Some viewers who watched this must really not understand it

Ah gee thanks i thought it was about a woman.

and that is good because?

I got that upon my first viewing. I just don't think there's much else to this story. As for DDL's performance I have to admit that I found it a bit corny and almost maudlin in some respects. For what it's worth this movie is about a man's journey from laborious prospecting to exuberant economic success and all of the dirty deeds required to reach it. But there's no major character arc to Daniel Planview other than the slight reference to him running from the past. Paul Thomas Anderson never explored this for some reason but I think it could have lifted this film to a higher plain of story telling akin to the Godfather, Sunset Blvd., Giant, etc.

This movie is about a man. One man.

I don't know... I think he has some level of "regret" as to his relationship with H.W. I don't think he feels that he's responsible but I still think he has some regret to it.

Maybe it's you who doesn't understand it? I don't think he's quite the one-dimensional character you describe. I think he really did care for HW. He expresses real emotion when Eli forces him to admit that he abandoned him. In fact, it's the one part of the whole process that he can't seem to bear. Also, when he sent HW away after the fire, he asks on his living conditions. And look how concerned he was about his condition when the well exploded. Clearly he's concerned about him, to some degree at least. I think he intended to have HW carry on his business. Taking him on surveys and scouting expeditions with him and explaining aspects and strategies of the operation seem to indicate that. When HW later decides to strike out on his own, I think he is disappointed, feels betrayed, and lashes out. He also made those comments to Mr. Sunday to get him to stop beating his daughter. Finally, after killing the impersonator, he's clearly very emotional reading his brother's diary. I'm not saying he wasn't a bad man, but I just think there was more to the character than simply that.

You’re missing some of the allegorical stuff about religion vs consumerism in today’s world. Daniel the capitalist conquers Eli the spiritual leader, just as consumerism has largely destroyed religion. Much like the end of Heat, Daniel has killed his arch enemy, and states ‘I’m finished’ - he has won, but also destroyed any vestiges a soul inside him. The West is now filled with young people going mad with paradise syndrome - they have all the creature comforts and technological marvels you could wish for, but no spiritual life, only endlessly deranging narcissism.

Eli was certainly a fraud, but I find it interesting that the baptism scene does appear to be a moment of genuine penance and catharsis for Daniel, and in the next scene he has acted and brought H.W. home.