 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Blood Diamond
- Review Date: December 6, 2006
- R
- Genre: Drama
- 2006
Common Sense Media says
Extremely violent melodrama is not for kids.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this mature action-drama isn't for young kids (even though Leo lovers may want to see it). It's extremely violent, with frequent scenes of war and abusive labor practices (villagers' hands are chopped off and mineworkers are shot dead for disobeying orders). Weapons include guns, machetes, knives, grenades, missiles, Molotov cocktails, and AK-47s. Most upsetting: Young boys are kidnapped from their families and trained to kill, chanting "Shed their blood." The children also smoke cigarettes and drink. Displays of anger lead to arguments and fistfights. During a massacre scene, a body is thrown from a balcony, bodies spurt blood, and buildings explode. Characters drink frequently and smoke lots of cigarettes. Language includes many uses of "f--k" and one pronounced use of the African racist term "kaffir."
What's the story?
When devoted Sierra Leone husband/father Solomon Vandy's (Djimon Hounsou) family is dispersed by rebel militias and his young son Dia (Kagiso Kuypers) conscripted to serve as a child solider, Solomon is sent to work as a diamond miner. As luck has it, he finds a gigantic 100-karat "pink"; Zimbabwe-born solider of fortune Danny (Leonardo DiCaprio) happens to hear of this, and soon the two undertake a tense and untrusting agreement: Danny will help Solomon find his family ... and a buyer for the diamond. But Danny is set onto a moral-lesson-learning path -- not only by his relationship with Solomon, but also by a new friendship with U.S. reporter Maddy (Jennifer Connelly). Though she, too, distrusts Danny, she wants the story he can give her about the ins and outs of the illegal arms and diamond traffic. Danny dismisses Maddy's work in Sierra Leone and in other war zones as "writing about it" -- that is, observing and exploiting, just as he does. But she feels a passion for the cause, especially when she meets Solomon. Though Maddy is cynical about the effects of U.S media, she believes she can help by "writing about it." So she agrees to the plan: Danny will help her as she helps Solomon, and, in turn, Solomon will find his hidden diamond for Danny.
Is it any good?
BLOOD DIAMOND is equal parts earnest and muddled. While it does good work by bringing the lingering problem of African conflict diamonds back into the news, the movie itself is ungainly and retro, using white characters to illuminate the problem -- while also simplifying it. The film shows plenty of the effects of the diamond-and-arms traffic: battles and massacres involving a range of forces, from local militias to the Revolutionary United Front to the national military. The violence is horrific, and the effects are clearly devastating, but the focus on Danny's ethical education detracts from what seem like more urgent troubles (say, a million refugees).
The film does suggest that it understands its limits in several references to the racism that allows such systems of exploitation to persist and even thrive. Danny cajoles Solomon: "I know people, white people. Without me, you're just another black man in Africa, all right?" This is partly true, but the film makes this black man a figure for righteous vengeance, and his immediate targets are other black men in Africa, with large guns, bloody machetes, and scarred faces. White, designer-suited Europeans in Antwerp and London do appear as beneficiaries of the bloodshed, but they don't suffer the same sorts of visceral, audience-moving consequences as the villainous Africans.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the issue of "conflict diamonds." How is this problem similar to other ways in which people are exploited for resources, labor, or land?
How do Danny's morals change as he learns from the other main characters?
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AGE
100% Awesome!
This movie opened my eyes to a part of the world I know little about. An R rating is appropriate. Leonardo D'caprio, was incredible in this movie. He has, no doubt, become one of the finest actors in film today. I am usually not moved, emotionally, by a picture. I would say that the opposite is true in this case. A MUST SEE FILM!
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AGE
Oscar Worthy Indeed
‘I am...the cameraman’. A funny quote from this action/thriller/drama flick. This movie really just came out of nowhere for me, it just came and hit me straight in the face, I’m not a Leonardo Dicaprio fan so this movie didn’t interest me very much, I didn’t care for it. Edward Zwick is a great director, he directed The Last Samurai which I loved, so why didn’t I want to see this movie? That’s a question I keep asking myself, but finally I ended up going(cause I was forced too) and I loved every minute of it, I couldn’t believe how amazing Leonardo DiCaprio’s acting was, it was probably his best work ever and definitely Oscar worthy, same goes with Djimon Hounsou’s acting, freaking amazing. Jennifer Connelly was so-so. This movie even had a lot more action then I’d expected, it was action packed but also was very violent and very bloody, kids with guns isn’t a pretty site to behold. The movie is a little long, over 2 hours, but the director did a good job at keeping the pace. The music was great, the action was awesome, the acting was amazing. The story was ok, it was interesting to see that every character had there own reasons to do what they wanted to do, ex: Solomon wants his family, Danny wants a diamond and Maddy wants a story. The movie starts off with Solomon and his child Dia going to school and back, but when they come back they see there little village being massacred and destroyed by rebels. Solomon tells his child to run, Solomon takes a machete and cuts a hole threw the back of his (straw) house and get’s his wife and other child out, but a rebel see’s him and several rebels chases Solomon then put him down on the ground, Solomon tells his family to run. The rebels make a speech and then cut some kids arm off, then there ready to do the same to Solomon, but the rebel leader decides to spare him and take him as a prisoner and use him as a worker, then the movie continues on from there. The movie feels pretty realistic, lot’s of blood flying everywhere ect... But its definitely one of those Oscar worthy flicks which is worth watching
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AGE
I say 5 stars
I loved this movie. I usually don't like action movies that much but I ended up seeing this one 3 times. I didn't expect it to be sad but towards the end I was crying. It's definently not for kids though. There's nothing sexual in it but there is violence and the main charecter might send kids the wrong message since he killed alot of people. If I had a kid I wouldn't let them see this untill they were at least 13.
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AGE
great movie, but slow
this movie was highly entertaining, but started to drag in the middle. the violence and language was not as bad as some films but still much worse than a PG-13. leo did very well and so did everybody else, they deserved award nominations.
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AGE
The Best of 2006
I love these kind of movies with shocking and strong messages and this is one of them. First off I am very disappointed with the two stars and poor review commonsense gave this movie because it is a great movie. This voilence is shocking and intense but its all real and the voilence gets the movies point across that much better. GREAT MOVIE, 15 and up
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AGE
Great movie
This movie might make you think twice before you buy that beautiful, sparkly diamond ring. I truly enjoyed watching this movie, the action is fast paced but a little violent for young kids/pre-teens.
Go and rent this, you'll learn a lot about what happens when you buy a diamond, and where the money goes.
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AGE
Know your children - a movie to learn from
Lots of violence, gore and bad language. I like this movie very much for displaying war and greed as it does. Knowing my kids, I let them watch it and explained things, events and actions as they were portrayed. I do not regret my boys wathing the movie - among other things, it helps them realise how lucky they are and what wars and greed can do to humans.
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AGE
CSM is full of BS!
This movie is quite amazing. My friend kept telling me to watch this and said it was his favourite film. The other day it was on so I decided to watch it and realises my friend was right. This is a fantastic film with a great story and shows how people care for their family. It is a very violent movie, with depictions of gangs killing people including children, the fact that similiar things happen in real life is a bit scary and is probably best for at least mid-teens (15 plus). None the less, I recommend this and common sense media's review on this was pure bullshis.
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AGE
Powerful movie, not for kids
This movie is extremely powerful, but it's also very disturbing. Lots of massacre scenes and child soldiers. I've seen it one time, and I'm really glad I watched it, but I have no interest in watching it again.
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| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Director: | Edward Zwick |
| Cast: | Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly, Leonardo DiCaprio |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 138 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 7, 2006 |
| DVD release date: | March 20, 2007 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | strong violence and language |
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