Today’s quick review: Lord of War. Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage), a Ukrainian immigrant to the US, goes into business as an arms dealer with his brother Vitaly (Jared Leto). Successful in his work, Yuri uses his wealth to win over Ava Fontaine (Bridget Moynahan), the girl of his dreams, and start a family in New York. But with Interpol on his trail and a violent clientele to please, managing his risky occupation might be more than Yuri can handle.
Lord of War is a crime drama about the arms trade and the violence that follows in its wake. Lord of War paints a bleak picture of global politics by examining the career of Yuri Orlov, one of the world’s most successful weapons dealers, and the moral compromises that take him to the top. Lord of War offers potent drama, solid acting, and wry cynicism, but its heavy tone, biographical structure, and vivid political message won’t appeal to everyone.
Lord of War backs its inherently dramatic subject matter with a willingness to show the consequences of its characters’ actions. Yuri’s associates range from the merely corrupt to the truly deranged, and his business leaves misery in its wake. For the most part, Yuri manages to skate ahead of the suffering he causes, but not well enough to escape it completely. The personal side of his story complements the professional quite nicely.
Lord of War rounds out its drama with a touch of excitement as Yuri tries to outfox Interpol agent Jack Valentine (Ethan Hawke). The cat-and-mouse game isn’t enough to shift the focus of the movie away from Yuri’s misdeeds, but it does give Lord of War some flavor. The film’s other distinctive touch is painting Yuri as a salesman. His confident narration and a couple of stylistic flourishes highlight the contrast between his success and what he deserves.
However, Lord of War does not have a gentle touch. It dishes out tragedy and irony in large dollops. Yuri’s one redeeming quality is his civility, but that one trait robs him of the dark appeal of other criminal protagonists. The story has the unstructured ebb and flow of a biography rather than the tightly controlled arcs seen in most fiction. Whether this increases the story’s realism or decreases its impact will depend on the tastes of the viewer.
Watch Lord of War when you’re in the mood for a cynical crime drama. Its basic craftsmanship and frank perspective will make it a good pick for those who are interested in the subject matter and don’t mind its heavy tone. However, those looking for a more conventional crime drama will want to look elsewhere. Lord of War hits the target it’s aiming for, but not everyone will enjoy what it has to offer.
For the equivalent take on the drug trade, try Blow, Traffic, or Scarface. For a more upbeat tale of debauchery and self-destruction, try The Wolf of Wall Street. For a punchier, less realistic story about an up-and-coming criminal, try Layer Cake. For another biographical account of a criminal, try Public Enemies.
7.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for solid execution coupled with a heavy message.