Donal O'Sullivan
Donal from Cork, 24 Jul 2007
This film, as well as the departed, really put Leo di Caprio back on top in Hollywood...........also, bringing serious issues such as child-soldiers and conflict diamonds into the public eye is such a difficult thing thing to do, this does so really well "Bring on the empathy...........also check out his best film ever:"The basketball diaries" the story of Jim Carroll(well worth watching)..............the lad can act alright..................... Liverpool for the league........bring it back home
Top notch
Barry from Dublin, 24 Jul 2007
Preachy enough to be someways educational, though not enough to stop this from being an very good action movie, this film tries hard to be a lot of things, and generally suceeds at them all. As an action adventure it is fully accessible for people that may have been put off viewing the more "worthy" though excellent recent films on Africa, and the aftermath of it's colonial past. Not only that but all acting and production values are also of the highest standard. The two leads are great.
Strong story with a message
Ciaran from Dublin, 12 Aug 2007
Apart from a couple of annoying inconsistencies this is an excellent action drama with a strong moral message attached. Western culture likes it's vices; drugs is the primary one but here we take a look at the rough diamond trade from Siera Leone. The plight of a simple farmer, who is captured by the thugs who pillage the diamond fileds to illegally sell to the West, is well delivered and DiCaprio weighs in with another fine performance too. Well recommended if a little gruesome.
Close to the Truth
Maria from Meath, 19 Jul 2007
The directors have managed to depict real life circumstances of the Sierra Leone region in a movie that is mainstream. Di Caprio is excellent in his performance and does an unquestionable impression of a South African male. Hounsou is a credible actor and featured in good movies such as Amistad. This is by far his best work. Storyline is balanced, it moves at a great pace and keeps you completely absorbed. Not for the faint-hearted as there is a great deal of violence in it.
Very watchable
Stephen from Dublin, 15 Oct 2007
This was a very watchable movie highlighting the horrendous cut-throat nature of the continuing rape of Africa by the western economies. Di Caprio has lost that kind of choirboy aura I always felt detracted from taking him seriously as an actor and he is excellent in this. His co-star Djimon Hounsou is very powerful as an actor and the two of them blend particularly well. The ending is a tad schmaltzy-Hollywood but I would thoroughly recommend a viewing.