--- title: "There Will Be Blood" year: 2007 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/there-will-be-blood" fi1m_id: "there-will-be-blood" imdb_id: "tt0469494" tmdb_id: 7345 wikidata_id: "Q244315" fi1m_score: 88 critics_score: 88 critics_reviews: 8 published: "2026-09-15" updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:52.591997+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # There Will Be Blood (2007) Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson · 2h 38m · MPA R · Drama ## Identity There Will Be Blood - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/there-will-be-blood - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** there-will-be-blood - **IMDb ID:** tt0469494 - **TMDB ID:** 7345 - **Wikidata ID:** Q244315 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0469494/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/7345, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q244315 **Fi1m score: 88** · Critics 88 from 8 reviews *In a sentence:* Daniel Day-Lewis makes financial success look like grounds for a restraining order > Paul Thomas Anderson’s oilman drama is gripping and frightening, with Daniel Day-Lewis making greed feel horribly personal. Later storytelling gaps are a frustration, but the acting, images and music make its 158 minutes worth the discomfort. ## Synopsis Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) is an oilman pursuing wealth and power in the early American oil industry. As his ambitions grow, the people around him become caught up in a struggle shaped by money, competition and his distrust of others. Paul Dano plays Paul and Eli Sunday, with Dillon Freasier as H.W. Plainview, Kevin J. O’Connor as Henry and Ciarán Hinds as Fletcher Hamilton. Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, and drawing on a novel by Upton Sinclair, the drama centres on the cost of acquiring money and the struggle to command other people’s respect. ## Review *There Will Be Blood* is a gripping study of a man whose ability makes his cruelty more alarming. Paul Thomas Anderson takes the familiar story of a self-made oilman and allows little hope that success will make him generous. Anderson lets us see how hard Daniel Plainview works before asking us to recoil from his treatment of other people. We understand why people might follow him, which makes watching him harder. The wordless opening is a good test of Anderson’s confidence. He asks us to watch physical effort closely, letting Plainview’s persistence establish the character before speech can explain him. We felt uneasy before anyone said a word. The effort is impressive, but the concentration Day-Lewis brings to it already seems unhealthy, as though stopping might be beyond him. Robert Elswit’s cinematography makes the work look difficult and the surroundings unwelcoming, giving us little encouragement to admire Plainview comfortably. Day-Lewis gives Plainview a voice that makes ordinary conversation sound like a negotiation already going badly. He can make an offer seem considered and courteous while leaving us in little doubt about his contempt for the person hearing it. The performance is large, and Anderson is sensible enough not to try to disguise that. Its fascination lies in the control: the aggression is there even when Plainview appears to be behaving reasonably. We found ourselves listening for hostility in the most civil exchanges. Paul Dano provides useful resistance because he does not try to match Day-Lewis in the same way. His insistence has a different, needling quality, and their contest can be as embarrassing as it is threatening. Dano is most interesting when we can see the effort involved in maintaining his authority. There is something uncomfortable about watching each man need the other’s acknowledgement so badly. These clashes give the film some welcome uncertainty about who will make whom look small. Jonny Greenwood’s score is crucial to the unease. It makes the drive to succeed feel feverish, and its insistence can disturb a scene before the performances have done anything openly alarming. Jack Fisk’s production design keeps the business of extracting wealth physically convincing, giving Elswit’s images something more substantial to offer than imposing views. The places of work look capable of wearing people out. That matters in a film where making money involves so much visible effort, and where the ability to endure it can seem dangerously admirable. Dylan Tichenor’s editing is particularly effective in the opening, where the absence of dialogue never becomes an excuse for slackness. Later, the storytelling skips over connections we would have liked to see made. Plainview remains compelling, but some of the people around him seem to exist chiefly to confirm what we already know about him. That matters in a film of 158 minutes. Anderson has room for more of those people, and sometimes seems impatient to get back to Plainview. As a drama about money and power, it preserves the familiar pleasure of watching a capable man get ahead long enough to make our interest uncomfortable. The film does not assume that we will dislike Plainview simply because we recognise his greed. Anderson lets Day-Lewis make the hostility increasingly difficult to overlook, without pretending that this makes the man any less fascinating. Give it an uninterrupted evening, and do not expect much relief from the company. *Fi1m score 88, published 15 September 2026.* ## What the critics say The reviews are strongly positive, with praise centred on Daniel Day-Lewis’s performance as Daniel Plainview and Paul Thomas Anderson’s treatment of greed, power and American ambition. Critics repeatedly single out the opening sequence, finding its largely wordless storytelling a forceful introduction to Plainview’s character. Jonny Greenwood’s score also draws praise, while Anderson’s command of scale allows the film to work as both a close character study and a broader account of wealth pursued without moral restraint. The differences are chiefly matters of enthusiasm rather than outright dissent, and the reservations cluster around the later storytelling. The Skinny admires the first hour but finds narrative gaps thereafter; Den of Geek likewise questions the later stretch and the final scene. Eye for Film raises a separate concern about the simplicity of the religious opposition, though treats it as minor: none of these reservations overturns the critics’ broadly favourable view. ## Straight answers **Is There Will Be Blood worth watching?** *There Will Be Blood* is worth watching for anyone with an uninterrupted evening and a tolerance for unpleasant company, and we scored it 88. Daniel Day-Lewis makes greed feel horribly personal, and the cinematography, production design and Jonny Greenwood's score keep the unease going for all 158 minutes. The later storytelling skips over connections we would have liked to see, which is our one real reservation. **How long is There Will Be Blood, and what is it rated?** *There Will Be Blood* runs 2h 38m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a drama film. **Where can I watch There Will Be Blood in the US?** *There Will Be Blood* is streaming on Paramount+, Hulu and The Roku Channel in the US. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is There Will Be Blood, and is it suitable for children?** *There Will Be Blood* carries a UK 15 certificate, and it is not a film for children. The fear comes less from what is shown than from Daniel Plainview himself: ordinary conversations sound like negotiations already going badly, and the score can make a scene disturbing before anyone does anything openly alarming. It suits older teenagers and adults who can sit with sustained discomfort. **How does There Will Be Blood compare to The Treasure of the Sierra Madre?** *There Will Be Blood* is the more frightening film and [*The Treasure of the Sierra Madre*](https://film.one/film/the-treasure-of-the-sierra-madre) the more enjoyable one, though both watch men chase wealth until suspicion makes cooperation impossible. Huston's gold-prospecting adventure is tense, funny and shorter, and it lectures a little; Anderson's oilman drama is longer, colder and built almost entirely around one man. Start with Huston if you want relief, Anderson if you do not. **Is There Will Be Blood based on a true story or a book?** *There Will Be Blood* draws on a novel by Upton Sinclair rather than a true story, though Paul Thomas Anderson wrote the screenplay and the film centres firmly on his and Daniel Day-Lewis's version of Daniel Plainview. Our review does not measure how closely it follows the book, and we did not find any knowledge of the source necessary to follow or feel the film. **What should I watch after There Will Be Blood?** After *There Will Be Blood*, try [*The Treasure of the Sierra Madre*](https://film.one/film/the-treasure-of-the-sierra-madre) (1948, Fi1m 88): Men chase wealth and discover how quickly suspicion makes cooperation impossible. Then [*The Wages of Fear*](https://film.one/film/the-wages-of-fear) (1953, Fi1m 90): Dangerous work, desperate men and physical suspense with no comforting distance; and [*High and Low*](https://film.one/film/high-and-low) (1963, Fi1m 90): A businessman’s wealth becomes the basis of a precise, troubling moral examination. ### Reviews we read (13) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (5/5): The critic calls it a dark, uncompromising film that is thrillingly original and distinctive, with visionary passion. He singles out the extraordinary opening scenes and Daniel Day-Lewis's mesmeric, virtuoso performance as the misanthropic oilman Daniel Plainview. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/feb/08/paulthomasanderson.drama) - **The AV Club**, Nathan Rabin (A): Calls it a stunningly powerful epic and uncompromising masterpiece that fully realizes Anderson's promise. Singles out Day-Lewis's towering performance as a rapacious oilman descending into monstrousness and the film's vision of capitalism divorced from morality. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/there-will-be-blood-1798203575) - **Total Film** (90/100, inferred): The review hails Anderson's film as possibly his finest, a hefty meditation on money and madness that is intense and immense, with standout performances from Day-Lewis and Dano and a towering ambition that points to Oscars. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/there-will-be-blood-review/) - **Empire**, Helen O'Hara (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an uncompromising and intelligent work that may be a masterpiece, praising its searing portrait of greed and power through Day-Lewis's incredible performance and the clash of two titanic egos. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/will-blood-review/) - **Screen Daily** (85/100, inferred): The review describes the film as a vivid, sprawling parable about greed and moral corrosion, hailing Daniel Day-Lewis's volcanic performance as the monstrous rags-to-riches oil man while noting its anti-Western stance and parallels to classic moral dramas. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/there-will-be-blood/4035948.article) - **Variety** (85/100, inferred): Paul Thomas Anderson delivers a boldly strange and magnificent departure with this intense character study of a turn-of-the-century oil man, distinguished by its physicality, linguistic distinction, and original score. [Read](https://variety.com/2007/film/reviews/there-will-be-blood-4-1200554877/) - **Slant Magazine**, Nick Schager: Celebrates Anderson's newfound maturity and restraint without sacrificing artistry. Singles out the opening wordless sequence, Day-Lewis's mesmerizing embodiment of Plainview, and Jonny Greenwood's score as giving the film its throbbing soul. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/there-will-be-blood-3303/) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, John DeFore: Praises the film as both epic and miniature in its portrayal of greed at the dawn of the American century. Singles out Daniel Day-Lewis's powerhouse performance as the self-made, soul-dead oil man. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/will-be-blood-review-2007-movie-159419/) - **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (Critic’s Pick): The film is an epic American nightmare about greed and biblical-scale ambition in the early oil industry, anchored by a monstrous, shattering performance from Daniel Day-Lewis as the ruthless speculator Daniel Plainview. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/26/movies/26bloo.html) - **Time Out**, Dave Calhoun (5 out of 5 stars): The critic lauds the film's bold epic scope as a foundation myth of American ambition, centering on Daniel Day-Lewis's towering, restrained performance as the ruthless, monstrous oil prospector Daniel Plainview. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/there-will-be-blood) - **Eye for Film**, Chris (80/100, inferred): The critic praises it as a superb achievement in filmmaking with immense skill and gigantic performances that grips from beginning to end. They single out the simplistic Christ and Antichrist theme as a minor quibble. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/there-will-be-blood-film-review-by-chris) - **The Skinny**, Paul Greenwood (★★★★): The critic calls it a magnificent tale of greed and obsession that will win Oscars, singling out Daniel Day-Lewis's astonishing performance and the first hour's blend of storytelling and technical beauty while noting it falters later with narrative gaps. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/there-will-be-blood) - **Den of Geek**, Simon Brew (4 out of 5): The critic finds it masterful but not quite a masterpiece, praising Daniel Day-Lewis's mesmeric central performance and the penetrative score while noting problems with the flawed back end and odd final scene. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/there-will-be-blood-review/) ## Details - **Director:** Paul Thomas Anderson - **Director:** Paul Thomas Anderson - **Writer:** Paul Thomas Anderson - **Novel:** Upton Sinclair - **Cinematography:** Robert Elswit - **Editor:** Dylan Tichenor - **Music:** Jonny Greenwood - **Production design:** Jack Fisk - **Costume design:** Mark Bridges - **Producer:** JoAnne Sellar, Paul Thomas Anderson, Daniel Lupi - **Cast:** Daniel Day-Lewis as Daniel Plainview; Paul Dano as Paul Sunday / Eli Sunday; Kevin J. O'Connor as Henry; Ciarán Hinds as Fletcher Hamilton; Dillon Freasier as H.W. Plainview; Hope Elizabeth Reeves as Elizabeth; Colleen Foy as Mary Sunday; Barry Del Sherman as H. B. Ailman - **Runtime:** 2h 38m - **Certificate (MPA):** R - **Release (the US):** 25 January 2008 - **Genres:** Drama - **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 2007); [BAFTA Best Film winners](https://film.one/collections/bafta-best-film.md) (Nominee, 2007); [Golden Globe Best Drama winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-drama.md) (Nominee, 2007); [Films where the soundtrack is the real star](https://film.one/collections/soundtrack-is-the-star.md) - **Budget:** $25 million - **Box office:** $77 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FIm5ATyAY0 ## Where to watch in the US - Paramount+: streaming - Hulu: add-on, hd - The Roku Channel: add-on, hd *Checked 2026-09-15.* Also available in: AR, AT, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, EC, FR, GB, IE, IT, MX, PA, PE, PT, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2008: Best Director (nominated); Best Film Editing (nominated); Best Picture (nominated); Best Production Design (nominated); Best Sound Editing (nominated); Best Actor (won); Best Cinematography (won) - Amanda Award for Best Foreign Feature Film 2008: Amanda Award for Best Foreign Feature Film (won) ## If you liked this - *The Treasure of the Sierra Madre* (1948), Fi1m 88: Men chase wealth and discover how quickly suspicion makes cooperation impossible. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-treasure-of-the-sierra-madre.md) - *The Wages of Fear* (1953), Fi1m 90: Dangerous work, desperate men and physical suspense with no comforting distance. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-wages-of-fear.md) - *High and Low* (1963), Fi1m 90: A businessman’s wealth becomes the basis of a precise, troubling moral examination. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/high-and-low.md) - *The Leopard* (1963), Fi1m 88: For another patient account of power, with more social grace and comparable bitterness. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-leopard.md) - *The Master* (2012), Fi1m 84: Anderson studies another struggle for authority through two forceful, painfully needy men. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-master.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/there-will-be-blood