Many people might believe that “There Will Be Blood” is too long and uneventful to be entertaining.

However, it must be understood that the film is not an action movie, but a character sketch. As a film, “There Will Be Blood” is not necessarily a terrific, must-see motion picture, but it is a good, solid movie and I recommend it.

Although many people might not appreciate this movie’s left-wing criticisms of Christianity and capitalism, “There Will Be Blood” is a great, unyielding character sketch about an oilman who gradually descends into insanity.

For Daniel Day-Lewis, the Academy Award for Best Actor is considered as good as his for his portrayal of oilman Daniel Plainview.

He is believable and effective in his role, and it is fascinating to watch him as he slowly turns into a madman. Nevertheless, I do have one problem with the film’s portrayal of Plainview. He is a heartless man who cares only about making money. Even his adopted son is used only as a pawn to assist him in making business deals. Another of his negative characteristics is revealed in one scene when he proclaims to his half-brother, “I always see the worst in people.”

These characteristics, along with outside pressure and events beyond his control, lead to his mental downfall. However, as if this movie is not already long enough, director Paul Thomas Anderson should have provided insight into why Plainview acts and thinks the way he does.

Anderson naturally assumes that because he is an entrepreneur and a businessman, he is greedy and loves money more than people.

As one of the film’s greatest strengths, the musical accompaniment sets the tone for the whole movie. Screeching violins and loud percussion make most of the scenes intense and enjoyable and foreshadow the plunge into insanity that Plainview will experience. One other strength of the film is the long, vast shots of the West Texas landscape. In this film, these shots are very effective in displaying Plainview’s mentality that people are small and worthless.