Blood Behind the Stone

Film: Blood Diamond
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, Djimon Hounsou
Director: Edward Zwick

When Aishwarya Rai’s limpid eyes or Sheetal Malhar’s chiselled features guide you towards the rock you so desire, do you bother whether it is a blood diamond or not? A blood diamond is one that comes from a strife-torn region and is sold by one of the warring parties to buy arms to fight against the other.

Sierra Leone in 1999 is in the grip of a bloody civil war. Solomon Vandy (Hounsou), a fisherman, is separated from his family and forced to work in the diamond mines. He discovers a rare 100-carat diamond and hides it. A smuggler Danny Archer (DiCaprio), the rebels, and a greedy South African colonel (Arnold Vosloo) all want it. All Solomon wants is his family back.

Blood Diamond is primarily an action adventure, but Edward Zwick his film as a means to bring awareness about the diamond trade, and not the other way round. The last quarter may be disappointing, but then but a mainstream film has its limitations.

Leonardo DiCaprio continues to surprise, while Jennifer Connelly breathes life into stereotypical character. The chemistry between the two is amazing considering the romance is so understated. Djimon Hounsou towers above the rest. He may be playing the man with the noble heart once too often, but few actors can do it so effortlessly, yet forcefully.

My wife has been after me for a diamond ring for some time now. Then she saw Blood Diamond. Guess what? She is still after me. In our fiercely material world, where the diamond is a prized possession, the last thing we want to be told is its bloody history. It will take more than one Blood Diamond to change our mindset. But it is a start and that has to be applauded.