Review of Blood and Diamonds

BLOOD AND DIAMONDS is a straight-up Italian crime flick from master director Fernando di Leo, here working with a lower budget and more pedestrian script than his earlier classics in the decade. However, the film is still perfectly watchable with plenty of violent scenes, menace, torture, and memorably stylish music to add up for an exciting viewing experience. Everyone's favourite Christopher Lambert lookalike, Claudio Cassinelli, plays a guy caught up in a violent bus robbery at the film's outset. Some great action follows, but before long the usual gangster goons are hunting Cassinelli in a bid to retrieve some missing diamonds. Martin Balsam turns up as a mob boss while Barbara Bouchet and Olga Karlatos (ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS) supply the glamour. The threat level remains high from beginning to end, so there's plenty to keep you occupied here.