Lord of War (2-Disc Special Edition)
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Bridget Moynahan, Jared Leto, Jean-Pierre Nshanian, Nicolas Cage, Shake TukhmanyanBrand: Lions Gate
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: Arabic (Unknown); Arabic (Original Language); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1 EX; French (Original Language); German (Original Language); Russian (Original Language); Spanish (Original Language); Turkish (Original Language); Ukrainian (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, NTSC, Special Edition, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 122 minutes
Published: 2006-01-01
DVD Release Date: 2006-01-17
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Lions Gate
Movie Reviews of Lord of War (2-Disc Special Edition)
Movie Review: Startling, slick cynical take on firearms as the weapons of mass destruction
Summary: 5 Stars
Perhaps my five-star rating for Nicolas Cage's "Lord of War" has to do with exceeding expectations. I haven't been a big fan of much of Cage's recent action-hero work, and I didn't have high hopes for this latest effort. What could the same guy who has lately focused on dreck like "National Treasure," "Gone in 60 Seconds," and "Windtalkers" have to say about the world of gun trafficking.
Fortunately, Cage has a heck of a lot to say about it, and it's obvious that he's pretty steamed. Using an intelligent, informed, and sarcastic tone reminiscent of David O. Russell's "Three Kings," "Lord of War" dives into the cynical, mercenary world of international gun trafficking.
From a bravura opening credit sequence that follows a bullet through the manufacturing process to shipping to the brain of a young African combatant, "Lord of War" makes no bones about its dark subject matter. Indeed, "Lord of War" has been criticized for being a heavy-handed film. That may be true, but many great movies hit hard. Why should a movie about gun-running be any different?
Cage stars as Yuri Orlov, a Ukranian emigrant whose family lives in anonymous mediocrity in "Little Odessa," the Ukranian enclave near Queens in the early 1980s. Witness to a Russian mob hit job, Orlov has an epiphany when he sees the hundreds of bullet casings left on the floor by the assassins' weapons -- why can't I sell these things?
The major point this movie makes is that for all the headlines grabbed by nuclear weapons and arms treaties, "the real weapon of mass destruction" is the AK-47 and similar small arms. These weapons are more prevalent in and responsible for the cesspools of the world (such as Liberia under Baptiste, a locale that the movie somewhat revels in) than any nuclear warhead.
Using a gift for business and family connections (an uncle is a military hero and high-ranking officer in the Soviet army), Orlov starts from nothing and becomes one of the world's leading arms dealers. The 1990s were a dream opportunity for the ambitious arms dealer, as the collapsed Soviet Union had billions in military hardware sitting around, but nobody was minding the store. And war in the Balkans and especially Africa made sure there were hot markets everywhere. Soon, Orlov has it all - millions of dollars, a trophy wife (Bridget Moynahan), and one of those Manahattan apartments that reek of success.
"Lord of War" follows a somewhat conventional rags-to-riches-to-loss-of-soul plotline, but there are many twists along the way. Sure, there are some developments you can see coming (one shot lingers way too long on a vehicle, giving you a clue that it's going to blow up in a couple of seconds . . . which it does), and let's just concede that Nicolas Cage and Jared Leto do not look like siblings.
But let's not deny that "Lord of War" has some original, intelligent moments. Yuri is a brilliant businessman and criminal, and can think on his feet. He switches the identity of a cargo ship as Interpol agents (led by an earnest Ethan Hawke) swoop in, and he disposes of an entire planeload of small arms in Africa just before Hawke shows up again. This scene is followed by a masterpiece, as an entire cargo plane gets dismantled by local scavengers in less than 24 hours. "Lord of War" looks and feels authentic, and that authenticity leaves a cold pit in your stomach long after its cynical and surprising ending.
If nothing else, Cage's effort in "Lord of War" has reminded me that he has been in so many lower-profile gems, such as "Adaptation," "Bringing Out the Dead," and of course, "Leaving Las Vegas." George Clooney once said that he got involved with the atrocious "Batman" franchise (atrocious before "Batman Begins" came along, that is) because if he made a big blockbuster, the studios would let him make "little movies" like "O Brother, Where Art Thou" and "Syriana." I guess that excuses Cage's involvement in "Gone in 60 Seconds." A little.
Summary of Lord of War (2-Disc Special Edition)
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