The terse dialog and stark visuals really highlight and outstanding storyline. This is the only time I've seen huge numbers of an audience burst into spontaneous nervous laughter because the tension in a scene is so palpable. This is great film not for its art house merit but for the punch its story packs.

reviewers who launch into a diatribe of other reviews and then conclude with an argument such as "...was like being a proctologist for two hours- go see it if you like staring at a$$h()les." are the ones who deserve to be mocked.… Expand

I hate to sound like all of the others, praising Daniel Day-Lewis for his performance, but the lead actor is deserving of it. His character was a believable figure enthralled by greed and power. His relationship with his son H.W. and his hate for those around him create a complex character which strikes almost fear in the common man. The story was very interesting. There were also a few spectacular scenes of dialogue. I can see how some may not like it, especially if the topic doesn't interest one. However, look deep into the development of Daniel plainfield as a man throughout thirty years, and you'll see a creature worth watching.… Expand

I hate to sound extreme and toss my coin in with perfect ten crowd, but this is a goddamn great film. A pretty sprawling, Kubrick-esque American fable. The visuals are stunning, camera work subtle and sharp. Performances are, above all, memorable. Whether you dug it or not is your thing, but why else are we sitting around shitting about how AWESOME or TERRIBLE this thing is. It's a stark work of art. And usually with one of those, there is mass division. So, don't feel bad or pretentious for digging it, and don't feel self-righteous and scornful if you didn't.… Expand

After seeing this film, I felt refreshed. I needed a movie like this to remind me why I love film. I needed a film like this to give me faith that there are still film makers that use the medium as more than just a profit center, but to express ideas and situations artistically. I needed a film like this to reaffirm my faith that not all actors are self-indulgent talking heads. I needed a film like this to proof that proves that films are not just formulas but a means to creative independence. I love this film, and hope that some out there will feel the same way I've felt.… Expand

I truly enjoyed it, and thought the 2.5 hours flew by. My husband found it interesting from an engineering standpoint (learning about how oil rigs were built and laid at the turn of the 20th century) but found the film long-winded and a bit too much dialog. So some of you will like it, others won't;if you don't like films that are slow-action, you probably won't like this one.

After reading the review of the reviews of this movie I was immediately amazed! Never have I been moved by such poignant criticism of criticism. Seeming to take the term "Metacritic" in an unexpectedly creative direction, Joel K turns the lens of the popular website's comment section back in on itself, describing the reviews as "patheitc." Also stating, "Was ready to see this film," Joel K poses as an individual none to familiar with proofreading or personal pronouns in a successful effort to skewer those without such acute senses of critical irony. He gets a ten!… Expand

There Will Be Blood is easily the greatest disaster film ever made. Plainview is less a man than he is a volcano, that we watch percolate for nearly 2.5 hours before it explodes in the appropriate climax the film had been working towards the entire time. Unlike, your typical piece of crap disaster film there is no Brosnan running around to save the women and children...the disaster wins! Plainview destroys all in his path, sucking them dry of their humanity (both lit and figuratively) as he did the earth of its oil. No one is spared Plainview's wrath that was brought to life be an excellent performance from Daniel Day Lewis.
The film's score is one of the best in recent memory as it manages to be both Kubrickian and Hitchockian. The landscaping shots and set-pieces like the oil well catching fire, were simply perfect. Perhaps people just "want to be different" or do not like Kubrick either, but There Will Be Blood is not only the best film of 2007, but also the best of the decade thus far.… Expand

A magisterial work. Fulfilling the promise PT Anderson showed with the likes of Magnolia, the film is both an overwheling experience and a provocative comment on American capitalism, religion and the darkness of the human soul. Comaprisons wth Citizen Kane are misleading. In fact, one of Anderson's great achievements is not following the familiar tragic trajectory of that film and serving up something altogether more disturbing. A true original.… Expand

Superb and most definitely worthy of high praise. Rarely does a film come along and keep you thinking and pondering over the outcome and characters for long afterwards. A thinking person's movie most definitely. To those who have suggested it is boring and dull, I pity you. Inside this film you should find a great plot, great actors and characters and stunning cinematography and a mesmerizing screenplay. What more could anyone ask for? You have to have the right mindset for this film and obviously many people don't - which is why this film isn't a box office smash and wouldn't be the same if it was. People would rather stick to their Jumpers and Saw's and whatever else. For those of us in to truly great films, look no further. A classic… Expand

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

One of my favorite movies of all time. I am not sure why people absolutely NEED to like the main character in a movie. Day-Lewis' performance exceeds any performance by Brando, Hanks, Deniro, Pacino, Penn, etc... The raw emotion you get from Day-Lewis is enough to make shivers to run up your spine. I can watch this movie multiple times but the evil that resonated throughout makes it only watchable twice a year at most. There are many quality parts of this movie plot-wise. It is all done magically without many words. The anticipation of what might happen next makes the movie fly by quickly.… Expand

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.

I don't have anything to add that hasn't been said already - this film is outstanding in every sense. . . . Something that troubles me, though, are the reactions of some of my fellow TWBB fans - Iain F and Nikko C ? . . . good grief guys - did some boorish prol torment you as children? Why the vitreol? Didn't I see you two rallying against public insensitivity on the board for NCFOM too (an excellent film, certainly, but not as good as TWBB)? . . . I mean, just what is it that you think you're accomplishing? Shaming people for being boobs? The only thing you're accomplishing is showing people how to be dicks.… Expand

This film is outstanding in every sense. What troubles me, though, are the reactions of some of my fellow TWBB fans - Iain F and Nikko C ? . . . did some boorish prol torment you as children? Didn't you two make this same sort of display on the board for NCFOM too (an excellent film, certainly, but not as good as TWBB)? . . . I mean, just what is it you think you're accomplishing? Shaming people for being uncultured? The only thing you've accomplished is showing us how to be a dick… Expand

"There Will Be Blood" is at least as good a movie as Shakespeare's "Richard III" is a play. Both present a monumentally monstrous, yet completely human, central character, whom you watch riveted and repulsed for the longest time before realizing you're staring at a mirror. All the performances, the cinematography, the music, the production design are superlative. The story leaps from climax to climax, to a final scene of such jolting intensity, I couldn't breathe. People have compared this movie to the work of Stanley Kubrick, John Huston, David Lean. i think any one of them would have been proud to have made it.… Expand

Paul's magnum opus. Best film I've seen in a long time. An utter masterpiece of cinema.

Saw it in Austin. Brilliant.

A jaw-dropping performance by Day-Lewis. Give him every award imaginable.

About once a decade a flilm changes the face of cinema. How lucky we are to witness the vision and brillance of Paul Thomas Anderson's masterpiece "There Will Be Blood".

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

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

Best movie I have seen this year! Better than No Country for Old Men & Before the Devil Knows You're Dead!

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

Terrance Malleck meets Orson Welles in this contemplation of a movie. Great acting all around.

The pairing of Upton Sinclair and PT Anderson results in a volatile movie as explosive as the sticks of dynamite used to squelch a rig fire. Capitalism and Fundamentalism are both soul-less endeavors for most and this movie does a great job of telling a simple story of men obsessed with their pursuits. Flawless performances, understated but beautiful cinematography and production design and a pensive pace that will throw some people off. An instant classic.… Expand

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

Easily the best, though not the most comforting, movie of the year.

The very best rewiew of this movie is still lacking on this site - the one of Time's. That magazine's critic got at the right point: the ending is the most eletrifying ever. And this is one of the best american movies ever crafted.

A feverishly provocative epic that happens to be the best Paul Thomas Anderson's best effort since the great "Boogie Nights" in 1997 (and when you remember that his last two films were "Magnolia" and "Punch Drunk Love" that's a pretty big statement), "There Will Be Blood" is a big departure from his past material. As Daniel Plainview, the wicked single minded oil man at the start of a new century, Daniel Day-Lewis gives a ferocious, layered performance that ranks as the best of the year. This one strange and great film that literally made my jaw drop.… Expand

This mesmerizing and brilliant work of art is one of the best films of our time. Please Mr. Anderson, don't ever stop making movies.

The internet has empowered hypercritical dorks like none other. You guys are such internet losers. It's depressing.

one of the great achievements in American cinema.

2007's great movie is There Will Be Blood. Day-Lewis puts on one of the greatest performances in American cinema history. With a terrific all-around cast, coupled with Paul Thomas Anderson's ingenious writing and direction, this film has no visible weakness.

One of the best films ever.

A masterpiece from PTA. Every shot is beautifully composed and in effect places you directly into the film. I don't even know where to begin with the acting performances. This may be Daniel Day-Lewis' greatest acting performance, which says a lot. If you thought Bill The Butcher was intense, merciless, and dynamic, wait until you see Daniel Plainview. Jonny Greenwood's score is creates an uneasy anticipation throughout. It is perfect. There Will Be Blood is a must see film for cinephiles, but the average movie goer might leave the theater feeling empty or perhaps dirty inside. It has that kind of affect.… Expand

best american movie since taking of pelham 123

Art is very subjective. And the medium of film has perhaps the widest range of any art form. For example, one critic on this site's list of the best movies of the year has "The Borne Ultimatum" at #1. A young woman in front of me at the store last night told someone on the phone that "I am Legend" was the best movie ever made and that WIll Smith is the best actor in the history of film. And a number of users here viscerally hate this film. Opinions are like noses (or any other body part) -- everyone has one. The reason this movie is so well received by critics is that it is stunningly shot and edited, very well acted and tackles a number of important issues. Not everyone has the attention span necessary to enjoy a film like this. Anderson's films tend to be a bit long in the tooth, and this is no exception. But as with "Boogie Nights" and "Magnolia," the long ride is worthwhile, not just for the destination, but for the ride itself. This movie is bearutiful and powerful and tragic and, at times, disturbing. It is also magnificent. I am often dumbfounded as to how people adore some of the movies that are popular. I am equally surprised by the few, but very adament, negative reviews of this film. Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day Lewis will be nominated for Academy Awards again. Those acolades will be deserved. I loved this movie. If you have an attention span not dulled by music videos and sitcoms, and are not a pretentious film school malcontent, you should appreciate this movie too.… Expand

Daniel Day Lewis' performance is riveting.......easily the best performance by an actor this past year......every thing about the film is beautiful executed......a wonderful ride!!

I read metacritic constantly and rarely vote, but I just wanted to say that this is one of the finest films I've ever seen in my entire life.

Inspiringly beautiful movie making on all levels. Don't be afraid of the misleading title and critics mistakingly pigeon-holing it as simply a Western; "There Will Be Blood" is one of the best films in years and will be remembered for many years to come.

Forgive my plain spoken words: a masterpiece.

Best movie of the year. Hands down. See it now.

Awesome!!!

Best film of DDL's career, and the year's best. A must see in theaters. Well worth price of admission. I can't say enough about the acting on all accounts, but the writing too really is something, and the story twists and turns in gut-wrenching ways that you will be thinking about weeks after.

This movie has the perfection of Kubrick. That may say it all right there, but when you combine that concept with a PT Anderson, that has come out of hibernation, more equipped and clever than ever before (which is saying A LOT), you have a true Masterpiece on your hands. Choosing Jonny Greenwood's music for the score was pure genius. Having said in an interview with Henry Rollins while TWBB was still in pre-production, that he was imagining violent Polish composer Penderecki's music along the script, commissioning Greenwood is 2 steps beyond that. NOT b/c he's melody maker of Radiohead, but b/c his own love for atonal modern classical, and recent ventures in this (the pieces he's written and performed recently for the BBC), is the true marraige needed to take this film into the realm of classics (such as A Clockwork Orange and Wendy Carlos' revolutionary use of the Mood Synthesizer). Daniel Day Lewis give one of the greatest performances of our time. The character is so deep and mysterious, yet so uncompromisingly real, his role in this movie truly embodies how much an actor really can do as an artist in this age of movies, centered more around flashy blahblahblah and a "clever" script at best. There Will Be Blood is NOT a "clever movie" ("Memento", "Fight Club", "Magnolia"). It isn't even a breakthrough return to form movie ("No Country for Old Men"). It's a timeless movie, that has as much depth as it does immediate, if mainly aesthetic, satisfaction. It's not a David Lynch type movie, for film snobs only, like myself. It holds a strong narrative that I'm confidant would connect to the widest of audiences. There are so many nuances to this movie that I seem to realize day after day, after having seen it new things. I have no idea when the last time THAT happened to me after seeing a movie. If ever... There Will Be Blood, grabs my boyish love for the film art form, and carries me away into realms of divine bliss. Bliss.… Expand

saw this when it came out. an amazing film. the best film to come out in the last five years. i was torn between this and No Country For Old Men, but Day-Lewis won me over. a true good for sake American epic. p.t.anderson is a genius hands down. Warning: if you are an idiot and like to ask questions while watching a movie, then this is not for you. sad really when people cant fallow coherent storytelling. if this film is too advanced for those of whom i speak of, then please feel free to exchange your tickets for National Treasure 2 or something along the same lines.… Expand

I still can't get it out of my mind. Horrifying. Excellent. I praise the return of silence in movies. It makes the sparse dialogue that much more meaningful.

Audrey, you are a complete moron. This film was the best of the year. Go see a terrible film like P.S. I love you.

A morality tale on a very big scale, a story told in bold strokes, cinematograthy and a sound track to jar your nerves (in a good way), evil vs evil in your face, There Willl Be Blood is terriffic entertianment and enlightening.

simply a fantastic movie. no critics are wrong in declaring this the year's best film. Day-Lewis is a modern marvel. He embodies his character. the score by Greenwood is exceptional. everything about this movie is great. for people saying it's boring and doesnt go anywhere....jesus, you need to get your head out of the sand. if you want formulaic drivel you might want to apply for a job with Disney. save me all the high-brow language too. it's unnecessary...if you want to feel smart you can continue reading the dictionary for fun to 4th graders… Expand

For all the good reasons shared by others, this is what a movie should be. I'm mainly writing to get a rating in, and to comment on people such as Glen C.'s "reviews": Shame on you, you pretentious fop, for writing a sour, niggling review that spoils a major plot twist for all who are kind enough to take the time to read your words. "This commentator" wonders what "pedestrian mainstream" you barely flopped out of, as your "hollow posturing" indicates an overwrought effete snob at work. To not even respect that you may ruin something for someone else is the lowest form of "shallow meditation". Glen C. is a shameful spoiler! This movie is great!… Expand

The film-making is astonishing, the music haunting, and Daniel Day-Lewis' performance is unforgettable. There are missteps (Dano is only okay) but this is a masterful movie and will long be remembered and savored by everyone who loves film. Surely it's churlish to note that the negative reviews on this message board feature many misspellings and grammatical mistakes, but it should be mentioned that this movie is not for the impatient or the unimaginative.… Expand

Audrey, the deal is your ignorance. Do you eat feces daily? Because clearly you have an appetite for shit.

Exceptional character study. Exceptional score. Exceptional acting. Daniel Day Lewis is my hero.

Fantastic film! The performance from Daniel Day-Lewis may be his best ever, possibly even better than My Left Foot. I'm not sure how people can rate this a zero. It deserves every award it is nominated for and wins.

Possibly the best American film of the decade thus far, Day-Lewis is flawless, Greenwood's soundtrack enthralls, and Anderson reinvents himself as a director. A must see!

One of the greatest movies that I have ever seen. Daniel Day-Lewis gives his best performance to date. PT Anderson's directiopn is flawles. Paul Dano shows great promise in a pivotal role in the film. Great Location, great supporting cast, and for a long movie it does keep you captivated and wanting more the whole time. I can't wait until it's released wide, so I can see it again. PS Thank you to Allied ad company for the pass to the screening.… Expand

This is a very big movie, an experience, an event. Exhilarating. The movie ended 2 hours ago, and I can't calm down. I'm speechless. If you like movies, you have got to see this.

Day-Lewis gives the best acting performance that I have ever seen !!!! it was pure joy watching this man act.... and it had some of the funniest scenes that had me laughing harder than some of what they call comedy today.

It's nice to see a prestige picture that breaks from the traditional "heartbreaking-story-of-humanity" mold every once in a while, without becoming too politicized. This is one of the reasons "There Will Be Blood" is so incredible: it delicately treads the line between humanistic and intimate, and commentative, political. Day-Lewis's portrayal of Plainview is, without a doubt, the film's highlight, to be sure. Coming out of the theater, I was shaking and crying--not due to the sadness of the film, but rather due to Day-Lewis's performance (if he doesn't win Best Actor for that role, then there really will be blood.) This isn't to play down the rest of the film, though: it does an unusually good job of making all of its characters, not just the protagonist, complex and believable, and by the end, it'll be difficult to decide who's the de facto "good guy"--or if there even is one. Many comparisons have been drawn between this film and "Citizen Kane." To be sure, the capitan-of-industry aspect is there, along with the power-corrupts adage worked in. But somewhere between Johnny Greenwood's haunting soundtrack and Daniel Plainview's monologue about his hatred of humanity, you realize this film is nothing like "Citizen Kane"--it's a rags-to-riches story with all the hope and triumph drained from it,like so much oil in the ground, and it feels strangely relevant to the current world. Easily the best movie of the year.… Expand

I think 20, 30, 40 years from now, people will look back at There Will Be Blood as an epic work of American filmmaking, following in the tradition of movies like The Godfather.

Immediately after seeing it I was amazed. Not only was it by far the best movie of the year. But it might be one of the best movies I have ever seen. Paul Thomas Anderson's directing is masterful, and Daniel Day Lewis' performance is unbelievable. Its just magnificent.

A "10" does not do this film justice. Rarely does a movie so exceed the conventions of todays film making as this one does. A true masterpiece.

Amazing, haunting, thought provoking, and worth every minute of an film goer's time!

There Will Be Blood is simply the best American movie all year, perhaps ever. While No Country For Old Men was fantastic as well, Anderson puts his own original daring ideas into the mix to create something completely unique. It is better because it is imperfect. It is funner for its awkward scenes and twisted sense of direction. It is more exciting for its very real clashing of strong characters set to an equally relevant background.… Expand

An excellent film that hits you like a fever. Absolutely visceral and and hard to stomach, this movie focuses on characters that you will seldom find as the focus of a character study. Unsympathetic but charismatic, Daniel Plainview is portrayed to perfection by Daniel Day-Lewis.

to Joe K.: you're an idiot. if you're rating reviews, go elsewhere. wow no comma. some one pull out a gun and shoot that person. this movie is clearly above and beyond the quality and perceptual genius of most films out there to date. get a life. stop reading other's reviews and critiquing them, just relax. the script, the actors, the cinematography...fine if you didn't enjoy the movie. but you're an absolute fool if you cannot appreciate its mastery of the medium.… Expand

There Will Be Blood is one of the greatest films made in many years. It has grabbed me and will not let go. It was a pleasure reading the critics insightful reviews. I have seen it twice in three days and will be seeing it again very soon and again and again.

One of the best films I've ever seen. Daniel Day Lewis is incredible.

Wow... Simply brilliant

It stunned me. 2007 had its share of great movies. I didn't think stuff like No Country For Old Men and The Diving Bell And The Butterfly could be beat, but this movie knocked me out like no other film from the last few years. Maybe even longer. The ending was over-the-top and bizarre, but it was also 10 minutes of some of the best one-person acting I've ever seen. Day-Lewis is spectacular throughout the whole film, but he just went all out at the end. A crazy masterpiece.… Expand

This film was just as good as I hoped it might be. It can rightfully be compared to "Citizen Kane" intersected with "McCabe and Mrs Miller", with a hint of "Treasure of the Sierra Madre." But don't worry about comparisons when you see it. It presents a whole world of its own. Clear your mind, sink back in your chair, and soak it in. Highly recommended.

Absolutely jarring and relentless cinema that treats its characters and subject matter with the utmost of care and gumption. The men who did (and do) the "legwork" that made modern American capitalism possible were ruthless in their malice toward those whom them fleeced. Henry Plainview is the finest embodiment of capitalist violence ever committed to film. Bravo to Paul Thomas Andersen, and the fine cast that brings his story to life.… Expand

It is very rare that I will give a movie a ten out of ten. This film deserves it, hands down. Some say it's too slow, too boring, or too pointless. The opposite is the case. Sure; it does ride heavily on the back of Day-Lewis, but there are plenty of other fantastic actors to keep the movie afloat. What really needs to be taken into account here is character and theme. Put quite simply, the character development is spectacular and the numerous themes have you leaving the theater shaken and, quite frankly, changed. Sit this movie out and you will be rewarded.… Expand

P.T. Anderson has had one dynamite career thus far

Does savage ambition inevitably breed insanity? Is true success earned only upon complete deprivation of human emotion? These are among the uncertainties haunting Paul Thomas Anderson

The single greatest acting performance of my lifetime. For the life of me, I can't see how you'd rate this movie any less than a 9. I suppose if your attention span is more "Fast and the Furious 2" than "There Will Be Blood" you might find this a bit dull. But if you ever enjoyed a serious work of fiction, see this post-haste. It rewards thoughtfulness, understanding of character, and a sober assessment of what simultaneously makes our country great, and yet corrupts it.… Expand

there isn't much character development because people don't change. there isn't a traditional story arc because life's stories are too f***ed up to arc. this is a masterpiece in the same way cormac mccarthy's "the road" is a masterpiece. flawless acting, a merciless score, breathtaking cinematography, and one of the very few perfect endings to a film. picture of the decade.… Expand

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

One of the most amazing films in a long time.

From Day-Lewis, who has been garnering universal acclaim for this movie for a reason; to Paul Dano, who also impresses beyond all expectations; to the direction, which feels almost Kubrickian it, along with the film's style, is that good; to the music, which is pulse-pounding and amazing; There Will Be Blood is an endeavor in superior filmmaking and storytelling, the likes of which no one should miss. I see a comment by a "joe k." who thinks the critics praising this film have severely lost touch with the movie-going public. And yet his review is nothing but quoting them and somehow trying to disprove (and commenting on someone's lack of punctuation. Yes, we get it, commas make you intellectually superior) their praise. Ah yes, and then he made a wonderful comparison to the human body regarding this film in an attempt to be clever. And yet here I am, an average movie-goer, and I rate this movie a 10/10. Perhaps some people just don't have an appreciation of cinema anymore. Real shame. Go see this movie.… Expand

I'm sorry if your attention span is that of a chimp, because this is one of the most well written and cleverly crafted movies I've seen in a long time. The acting alone could make this movie great, but its the character development and the dramatic turning points in the story that make this movie great.

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

One of the most brilliant screen performances that I have ever seen! Daniel Day and Paul Thomas have together made the ultimate masterpiece!!

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.

May be slightly better than No Country for Old Men, but only due to its relevance in current culture.

The new American epic. Daniel Plainview will resonate forever as a man trying to accomplish the American Dream. Day-Lewis' performance is mesmerizing. In every frame he IS Plainview. From the first scene you know you're dealing with a Goliath. Paul Dano will surely move from this movie and become one of the next big stars, I predict an Oscar in his future. Paul Thomas Anderson crafts the perfect story...everything circling his main character...The whole time I was trying to figure out who the antagonist was...but then I realized Plainview is his own protagonist and antagonist...he is ultimately the one at fault for his downfall, a downfall not dissimilar to that of Scarface.… Expand

A masterpiece, but a sure-fire audience splitter similar to the (near equally) "No Country for Old Men." On one side you have people who love to go to the cinema and be challenged, surprised, perplexed, even dare say, confused. We want to debate the film, what it means, what motivated the characters. To, you know, think. We are the people voting 9 and 10 here. The other side are folks who want to go to the movies. To be spoon fed sugary treats, patted on the head, given a good night kiss and sent off to bed without a thought ringing in their heads. These are the folks slamming this film, and who probably just loved "National Treasure 2" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks". It's not wrong. Some people spend their hard earned cash on something and want exactly what they want -- to be entertained but without the hassles. Seriously, does anyone who's seen "National Treasure 2" remember if the next week, the next day, the next ... hour. No. "There Will be Blood" settles inside you like oil, and I know I'll be wrestling with it for weeks and months to come, until I see it again. You've read the plot posts already, Daniel Day-Lewis -- never more brilliant -- is an oil tycoon with oil for blood. He loves nothing but his ambition. He is the corruption of capitalism, which was meant to help all people but has been hijacked by the greed of a few. Paul Dano, who by God looks exactly like my brother who's now in Iraq, represents the corruption of America's other greatest gift, religion. He is an evangelist for himself, not God above. Both men destroy and push away every thing close to themselves until they have nothing but each other -- then they start tearing down again. One stands at the end, or rather slumps. This is a brilliant, methodical film that is as one poster here said, a brilliant disaster film. The disaster of the soul. Again like in "No Country," there is an innocent -- the adopted son of Daniel Planview (the Day-Lewis character). In a brilliant twist, the boy has his ear drums blown out by an oil rig accident and he goes deaf. It's heart-breaking to think a son will never hear his father say, "I love you." The irony is that Planview, when he tells his son exactly that, doesn't mean it. Alas, it's not worth hearing. Yes, it's long, yes, it's challenging, and hard to get a grip of, yes, there's deep, deep thought in every scene. Cinema, lovers: enjoy. All others, do pass. One final note: The score, by Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead, is the best this decade.… Expand

There were so many aspects of that movie that scared the s**t out of me. It had the most realistic and wrathful acting that would rock many film watchers to their core. It was a fantastic movie, that I'm going wait to see again.

one of the few films where i did not feel a minute was self-indulgent

An unparalleled examination of one man's conflict with his soul: on the one hand Daniel Plainview is a staunch capitalist-man made, profoundly ambitious and unemotional in business; on the other a self-stated aspiring "family man" desperate for authentic contact with trustworthy individuals. The conflict that arises, coupled with an eerily affecting Paul Dano as a staunch opportunist veiled by his holy mania, is classic fodder for epic film-making, and PTA-as usual-succeeds in grand fashion.… Expand

Best film I have seen in years. Daniel Day Lewis has performed the best acting job since David Thewlis in Naked 1993. Its a performance that happens but once a decade. The film itself conjures Kubrick at his best, pure intense genius.

I honestly can't remember the last time I've been so giddy and satisfied after seeing a movie. Music/Cinematography/Acting... all stunning. Stop reading review and go see it. It's pretty obvious by this point (A metacritic 92!!) that it's worth seeing.

This is a masterpiece of artistic and cinematic excellence. By combining realism and cinematic grandiose, P.T. Anderson has created a modern day epic that transcends time. Day-Lewis solidifies his acting supremacy in a role that is both satanic and also all to familiar. Forget these raters who consider the film pretentious. How can a film be pretentious if it accomplishes what it sets out to do. There Will Be Blood is a provocative, visceral cinematic experience well worth the two and a half hour running time.… Expand

My living hell would be to spend time with all the vapid douchebags who gave this movie low scores here. You didn't get the movie -- fine. But clearly, you have missed something big here. So keep your inane pronouncements about the plot, acting and soundtrack to yourselves, and go away and watch your re-runs of Friends. And remember to crank up the Nickelback.

A movie all about drilling for oil in the early nineteenth century...and not about drilling for oil at all. Daniel Day-Lewis gives a intriguing performance as Daniel Plainview, constantly allowing the viewer to be torn between excitement for his success and business flair, and sickness at his greed and cold-heartedness. The movie tackles many social values as it winds its course through history, including religion, prophecy (or the lack thereof), and trust. At almost three hours long, the movie begins at some points to border on excess, yet each time pulls the viewer back through the use of gritty action, tense dialogue, and an excellent soundtrack. It may leave readers of Upton Sinclair's "Oil!" slightly confused, but does capture points from the book most relevant (and understandable) in today's world. The final three minutes of the movie leave audiences scratching their heads if they are interpreting much of the movie correctly, but this is a small price to pay for an excellent showcase of the American experience. It will most likely not win best picture, due largely to its massive scope and strongly suggestive subject matter, but Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano both deserve Oscars for their performances. This movie shines as not just a movie experience, but as an achievement in cinematography as well.… Expand