Director: Andrew Niccol
Starring: Nicholas Cage, Ethan Hawke, Jared Leto, Bridget Moynahan, Eamonn Walker
Rating: 3 ½ stars
There's something gripping about Yuri Orlov. Besides the usual thrill factor of characters who confidently handle guns (think James Bond), international arms dealer Orlov (Nicholas Cage) is magnetic more because of what he seems to lack: a conscience.
While Lord of War has its fair share of problems, the biggest of which is coming across as far too earnest and slightly preachy, it's hard to deny how compelling the movie is. Although the use of voiceovers gets a bit stale, Cage's even, emotionless tone, along with what he has to say, makes it worth listening to; the movie begins with him stating, "There are over 550 million firearms in worldwide circulation. That's one firearm for every twelve people on the planet. The only question is: How do we arm the other eleven?"
The rest of the movie seems to answer that question, as Orlov makes huge profits trafficking arms across the conflict-torn globe, from post-war Ukraine through to Liberia and Sierra Leone. Nothing seems to reallyfaze this slick, clever arms dealer, not the fact that his guns and bombs are used for the most brutal purposes and by everyone from young children to despotic megalomaniacs like Andre Baptiste (Eamonn Walker), nor that his own brother Vitaly (Jared Leto) suffers a complete breakdown and substance abuse troubles as a result of his trade. Even being hounded by the relentlessly honest Interpol agent Jack Valentine (Ethan Hawke) and the threat of losing his beloved wife Ava (Bridget Moynahan) appear to have no effect.
Make no mistake, everything about Lord of War reeks of Hollywood, from Cage's ruthlessly amoral portrayal of Orlov to the dramatic scene where he outwits Valentine by doing a quick paint-over of a ship's name and details. While it does tend to all get a bit too much, the core issues of the international arms trade and the strange affinity most viewers will develop with Orlov's anti-hero does a lot to sustain it, although some may feel slightly let down with the ending. With enough guns and explosions to keep action junkies happy and enough fodder for thought for the rest, Lord of War is definitely worth its two-hour running time.
