There's no doubt that Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the greatest directors to ever live. The Master is my favourite film of his but that may dethroned by his 2007 masterpiece, There Will Be Blood.
There Will Be Blood is a story of family, oil, religion and madness told through the perspective of Daniel Plainview.
What Paul Thomas Anderson achieved with There Will Be Blood is nothing short of astounding. For me, the technical craft matters a lot and There Will Be Blood has some of the best filmmaking I've had the pleasure of viewing. The cinematography by Robert Elswit is absolutely stunning. Filled with gorgeously framed wide shots, some of which go on for an extended period of time, the cinematography delivers an immersive and grand experience like no other. Anderson has always been great at recreating past time periods and There Will Be Blood is no different. Everything from the set design to the costumes to the makeup, all contribute to the authenticity of the time period. I have to mention Jonny Greenwood's impeccable score which creates a very eerie and haunting atmosphere to the visuals. It fits in with the tone and personalities of the characters beautifully and enhances the experience altogether. I always found Paul Thomas Anderson's writing to be striking and the dialogues he's written are phenomenal. They capture the essence of the character and develop them in ways I didn't expect. Anderson's direction is top-notch from the way he depicts the oil business to the slow descent into madness Daniel Plainview goes through is done with immense care and research. This is clear proof of a perfectionist that has an enormous love for his craft.
I can't go without talking about Daniel Day-Lewis's performance as Daniel Plainview. This is simply one of the best performances I've seen in my life. It's shocking how different the character is in the beginning compared to the end. The slow transition of Plainview seemingly being a likeable person into this deceiving, greedy and power-hungry individual is captured perfectly by Day-Lewis. He's in nearly every single scene and absolutely commands all of them with his presence alone. It's no surprise he won the Oscar for Best Actor. Paul Dano is another actor I really like and he does a fantastic job as the priest, Eli Sunday. Yet another unlikeable character, Dano conveys the extreme nature of Eli's beliefs so convincingly and stands out especially during the church sequences. Dillion Freasier also delivers a strong performance as H. W. Plainview. I have my skepticism towards child performances but Freasier honestly conveyed the vulnerability and mistreatment of his character very well.
Altogether, There Will Be Blood is an insane character study that shows the best out of the people involved with the project. Paul Thomas Anderson has crafted something truly special with many themes underneath that'll keep you thinking and Daniel Day-Lewis has proven himself to be a master in acting.
There Will Be Blood is a story of family, oil, religion and madness told through the perspective of Daniel Plainview.
What Paul Thomas Anderson achieved with There Will Be Blood is nothing short of astounding. For me, the technical craft matters a lot and There Will Be Blood has some of the best filmmaking I've had the pleasure of viewing. The cinematography by Robert Elswit is absolutely stunning. Filled with gorgeously framed wide shots, some of which go on for an extended period of time, the cinematography delivers an immersive and grand experience like no other. Anderson has always been great at recreating past time periods and There Will Be Blood is no different. Everything from the set design to the costumes to the makeup, all contribute to the authenticity of the time period. I have to mention Jonny Greenwood's impeccable score which creates a very eerie and haunting atmosphere to the visuals. It fits in with the tone and personalities of the characters beautifully and enhances the experience altogether. I always found Paul Thomas Anderson's writing to be striking and the dialogues he's written are phenomenal. They capture the essence of the character and develop them in ways I didn't expect. Anderson's direction is top-notch from the way he depicts the oil business to the slow descent into madness Daniel Plainview goes through is done with immense care and research. This is clear proof of a perfectionist that has an enormous love for his craft.
I can't go without talking about Daniel Day-Lewis's performance as Daniel Plainview. This is simply one of the best performances I've seen in my life. It's shocking how different the character is in the beginning compared to the end. The slow transition of Plainview seemingly being a likeable person into this deceiving, greedy and power-hungry individual is captured perfectly by Day-Lewis. He's in nearly every single scene and absolutely commands all of them with his presence alone. It's no surprise he won the Oscar for Best Actor. Paul Dano is another actor I really like and he does a fantastic job as the priest, Eli Sunday. Yet another unlikeable character, Dano conveys the extreme nature of Eli's beliefs so convincingly and stands out especially during the church sequences. Dillion Freasier also delivers a strong performance as H. W. Plainview. I have my skepticism towards child performances but Freasier honestly conveyed the vulnerability and mistreatment of his character very well.
Altogether, There Will Be Blood is an insane character study that shows the best out of the people involved with the project. Paul Thomas Anderson has crafted something truly special with many themes underneath that'll keep you thinking and Daniel Day-Lewis has proven himself to be a master in acting.