There will be blood

Direction: Paul Thomas Anderson
Cast: Daniel Day Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin J O’Connor, Ciaran Hinds, Dillon Freasier
Rating: ***½

This film has been written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, is based on Upton Sinclair’s novel Oil and has borrowed a few bits and pieces from the James Dean Classic Giant.

It’s 1898 and Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) is mining for gold at his Texas property. He lucks out, makes a lot of money and then changes the focus of his exploration to oil.

However, Daniel is impeded in his quest by evangelist preacher Eli Sunday (Paul Dano).

Daniel has grown ruthless over the years, while Eli has a hidden venality that is camouflaged by his obvious otherworldly exterior. The clash between the two forms the crux of the cataclysmic drama that ensues thereafter.

Anderson’s narrative is fuelled by character development and is engaging in its panoramic view of the whole process of gouging oil from the ground- from finding potential property, persuading landowners to sell, to discovering the oil and getting it off the ground.

Daniel’s character downturn is chronicled with supreme assurance; you see it happening right before your eyes and feel helpless. The experience is both terrifying and poignant.

Robert Elswit’s cinematography magnificently utilizes Jack Fish’s set design to create a believable world of heartlessness and greed.

The narrative though, is heavy — laden with unbending characters, a distinct lack of female characters and its portrait of society is unrealistic and sketchy at best.

Ultimately, the whole experience boils down to Daniel Day Lewis’ masterly act, encompassing a character study of 30 years, each one riveting and intense!