Lord of War

Nicholas Cage: Need I say more? This is now my favorite NC movie, because of his wry, understated performance. Yes, wry and understated is what I said! Ethan Hawke is a good foil, but Nick carries the movie. Nuf said!

The worst atrocities are perpetrated by governments. What is the difference between a government agent and a criminal? Paperwork. The final words should ring clear to all who say that only the government should be entrusted with firearms: “While private gunrunners continue to thrive, the world’s biggest arms suppliers are the US, UK, Russia, France, and China. They are also the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.” Governments are actually the LEAST trustworthy with weapons.

Lord of War is a wake up call for all people; it is a movie that emotionally effects the viewer and spotlights the reality of war that the mass media, educational systems, and social structure do not want you to understand. The first time I viewed this movie I found myself in complete disbelief that Hollywood had actually been able to release this film, because it is the ultimate Reality show: so truthful it is scary. In fact, without the cynical, often gut-wrenching, humor, the film would be too real to consider entertainment. I believe that it is this ultra realism that has lead to reviews that are, as stated by another reviewer, NAIVE--or cynical at best. That there are more reviews with four or fewer stars attests to the inability/refusal of viewers to pay attention to what they are watching. Lord of War is definitely not pure, unabashed indulgence of ones senses, but a film that requires listening and watching--engaging the film; not passing the time. As a former Combat Engineer Officer who was courted more than a few times by gun buyers and mercenaries--no I never got involved--I can assure you, like Robert D. Steele in his review, I have seen it all; and to the degree that I was ordered to abandon and bury weapons, ammunitions, and other military equipment, I was an unwilling participant in bringing war to others. The script is superb; the acting is so seamless, that it is easy to see how other reviewers describe the acting as something short of completely poor performances. Again, Robert D. Steele puts it most succinctly: This is a first rate movie with some truly extraordinary visuals and some truly extraordinary lines. It is unfortunate that politics, personal beliefs, and a general lack of interest in understanding the world we live in must overwhelm potential viewers interest, and thereby distract or prevent them from viewing, such a distinctly unique and powerful movie as Lord of War. When you watch the film, instead of thinking there is no way it could happen, stop and ask yourself: If this is really happening, what does it mean to me, my family, and my friends--not to mention nation? Then look at the research and the facts out there, and you will see that Lord of War is truly entertainment (at its best) imitating reality; that Lord of War is a movie you can watch over and over as a reality check that entertains and engages you, the viewer. Additionally, the 2-Disc Special Edition provides documentary follow-up to the statements and information made in the movie. While these features were not news to me, they have proven very beneficial for helping others who view the film as too far fetched to be true, despite their keen awareness of my past and knowledge of such events. They definitely add to the credibility of the movie for many. So, hopefully, more people will be encouraged to venture into true reality, and view this film--either for the first time, or with a new understanding of what the Lord of War is about. Update--1 July 2008: If this review was not helpful to you, I would appreciate learning the reason(s) so I can improve my reviews. My goal is to provide help to potential buyers, not get into any arguments. So, if you only disagree with my opinion, could you please say so in the comments and not indicate that the review was not helpful. Thanks.

This is such an informative and educational movie but such a fantastic movie. Nicolas Cage nails this part 100%. Jared Leto is very good and also Ethan Hawke. Its only of those movies that you dont want to miss a minute of. Nicolas Cage is unbelievably talented. He could play any part. And he has.

Not your typical thriller (where are the car chases..). Lord of War is constructed like a documentary with a plot. Cage is excellent, so is the screenplay. The movie not-so-subtly speaks against war, arm dealings, and developed countries making quick buck on misery of genocide and civil wars while at the same time hypocriticaly imposing embargos, sanctions, etc. Be prepared for strong language, a lot of violence and sexuality - all of which give really gritty surface to the otherwise sleek story. Many quotable one-liners and fast pace make it solid entertainment, if you can call it this thought-provoking drama.

Eye-opening and realistic depiction of the real-life international gun runner. Yuri Olov sold weapons to anyone and everyone in the world for a price. He even sold weapons to both sides of a conflict. Those of us in the US who want to ban guns need to see this. No matter how illegal a gun trade is you simply cannot prevent a gun being sold to someone who believes in a cause. Even if that cause is simply freedom. Because there will always be someone willing to sell them.

Not a great or profound dark comedy, but a decent and entertaining one. The message -- war is big business -- was very much not a new revelation in 2005, but its got its small, savage insights, and writer-director Andrew Niccol (Truman Show, Gattaca) delivers them with breezy aplomb. Cage gives one of his more restrained performances, which is always a good thing, though it is ridiculous that he couldnt ditch his Valley Girl accent to play a Ukrainian from Brighton Beach. Jeez. He gets a lot of help from the rest of the strong cast.

Nicolas Cage can really speak pretty good Russian!

... because this was the OLD Nicholas Cage-style of movie. The kind before he started his current run of awful dreck. The kind that was good. It made me miss those days. In any event, this was a terrific movie with a good cast and better script. It was well-worth watching.

Amazing movie fast shipping