Every Leonardo DiCaprio Movie Ranked Worst To Best

When it was released, one reviewer noted that Blood Diamond was the "first time DiCaprio truly seemed like a man on film." It's hard to argue with the assessment, or what DiCaprio brings to the hardened, incongruous smuggler Danny Archer.

Up until his starring role in Ed Zwick's crushing action-drama, DiCaprio's roles had been defined by his boyish charm and endearing vulnerability. With Blood Diamond, he seemed totally at ease casting his image aside, tackling a role with more edges than he'd ever allowed himself to face before, in a film that still packs a punch.

Blood Diamond's message is vital, even with its blunt-force execution, but the characters are the film's secret weapon. DiCaprio is overshadowed by a devastating Djimon Hounsou, but he's rarely been so confidently tough or emotionally jaded.