In a world where history repeats itself with ruthless precision, the pursuit of power remains relentless. Nations wage wars under the guise of progress, extracting resources like parasites killing everyone in its wake. Empires rise and fall, and the thirst for dominance continues to shape global conflicts.

The echoes of the past reverberate through today’s geopolitical landscape, where ambition tramples morality, and greed fuels destruction. There Will Be Blood (2008) finds its relevance within this harsh reality. Paul Thomas Anderson’s masterpiece is more than just a period drama—it is a haunting reflection of unchecked ambition and the corrosive nature of power.

The visual style is stark and minimalist, with a pervasive sense of tension. Narrowing the focus to a small cast, mainly Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano, magnifies personal conflicts and moral decay, allowing for a deep exploration of intimate dynamics that resonate in real life.

Although not the most popular film upon release in 2007, There Will Be Blood has since gained cult classic status. Its central theme—capitalism—has grown increasingly relevant over time.

The year is 1898, 50 years after the U.S. took 55% of Mexico’s land. There Will Be Blood is set in one of those ‘newly’ American territories, New Mexico. The other states taken were California, Nevada, Utah, most of Arizona and Colorado, and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming.

Today, 125 years later, the U.S. maintains the same war-driven mentality, dividing and conquering. Canada, Mexico, Greenland, and Europe reel from the U.S.’s ancient-old rhetoric; the gun once aimed at others now points at them. “Donald Trump will never win the Nobel Peace Prize. But he should be a contender for the Charlemagne Prize—for uniting Europe against him,” Gideon Rachman wrote in Financial Times on March 10, 2025.

The grandiosely crafted film is an early tale of greed and corruption, exploring Daniel Plainview’s (Daniel Day-Lewis) rise as an oilman. Just as Galeano described Latin America’s exploitation, many nations today bleed for the benefit of globalists. Eduardo Galeano, in Las Venas Abiertas de Latinoamérica (1971), described Latin America as a region of open veins, continuously drained for the benefit of foreign powers: “Everything, from discovery until today, has always been transmuted into European or U.S. capital, accumulating in distant centers of power.”

From the opening scenes, Anderson presents an almost documentary-like portrayal of the early oil industry. Machinery, dry landscapes, and bleak atmospheres mirror the harshness of Plainview’s world. The film’s depiction of early capitalism is brutal and unforgiving, with tycoons like Plainview embodying the ruthless drive for dominance and control, much like (AI) tech giants and superstores like Amazon or corporations like Coca-Cola, selling fizzy liquid sugar cheaper than water. “If I say I’m an oil man, you will agree,” Plainview famously states, as his relentless pursuit of wealth leads to his downfall.

The power these men wield is not for the betterment of society but for their selfish gain, driven by primal maniacality and the urge to not only control the lives of others but undermine the sovereignty of foreign nations as entitled demagogues. No guilt, no remorse, no willingness, no humanity. 

Voice as power

Central to the film is the conflict between Daniel Plainview and Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), a young preacher whose faith contrasts with Plainview’s greed. Plainview claims, “I enjoy all faiths. I don’t belong to one church in particular. I like them all.”

Their relationship is defined by mutual hatred. Plainview sees Eli as a charlatan, while Eli views Plainview as the embodiment of corruption. One of the most notable aspects of the film is the use of voice as a tool of power. Day-Lewis’s performance is remarkable, not just physically but in the way he uses his voice to convey authority and menace.

In contrast, Eli’s sermons are passionate, using voice to manipulate emotions. His power lies in inspiring his congregation, using faith as a tool for control.

One of the most poignant aspects of There Will Be Blood is the complex relationship between Daniel Plainview and his adopted son, HW. What begins as a partnership deteriorates as Daniel’s obsession with power consumes him.

HW, initially a symbol of Daniel’s legacy, gradually becomes estranged. In a powerful scene, HW signs with a determined gaze stating: “I carry nothing of you within me.”

The deterioration of their relationship mirrors the broader themes of the film—the pursuit of wealth leading to isolation and moral decay, much like today’s societal displacement and exploitation.

The grind and loss of self

Plainview’s obsession with oil becomes a form of worship, a belief in wealth’s power to elevate him above others, like an oil sheikh on Mexican land. Yet, this pursuit leads him into moral and spiritual decay. Eli, using faith as a weapon, represents the dangers of manipulating religion for personal gain. Here, God and the Devil are tangible forces shaping fate.

Plainview exhibits shrewd business acumen, navigating capitalism with a sharp mind. His initial care for HW suggests a desire for legacy, but ultimately, his willingness to exploit opportunity at any cost defines him.

“Our defeat was always implicit in the victory of others; our wealth has always generated our poverty. Gold changes into scrap metal, and food into poison” – Eduardo Galeano, Uruguayan journalist, writer and novelist.

There Will Be Blood explores the dangers of losing oneself in the pursuit of desire and greed. Plainview’s relentless grind, his obsession with oil and power, consumes him entirely. Anderson illustrates this through the film’s pacing, shifting between quiet introspection and intense turmoil.

The grind becomes the defining element of Plainview’s existence, mirroring today’s AI-driven transhumanist capitalism, where ambition consumes individuals and nations alike.

‘’Always there will be the intoxication of power, constantly increasing and constantly growing subtler. Always, at every moment, there will be the thrill of victory, the sensation of trampling on an enemy who is helpless. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face— forever.’’  George Orwell

The final scenes of the film, particularly Plainview’s descent into madness, serve as a cautionary tale about the price of unbridled ambition. His mansion, once a symbol of success, becomes a tomb where he isolates himself, drowning in paranoia and resentment. His final words —“I’m finished— echo with a sense of tragic inevitability. It is a fitting end for a man who sought absolute power at the cost of his own humanity.

In the broader context of history and modern society, the story of Daniel Plainview remains relevant. The hunger for dominance, the exploitation of resources, and the moral sacrifices made in pursuit of power are not relics of the past but ongoing realities. As the world continues its pursuit of wealth and expansion, the lessons of There Will Be Blood should not be ignored. Just as Emiliano Zapata fought for ‘Tierra y Libertad,’ people must reclaim their power and self-determination to ensure that governments serve rather than rule.

The film is not just a story about the early days of an industry or a character study of a ruthless tycoon. It is the story of the moral decay that accompanies the relentless pursuit of power, much like our wealthiest millionaires and billionaires hijacking and harvesting humanity like schools of plankton.