★★★★☆

Ordinarily movies intent on invoking some social change focus so much on the change they end up being sucky movies. On rare occasions we get a true gem, no pun intended. The three main actors, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou do absolutely astounding work in Blood Diamond.

Focusing on the oppressive war torn region these diamonds come from and the lives they ruin instead of mentioning the change keeps the audience engaged. I would not be surprised if women around the world stop buying, asking for, or accepting diamonds as a result. One thing is certain. The Clean Diamond Trade Act happened in 2003 and Blood Diamond came out in 2006, so there is already a groundswell behind the social change. Perhaps that is the reason this movie was able to not mention the social change until the very end. It serves more as an explanation as to why the act was made law thus politely needling other nations to pass similar acts.

Any time there is a high margin resource located in an unstable region, evil men will seize it to fund terrible agendas. We see this play out over and over again. Diamonds, heroine, oil, the resource does not matter. People will be forced into labor to retrieve it so it can be sold to fund a less than honorable agenda.

Really good movie.

For more movie rental ideas please see list one and list two.