperity. In this, he’s never met his match…until he meets young Eli Sunday (played by Paul Dano). Eli is barely more than a boy, but he is also the town minister. Claiming to be guided by the voice of the Lord, Eli is also a captivating leader, and by him, Plainview feels threatened for the first time in his life.

As the movie develops, it basically becomes a depiction of one man’s spiral into darkness. Plainview’s obsession with oil and control grows, as does his hatred for Eli, the one man who also has the ability to control others. Through personal tragedy and through success, Plainview seems to literally gain the world but lose his sole. It’s a fascinating and somewhat frightening story of a journey into growing evil.

One of the most interesting themes of There Will Be Blood, however, isn’t Plainview’s downward descent, although as I said before Day-Lewis makes that quite a wonder to watch. The plot aspect that got me thinking the most was the juxtaposition between wealth and religion and the similar effects it can have on lives. This is highlighted by the threat that Plainview finds in Eli, when on the surface it would seem that the pastor of the local church should have little impact upon drilling for oil. Deep down, however, Plainview is reacting to something very real. Though Eli seems to be the exact opposite of Plainview, with little regard for material wealth or gain, the two are almost exactly alike in their quest for power. They both understand the usefulness of control, and in each other they see their own agendas threatened. For Christians, I believe this is worth paying special attention to. I don’t think the film portrays Christianity in a very positive or fair way, as in the end Eli is hardly a better person than Plainview. However, what this movie does do is call religious motives into question. It reminded me of the lyrics to the old hymn, “There is power in the blood of the Lamb.” This is Truth, but perhaps sometimes the power we as Christians seek or even find ourselves holding isn’t this same power. And perhaps the “blood” referenced in the title of this film should make us think about what the power of Christ’s blood should look like in our lives. If anything, I think that this film shows how easy it is to get it wrong, even when fighting against a horrible force like that of Daniel Plainview.

Overall, I really enjoyed this movie. It’s worth seeing, offering viewers much to process through Day-Lewis’s truly phenomenal performance. But leave the kids at home. The title promises that There Will Be Blood, and the film delivers. There is blood—lots of it. This is a film for grownups with adult themes, but it’s also a challenge. And for that, I recommend it.

MOVIEBLOG RECOMMENDS:

If you’re prepared to leave the theater with a lot to think about, There Will Be Blood will not disappoint. It’s a great film.

AFTER THE SHOW: 

• In what ways were Eli Sunday and Daniel Plainview similar? How were they different? Why do you think these similarities and differences exist?

• Was anyone in the movie Christ like in character? If so, who? If not, why don’t you think so?

AH

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