I'm sitting at my computer not 20 minutes removed from one of the most thought provoking films I've ever seen. There were moments honestly, where I couldn't hold back a belly laugh. A few times I braced myself for a dreadingly dark sequence. By the end I took all the things from the movie that the Director was wanting to place in my mind as...something more. The reason for the 'average' score, is that it was pretty long with what felt like less of a real "eureka" moment than I'd of hoped. Daniel-Day Lewis is everything advertised and more. If he does not win best actor it will be a crime. Paul Dano is eerily violent and a superb actor in his own right. Solid film you should watch this as soon as possible while it's on the big screen.… Expand

Daniel Day Lewis is amazing his best performance. A dark gritty film that is both sad and angry at the same time.

Like being served a grand, sumptuous, banquet only to find out desert is tepid, rainbow-flavored, Jello. I have to go back to 1997's "Contact" to find dissapointment with an ending on this scale. The real tragedy is how unnecessary this derailment was; if the director were to cut out everything that happens in 1927, a fully realized, great movie would be left. Having said all this, I would still encourage you to see the film for no other reason than Daniel Day-Lewis is the best living actor.… Expand

Nothing less than a masterpiece. One of the most important American films in years.

Awesome!!!

Fantastic movie. One person mentioned no sense of humor was present in this film. I honestly thought this movie was hilarious at moments... The overall drama masked everything else. I believe Daniel Day Lewis deserves an Oscar for this one... Amazing performance.

Powerful and meaningful, this is a film that can be discussed for hours. The levels of malice, egoism, paranoia, and greed are brought to such high levels, that it is easy to think of this as an absurdest tale - but in fact when viewed in light of actual events taking place all around us, it suddenly seems more like a stark reminder of the fact that we're not too far past this vision of a wild west dominated by paranoid, selfish oilmen and pious clergymen. The first thing I noticed watching this film was the score. Without it, the film is nowhere near as disturbing as it might otherwise be (except of course for the end). In fact, I found the music so disturbing, that I almost had an anxiety attack in the theater. That is, however, par for the course when engaging a PT Anderson flick.… Expand

I can't express my relief that a film as stark and uncompromising as There WIll Be Blood has received so many academy accolades this season; Hollywood tends to favor movies that include elements of romance and redemption, qualities Anderson quite deliberately eschews in his fifth feature. John S. epitomizes how misguided some people's opinions are regarding this film. Plainview (not Plainfield, btw) DOESN'T show compassion at the outset; this is the story of one of the great salesmen in cinema history. He sees only betrayal in human relationships and treats others as a mere means to an end. The penultimate scene where his son, now a young man finally confronts him doesn't reveal any sort of "transformation" in Plainview but rather clarifies his earlier actions. I also don't understand the continued use of "boring" to describe this film; are audiences so accustomed to The Fast and the Furious and the Saw franchises that they can't shift down to a film that actually studies human beings? And YES, Michael Sragow, "any hint of romance, nobility, or fun" would soften the film! Anderson shows us a man who understands absolutely nothing of those qualities. Astoundingly good.… Expand

Not greater than the sum of its parts, but some of those parts are amazing. It's best to think of it as a black comedy that gets out of hand.

Salon.com and Sanfran gave this movie bad reviews. What a surprise, two film critics giving this powerful film bad reviews and Baltimore suns opinion is as good as a ski shop in California. honestly if this movie doesn't make your top 10, please don't comment because obviously your an idiot.

how can 'b shanchez' say that he didnt like the film that much because daniel day lewis attacks christians!! it was in his character! what a totally ubsurd thing to say! 'if the movie hadnt showed blasphemy'...(it also showed murder and alcholholism by the way....) idiot. anyway.... the film wasnt really what i expected, although not in a bad way, and Day lewis is exceptional. the film has a slow and brooding intensity and good performances from the support cast. for a film to last as long as it did and be based almost solely on psychological degeneration they must have done something right… Expand

The main problem with the film is it opens a thousand doors for a profound statement about ambition and power and then totally misses each and every one of these opportunities. I already sensed P.T. Anderson's hackneyed and puerile affectations in Magnolia, and even hints of it in the otherwise compelling Boogie Nights, but this film makes it painfully obvious that Anderson totally misses the potential depth of his own film (!) and instead leans on camp or soap opera pathos. For this film - it's all about the camp, which in a wierd way kinda makes, it cool (I gave it a 7 for glorious camp). Especially the gothic type film title before the final credits - what was he thinking? total camp!… Expand

What surprised me above all else is that anyone likes this difficult cerebral film at all. The two lead characters are so bad, nay evil, and the critique of America (and thus western civilization) so vicious and unremitting that it is hard to find much to like. A cathartic confronting experience. Thank God Hollywood can still find a place for directors like Anderson.

heres a film that take you on a ride with minimal information and stunning characterization by ...lewis and a score that just keep pushing you perfecting Andersons craft and narrating a course that unlike many films seem to be out of this world ..

This movie could have been a 9 if it knew where to stop. The last 30 minutes (the fight on the two lane bowling alley) was something that should have been put only as an xtra on a DVD. It deserved to be a "deleted scene." The rest of the movie was quite good. The oil industry during that part of American history was interesting. No Country for Old Men, as a movie, made the same mistake. Great premise, great execution, and then a superfluous ending that makes you feel like you are wasting your time. It's like they are putting the DVD extras in with the feature presentations now. Do the studios pay more for a longer movie? Something isn't right. They are butchering the possible masterpieces of the late 00s.… Expand

A near masterpiece. Daniel Day Lewis's performance is riveting and unnerving and disturbing to watch - but well worth watching!

It's a masterwork. Mixed up 'Wall Street', 'Elmer Granty', 'East of Eden', 'Giant', 'The Ballad of Cable Hogue', 'The Aviator'. Amazing acting, photography and music. A film that floods every boundary, colossal, open. P.T. Anderson is revealed as great Kubrick alumn. A total masterpiece. Run to the theater nearest to your home or you'll regret.… Expand

There will be hype. The most interesting part of this movie involves Plainview's having to be "born again": he's forced, by financial motives, to say he's abandoned his son, and comes to realize, against his will, that he has. But little else remains, aside from the glorious cinematography. One simply doesn't care about Plainview, since he's merely a caricature, overdrawn by both the script and Daniel Day-Lewis. There's just no story here that can live up to the money and talent expended on it. The deafness of HW is merely an occasion for cruelty, and the violent end of the movie clarifies nothing. One only wonders why Eli Sunday hasn't aged a day. The great Ciaran Hinds is barely used.… Expand

What do you say about a movie that has great acting, directing, cinematography, and a good subject, but you forget about it minutes later? Guess what...you say that it's not a great movie! Compare that to No Country for Old Men, that gives you the willies days later. I almost feel like people like this movie because not feeling anything is supposed to be "artsy". Please! Movies are either pieces art or a good story...Great movies are both. This was only art.… Expand

This movie reminded me so much of Stanley Kubrick - especially the opening and closing scenes - except that it may be better than anything Kubrick ever did (which is saying a hell of a lot). The humanity in this movie is definitely there - it just doesn't ram it down your throat like 99% of movies - which makes it all the more affecting in the long run. A movie like this only comes around once every few years. It is extraordinary in so many ways. Watch it several times and it will reveal itself as such.… Expand

The intense focus of "There Will Be Blood" only makes Daniel Day-Lewis' performace even more astonishing. Day-Lewis' subtle, intimate intensity is mirrored and magnified by the surrounding cast.

In response to Joseph M.: the characters were far from boring. Daniel Day Lewis is amazing as Plainview; I wouldn't say he was one dimensional, he bonded with H.W. and seemed to like him, but eventually abandoned him and got sick of him and his greediness steadily grew. Paul Dano was also amazing and his character Eli Sunday was very memorable. Also, did you see the movie after hearing of the milkshake catchphrase? because the film is about greed and fake religion, which are powerful, intelligent themes. Did you expect the movie to be about dirty innuendo and tasty treats?… Expand

I absolutely loved this movie. I had doubts about watching this movie but since the first scene it trapped me until the very end. I think the most important thing that this movie show us is the fact that not everything in life is money, success cannot be achieved only by earning a lot of money as we can see with Mr. Plainview (which now i can see why the academy gave Lewis the award). The performance by Duno was very good too and i came to hate the character. The music gives it a great atmosphere and what can you say about the art decoration, outstanding. One of the best movies i have seen this year (2008).… Expand

Overall, gripping movie for so much rich characterizations and varied visual movement. True to Texas character and ambiance, if not always flattering, from a West Texan who has been there. I recommend it highly. G.W.

One of the most intense movies I've seen. Daniel Day Lewis is great; but equally as great is Paul Dano(the silent kid in Little Miss Sunshine). Epic battle between good and evil, but hard to tell which is which.

Simply stunning, from start to finish. In years to come this film will be seen as a masterpiece and a true classic.

Superb. A true classic and one of the most powerful and provocative films I have seen for ages. I'm normally sceptical of films that receive so much hype but for once the plaudits are all justly deserved.

Sublime filmmaking, and Day-Lewis truly deserves his oscar.

Drastically overhyped and paced like the bastard step child of Solarace and English Patient on qualudes. The third act is a mess that will leave you with that sense of bewilderment. Clearly a movie that chose device over substance to evoke some hackneyed emotion. The score is one of many devices that I

I drink YOUR milkshake! Great movie. Incredible acting. The soundtrack to this film is absolutely brilliant.

No doubt about it: TWBB is better than 99% of the trash that comes out of Hollywood. It isn't perfect, but for an intense and vivid drama, you won't find much better. Daniel Day Lewis is a master of the profession. Worth the price just to see him, but you'll also get stunning cinematography and excellent pacing. Highly recommended.

Basically the Radiohead of films, the greatest movie ever made, better than everything even Birth of a Nation.

Very good movie! Obviously a well made masterpiece. Not a movie for people looking for an action packed bloodbath, but it is a ride you will not soon forget.

A modern masterpiece that transcends the movie theater experience and delivers a moving motion picture that does what all great works of art do: reveals us at our core of the good and evil inside us all and the constant struggle to express our nature in the world or within our own internal selves.

Just an amazing film. To those of you out there who gave it a bad review, professional "critics" included, you just don't get it. So please let an Average Joe explain it to you. The title of the film refers to the future (our present) and the effect almighty oil will have on man. "There WILL BE Blood". It's prophetic - but only because it refers to the here and now. And like it or not Daniel Plainview is the good ol' U.S.A. (maybe I should say the current administration). He has become warped by power and greed - to the point where he will deceive, cheat, and go close to insane. It all culminates in an act of unprovoked and pointless violence against an old foe. I'll let you all guess what that represents. Oh yeah, and oil represents oil. No metaphor there! C'mon people, Paul Thomas Anderson makes a movie in the year 2007 about oil! It's not that hard to figure out! It's a cautionary tale - and a pretty great one at that.… Expand

It was good for the most part but just dragged on, the story became uninteresting and just plain bad at the end. I think its yet another movie where the critics thought "wow if we see this as a 10/10 we might be considered as lovers of real film" when really, it should all be down to how much you enjoy it as an individual.

Those who don't give this film a 10 undoubtedly have never heard of Arthur Schopenhauer. The film goes well beyond the pathologies of the American experience or even the juxtaposition of the sacred and secular thirst for power to probe the terrors of life and human alienation.

One of the best movies in recent memory.

This movie is a one trick pony that quickly tires midway through. I found myself looking at my watch more than the screen. The only thing thinner than the plot are the characters. What a disappointment.

I'm not entirely sure why but this really is one of my favorite movies of all time. Thats all I have to say about it, excellent film.

This is a love it or hate it film. a lot of people complain about charachter development and plot but i think there is plenty of charachter development , it just doesnt go the way they expect or want. the plot is also not contrived , it isnt a mystery , an action flick or a comedy or a romance, it is instead very original . the truth of of it is that this is a great film with a great cast which some movie goers will hate because it doesnt funnel you down a familiar and comfortable and contrived plot.… Expand

TWBB is a magnificent film with strokes of genius. The incredible performance of DDLewis and the tantalizing and unnerving soundtrack of Johnny Greenwood is just amazing. The strokes of genius in the movie can be found in all the choices made, frame by frame, word by word, step by step, silences and the characters eye to eye contacts. Goddard said that cinema is 24f of truth. TWBB is a film that questions these 24f from the beginning to the end. I am surely going to see it again and again although i had think that the the film struggles to find closure, but what a great film!… Expand

Honestly, this movie was fantastic. Unforunately I get the feeling that some people who went to this movie were expecting more blood perhaps? This movie is somewhat slow, but if you really pay attention you can pick up on the countless parallels between the oil industry and religious society. Great acting, great theme, great film.

Fantastic movie. I was worried about whether I liked it or not, but it enthralled me, and I actually saw past what some call a bad ending and saw a great moral lesson. Greed and selfihness lead to misery and despair in the end. The musical scores were fantastic, done by none other than the genius Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead (my favorite musician ever is Greenwood, favorite band is Radiohead). People like Jeff B. obviously don't know what the intentins of the scores were. It wasn't supposed to be music, but more a backing to support the escalation of the film's suspense. … Expand

I would have to say that this is quite possibly one of the finest films I have ever seen. And to Jimmy M... bravo. I could not have said it better myself.

Undoubtedly the greatest film of 2007, and perhaps one of the greatest films of all time. There Will Be Blood is a damning portrayal of the horrifying consequences of greed, obsession and competition in a time where oil was worth gold dust. Day Lewis captures the true essence and meaning behind the film and conveys it in a superbly astonishing display very few can acheive. Slow burning, yes. Well worth it, most definetly. Just one of those films you will look back on and underline as the highest calibre of modern motion picture.… Expand

I loved this movie. I loved the photography. The character development. The realism. The premise. All for what? For nothing? Do not make a film if you do not know where the plot is going to go. The plot - goes nowhere. There will be blood? There won't be blood - at least no blood that has any meaning. If you expect to see a good man become evil you will not. If you expect to see an evil man be reformed you will not. If you expect to see an evil man get his comeuppance you will not. If you expect people to suffer terribly or prosper wonderfully, you will be mistaken in your estimation. You instead get: Daniel Day Lewis: a cranky, miserable miser... who is... a cranky miserable miser. The only person who really loses the plot in the film is the screenwriter. There is no plot. And this is why this is not a film, but a series of still of beautiful countryside. There is no plot.… Expand

You seriously won't be able to speak when this sucker is over. Your jaw will be on the floor.

Is there some kind of mass hallucination going on with these critics? This film is not good. The story is told excruciatingly slowly, and D Day Lewis basically reprises his Bill the Butcher role, but gives him the voice of John Huston. The guy playing the religious zealot is in WAY over his head, he's required to age 30 years yet in the last scene he still has adolescent acne and his voice squeaks as though his testacles are just dropping! All this nonsense about it being a big statement about religion vs money is trying to paste meaning onto a film that was lazily written. Unfortunately, Day Lewis is starting to have shark eyes which look dead and malevolent all the time, generating not much sympathy or interest within this viewer.… Expand

A paramount masterpiece. And I'm not even a fan of P.T. Anderson. Thought "Magnolia" was masturbatory poppycock, an attempt at art that was a 3-hour embarrassment. Clearly, P.T. has matured. D.D. Lewis gives a staggering performance that will go down in cinematic history. This is one of the great allegorical films about the birth of the industrial revolution in this nation: the greed, the lying, the over-ambition of Manifest Destiny, the raping of our land, all embodied in one man. A ruthlessly coldhearted individual. You will not see another film like this in ten years because studios don't greenlight these kinds of movies. Ever. We almost have to go back to Apocalypse Now for something so uncompromisingly bleak.… Expand

This is a great movie, period. I can see that what I suspect is one person has posted multiiple 0 reviews. Don't know why but it is clearly not becuase of the merits of the movie. The way the three reviews are written and posted together is obvious. I doubt whoever it is even saw the movie.

Daniel Day Lewis is ridiculously good in this movie, which is completely of our time and resonates directly on the money-obsessed elite who currently have power in our country. I know it sounds almost ridiculous to say, but the movie this reminded me most of was 'Citizen Kane.' That might be opening night hyperbole, but this is by far the most politically and spiritually meaningful film I've seen in a long time.… Expand

If you haven't seen the movie, don't rate it. What is wrong with you? This is a great film about some very disquieting aspects of the human condition. Ties with No country for my best of 07 pick.

A must see for any film lover - not to be missed in the cinema. Spare and careful, daring and electric, this is the film that PTA will call his masterpiece. Every single component of the film is operating on a breathtakingly high octane level. This is why we have film. Anderson, Day Lewis, the cinematography (not just pretty pictures but complicated layered composition), the unspeakably other worldly genius of a score by Greenwood, the impeccable production design. It's all there. Again, simply put, a must see.… Expand

A movie I admired more than enjoyed. The acting is the best of the year and the thematics are great...but it's low budget shows...the most interesting areas of greed are not shown because they didn't have the budget. When it was over I felt the story let the movie down..in the end I just didn't care.

Good and worthy attempt but sorry, no cigar. People are constantly comparing to other, better works while missing the basic fact that if it were THAT great it wouldn't need to be compared to other, better works. Shakespeare? Please.

one of the great achievements in American cinema.

Great acting undermined by overblown and ultimately embarassing plot. Anothe would be epic with nothing to say and 2.5 hours to not say it in. Lewis' incredible performance is sadly wasted.

Great cinematography, good editing, and a fantastic score cannot make-up for the fact the the films observations are superficial at best. Day-Lewis' preformance is over-the-top and not particularly convincing. More characture than character, he's supposed to be from Wisconsin... with that accent... not on your life.

dThis might have been a character study... but no, it's not really, there's no revelation of character (he has no sex drive? he's pissed at the preacher as a rival for power or is it a God thing?); Daniel Day Lewis does give a bravura performance (doing the same character he did in "Gangs Of New York") but it's invulnerable and not by itself affecting; this could have been a story about the clash of ideals, or no ideals or... no, it's not that either (the preacher character disappears for maybe an hour at one point). There's a lot of lot of good cinematography and atmospherics on location along with the style of mixing big theatrical performances with realist ones (using many non-actors), but NO STORY.… Expand

Daniel Day Lewis is brilliant.

Paul Thomas Anderson is the best minimalistic director out, in my opinion. Most of his movies have been very simple but they have deeper messages in them. Definitely in my top 10. Amazing movie.

A modern masterpiece. This is Anderson's best film. Day-Lewis and Dano are both stunning. Greenwood's soundtrack is hypnotizing and phenomenal. The visuals are dazzling if not completely hallucinating. The black humor is outrageously funny and brilliantly placed so that only the most astute viewer and can notice it. One of the best films of the 2000's.

Oil that is, Black Gold, Texas Tea.
Daniel Day Lewis is "into" oil & makes his fortune, sometimes at the misfortune of others.
Weighs in at just over two & a half hours but I didn't think it dragged too much & the authenticity of the film is superb.
As to be expected, Lewis is brilliant but so is Paul Dano as Eli.
Not to everyone's taste but I really enjoyed it.
I'm finished!

The films of Paul Thomas Anderson seem to polarise folks - I'm one who loves his films but plenty of people don't. That said this film is quite a departure from his previous work - no large ensemble cast, no contemporary / modern setting, very little humour, relatively sparse dialogue. This has the same feeling of unease as 'Punch Drunk Love' largely due to Johnny Greenwood's (of Radiohead fame) brilliant / unconventional score (incidental music might be more accurate). Daniel Day-Lewis plays the protagonist Daniel Plainview very adeptly - a great psychological study into the unique individuals that prosper in times of explosive industrial growth.

A great and unique movie that will surely be recognized as a classic in years to come… Expand

Amazing. Two days in a row, and two days of incredible movies that portray humans at their most raw. Still afflicted with Oscar fever, I followed up my viewing of The Reader with There Will Be Blood, which won Daniel Day-Lewis an Oscar for Best Actor last year.

Gritty, cold and, at times, cruel, this period piece set in the late 1800s through the Great Depression, There Will Be Blood is, at its core, about the business of...well, business, versus the business of salvation. Neither are proven to be better, or worse, as the case may be, than the other except for maybe, in the end, Daniel Day-Lewis' character is shown to be more exact in his evil, while his moral counterpart, Eli, is shown to be naive in his selfishness.

Paul Thomas Anderson continues his track record of unique and heavily character-driven films, in the vein of Boogie Nights, Magnolia and Punch-Drunk Love. As usual, his characters are immensely flawed and capable of the most atrocious of actions. He's quickly becoming a master of creating characters who actually do what only our darkest moments think of doing, if then.

As usual, Daniel Day-Lewis is outstanding in his role, commanding immense strength on the screen. The Oscar was well-deserved.

My only real criticism of the film is that the portrayal of Eli's religious con-man being made into the weak, whiny hypocrite that he becomes, comes across more as a personal indictment of Anderson's rather than an necessary element of the movie, specifically Eli's senseless murder in the end. Unlike the seemingly objectivity of The Reader, There Will Be Blood shamelessly overexaggerates the stupidity of the congregation (and, believe me, I cannot believe I'm saying that since I generally believe Christianity to be silly). If Eli is proven to be a great fool, what then of the congregation who put such faith in him? It rubbed me the wrong way, but didn't make me enjoy the film less. Perhaps portraying Daniel as an empty, soul-less man is meant to counter the naivete of his enemy.… Expand

Very politically minded, intelligent, brutal and unapologetic. Daniel Day Lewis owns this film and deservedly won the Oscar for it. Great music, beautiful settings but it is always the story that triumphs with a finale that feels right. Much more satisfying than No Country For Old Men.

Another example of why Daniel Day Lewis is the best actor alive today. He delivers a powerful performance in this film and he is perfect from start to finish. The entire film is rather interesting but it can be a bit dull in some parts and make it a little bit of a suffer to get through. However great performances by the cast and overall interest in the plot will keep you satisfied till the end.

An irrefutable masterpiece and anyone who denies it should have their milkshake drunk ASAP. It's original, intense and pretty much perfect in every way. You can feel Anderson's engagement with his subject matter and his passion for the work. You don't feel that sense of disengagement like you do with most empty Hollywood films. This is cinema at it's best, a disturbing portrayal of human nature and the effect of power. I'm just grateful that we still have at least one brilliant Director left in the world.… Expand

Great movie... original feel to movie in general and for certain in DDL's performance. Loved it and refreshing compared to the majority of movies made these days.

Best of all time... no ... but only 1-2 movies a year are made that are worth watching..... I'm so glad they are... I'm running out of old classics to watch lol.

There Will Be Blood is fantastically photographed, written and acted. The central performance of Daniel Day Lewis is of legendary proportions. Better yet, the film is unbelievably funny, it's comedy blacker than the gushing oil that Plainview covets so badly. There Will be Blood is a truly unforgettable piece of cinema.

What an amazing film. Daniel Day Lewis is haunting. Each of the 156 minutes from the initial pioneering scenes to the final Kubrick-esque moments dazzles in it's intensity. Meanwhile, the loss of consciousness, of mind, of vision, of sanity, is so subtle, is so delicate and unassuming that hours after the final credits have rolled one can only blink and say 'wow'

I like to see movies artistically done, so this film didn't bother me exactly. It was just long, unfocused, and forgettable. The main character was not a real stretch in acting chops for Day-Lewis, and trivial parts were carried out for absurd lengths of time. Visually and in thematic details, it DID ring of some real truths and passions, which alone would make it standout against most Hollywood fare, but unless you are dedicated to odd stuff, you will definitely find it a mediocre entertainment.… Expand

There Will Be Blood has to be the best movie of the decade, and an all-time favorite, and the man who helps the movie be as brilliant is Daniel Day-Lewis. He's that kind of actor that makes any film worth seeing. He played a staggering role in Scorsese's "Gangs of New York", and then makes an even better attempt in this. Paul Dano plays the supporting character as a young preacher, and boy was he perfect for that role. He should of won "best supporting actor", but at least Day-Lewis won. There Will Be Blood is a story about an oil man named Daniel Plainview and his adopted son, H.W, who make their way across California, trying to dig out every last bit of oil they can find. Having met by a young man, saying that there was loads of oil on their land. Having to travel miles to their small home, they lied and said that they were hunting for quail. After a while of the hunting, H.W found the oil. Then, when having dinner with the family, Plainview brings up the oil found on their land and asks if he could buy the land for three thousand dollars, and the family immediately says yes. But one of the family's sons, named Eliot, who's a young preacher for the towns church, disagrees and asks for ten thousand. This starts a rival between the oil man and the preacher, which will create loads of problems for both, that will also cause murder.

This film may be my favorite movie of all time. This also had some parts that gives the movie resemblance to Kubrik's classic, "2001: A Space Odyssey", but like a western version, with the long stretch of the violin, and everything else quiet. I don't really find this slow at all, the whole time it was exciting and really interesting to watch. I bought the DVD without ever watching it before (though I knew it was going to be good), and now I can easily say that I made a great decision. Please watch this movie! I guarantee that if you have a passion for film or a huge fan of Day-Lewis, you'll love it!… Expand

Absolutely awful movie! I saw this movie because there was nothing else on and to say I didn't like it is an understatement. Truthfully the entire movie is uninteresting, boring and supremely stupid.

One of the best films ever made. The intrigue of the characters; the rich themes and the great acting add up to an experience that has only been matched by few films. Sight and sound pisses me off because it seems as though they ignore all the great newer films to make themselves feel sophisticated. Mulholland drive was the only movie in the top 50 from the 2000s. What a crock!

an amazing film, some stunning acting from all inviolved and some of the best lines ever in a movie (milkshake!), people complaing that it lacks action or nothign happens needs to get a clue and perhaps grow up a little.....this movie doesnt hold you by the hand , it requires a little effort but gives you maximum reward.

There Will Be Blood is one of the greatest movies on my list because thanks to Paul Thomas Anderson, the movie is violent, brutal, and I think if Lincoln could get Oscar buzz, then call in Daniel-Day-Lewis. He's a gifted acclaimed actor and I think he delivers a calm, attitudinal, no-nonsense character in real life. Great film, should be in the AFI lists for the best movies of all time.

The film answers the question of how far greed can drive a man to succeed, and how far the money and in this case, oil, truly dictates human behaviour. There Will Be Blood tells the ultimate disaster of one man's mission to be the best at what he does, and discard anything that gets in his way.
Daniel Day-Lewis puts in one of the greatest and most memorable performances of any actor or actress in the last few decades, his wispy and dominating voice truly capture the ruthless and maniacal means boiling beneath the surface, he is the 'oilman' Daniel Plainview, and he gets what he wants.
The film opens with very little dialogue, we watch Plainview, alone and down a well, digging for oil, his perseverance and can-do attitude are apparent as he breaks his leg in a fall, but manages to get out of the well and start over again.
Plainview and his son, HW, coax towns into letting them dig up their land in the search for oil, and when he is approached into a town with the potential of riches beyond measure, he is met with the bizarre and erratic Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), a preacher who ends up being at egotistical loggerheads with Plainview about his faith and his intentions with the town.
After a tragic accident, Plainviews behaviour drastically changes and ulterior motive soon come to light, wanting to have so much money that he would no longer have to know people. The addition of his half-brother perhaps shows a more humanly side to him, but he seems determined and forthright to get what he wants, eventually falling into obsessive and alcohol-fuelled madness.
An epic tale which is never without its drama, There Will Be Blood never fails to impress in its acting, writing and visual landscapes of beauty, filming in the same place as No Country for Old Men, the similarities in film style.
But of course it is the thrilling characters that truly make this film what it is, Plainview has flashes of Citizen Kane in his determination for everything, but ultimately loneliness at what he has become.
The film has styles of long scenes and plenty of dialogue, but what truly needs to be seen is the characters who bring these scenes to life, the ambition of Paul Thomas Anderson could indeed have been a hit or miss but what he has created is something unique.
The often debated ending has been the subject of many talks, particularly peoples distaste for it, but as the film goes on its difficult to imagine another finish, other than the madness within.
A truly remarkable film that never ceases to amaze in its character development, expert writing and ambitious reach that could very well be the best film in the last fifteen years. Taking it from its remarkable perch could indeed be a difficult thing.… Expand

after watching this movie, i became a fan of daniel day lewis... very dark and riveting movie. This should have been d oscar winning movie for me in that year..

First off, Daniel Day Lewis is untouchable (as always) and makes the film that much greater from his performance alone. There Will Be Blood gives us a cold hard look at the world of Oil Drilling and I loved it. It can be a little boring at times ,god knows the run time takes away from the film a bit, but the majority of the film is simply amazing and more then makes up for it.

There isn't much more I can say to add to the heap of praise that this move received, so let me just say that everyone who has called this one of the best movies ever made is telling the truth. Also, I want to just mention the amazing Score by Johnny Greenwood. It's hauntingly beautiful and it sets the mood perfectly. It's a shame it was ruled ineligible for an Academy Award.

Only thing bad about this movie is that it's very slow paced and takes quite some time to really get into. By the end of it however, You will love it. Daniel Day-Lewis gives what is easily his best performance (and that's saying something) in this movie.

Best movie of the 2000 decade. This sentence will fill the remaining character requirement which is 150 characters long...................................................

I am probably applauding this film more than it deserves, but this is my type of movie. Paul T. Anderson's direction of the film is well done which should not be a surprise considering he has been called "one of American film's modern masters". The style of atmosphere Robert Elswit creates is perfect for the films setting. The script is very good. And the acting is more or so average. Daniel D. Lewis does however, a job of portraying mineral prospector Daniel Plainview, still a bigger expectation from him is held after watching Gangs of New York. Watching Daniel's relationship with his boy, especially towards the end, really makes the film's audience care for the characters.… Expand

It is definitely a slow movie, but that's life - some things are fast and some things are slow. But both can have an equal impact. I have seen it 3 or 4 times now - I find it is quite mesmorising and the story compelling. Daniel Day Lewis is really sublime in his role, and I found the final scene to be absolute magic!
It is more bizarre than anything else, with the story taking some odd turns at times and playing strange scenarios which you don't expect. Which maybe why I enjoyed it so much - it seemed fresh, it didn't spoon feed me the standard film format and put all it's A,Bs ad Cs in the right order. It was 2 years after release that I watched this, and I didn't read any reviews before I did watch it. Just because it is long and slow with odd music and even stranger dialogue, doesn't necessarily mean it is pretentious - but if you look for it to be, you will most likely find it will be. I did not, I just found it interesting and enjoyable. But then I found the hangover boring so what do I know.… Expand

I still am baffled at how anyone thinks this is a good movie. I have watched it twice now and both times I was so bored and confused as to what the meaning of this turd was, I had to fight to stay awake. I get the plot, but the whole moral dilemma thing just escapes me. I mean, in real life who the hell acts like these people do? The only positive things I got from this movie were the visuals and the acting of Daniel Day-Lewis. Other than that, avoid this movie unless you want to be bored to tears and pissed off at the ending.… Collapse

The only reason this movie gets a 2 is because of its acting other than that zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I almost cried because i was so bored. I rather watch grass grow in my backyard. What a disgrace this movie is and it doesn't deserve to be up for best picture.

No matter how superb that acting was and the overall quality of the film.....it is wayyyyyyyyyy too long and pointless. It was the farthest thing from a gripping movie. There were some very good scenes and music, but come on....so boring.

Where to start, on the first viewing There Will Be Blood has comfortably become one of my favourite films of all time. From the dialogue-free 15 minute opening of Plainview mining alone, to the intense and violent conclusion, There Will Be Blood is unrelenting. You cannot take your eyes off Daniel Day-Lewis. He is quite simply fantastic as the fiery, vengeful and driven oilman and deserved his Plainview becomes so dislikeable he is likeable, and I found myself routing for him, after all he is the film. The scenes between pastor Eli and Daniel, in particular the two where each humiliates the other, are worth the price of admission alone.

Maybe I'm biased, maybe Daniel Day-Lewis is one of my favourite actors, maybe because I work in the oil industry the film's subject appeals to me more, maybe great shots of drilling derricks and flaming oil gushers set against the American West just do it for me. Or maybe not, maybe Paul Thomas Anderson has just created a truly great film, full of memorable images and lines. Although central to the film, the themes of religion and capitalism are allowed to exist without heavy handed interference from Anderson. Ultimately, neither come out of the other side smelling of roses.

The reason this film only scores 9/10 is due to the score. Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood is responsible for the score which Tarantino complimented as "one of the great modern original soundtracks of the last decade" but it just didn't agree with me.… Expand

While I agree with most of what everyone who loves this movie says about it, I do feel that it doesn't succeed in a couple of areas where the true greats do. If there is such a thing as too much ambiguity, Blood has it. We learn so little of Plainview that when he does interact with other characters it is impossible to know when he is lying or telling the truth. This gives Plainview little motivation as a character. In contrast to the people who love this movie I feel this is why some people find this movie boring. If we had just the smallest amount of back story on Plainview I think what he does would make this movie much more interesting to those that find it boring. Although Anderson does give us very small glimpses into his characters motivation in his movies, we fail to get even that small glimpse with Plainview. Of course on the positive side Anderson has created another set of characters that stay with you for weeks after viewing the movie. He moves his characters through these worlds he creates in such a way that we become entranced with the characters and the atmosphere. Of course Lewis is brilliant and deserves every bit of recognition he has received for this role. Last but not least the final scene in this movie is mesmerizing. The final confrontation between these two characters is brilliantly written and brilliantly acted. This is one of my top 5 endings for a movie ever, from the much hyped bowling pin, to the less talked about line. "I'm done".… Expand

Masterpiece.

Certainly eveyone is entitled to their opinion, and some may be praising it just to jump on the bandwagon. But I think there is some ridiculous accusations concerning this film. It must have been doing something right since almost every single magazine, newspaper, or awards show hailed it as one of the best films of 2007 and one of the best films of the decade. Just because a film isn't exactly what you expected doesn't mean you have to **** all over it. The film has a moral and a point! But it seems everyone here needs the film to shove it right in their face so they don't have to think. Pathetic. And I forgot to rate it last time sorry.… Expand

This is a big, bold film from huge talent Paul Thomas Anderson, but it

The acting is superb and Daniel-Day Lewis is captivating as always. But I had to drag myself through this one. It has it's moments, but overall There Will Be Blood is a like a never ending desert highway riddled with pot holes and tumbleweeds. Long winded, dry and not an inkling of refuge in sight. If only they would have whittled it down to a neat and simple package, this could have been great. But as it stands, snooze fest.… Expand

Daniel Day-Lewis's unbelievable performance nurtures this very intelligently written film into a deeply disquieting, perpetual steamroller of vengeance and malice.

This deep, brooding portrayal of a man motivated only by greed is a haunting movie that will both terrify and amaze you. I needn't say, Daniel Day-Lewis delivers one of the best performances of all time as Daniel Plainview.

This movie was a classic depiction of the great storytelling of Paul Tom Anderson with incredible acting by Day-Lewis. It was an independent joy ride through the life of an oil man. A visual and written masterpiece.