Lord of War (2005)
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An unscrupulous man navigates the global arms trafficking industry in the years surrounding the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
The story
In the early 1980s, Ukrainian-American restaurant employee Yuri Orlov witnesses a gunfight among the Russian mafia in his neighborhood of Brighton Beach. This event inspires him to begin trafficking arms for personal profit, viewing the human need for weapons as a constant market. After making his first sale and bringing his younger brother Vitaly into the business, the brothers find success during the Lebanese Civil War. However, Yuri's growing empire draws the attention of Jack Valentine, an incorruptible Interpol agent who poses a significant threat to his operations. As Yuri's wealth grows, he faces the moral consequences of his actions while attempting to build a life of luxury and luxury items.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In the early 1980s, Yuri Orlov begins trafficking arms after witnessing a mafia gunfight in Brighton Beach. He partners with his brother Vitaly, and they find success during the Lebanese Civil War. While Yuri grows wealthy, he is pursued by the incorruptible Interpol agent Jack Valentine. Following the 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union, Yuri expands his operations into Ukraine and Africa, dealing with various figures including a corrupt Soviet general and the Liberian dictator André Baptiste. During a deal in Africa, Vitaly is horrified by the violence and is eventually killed by militants after trying to stop a sale. Yuri is later arrested by U.S. officials but is eventually released, claiming he is a necessary evil who arms the enemies of the U.S. government. The film concludes by noting that the world's largest arms suppliers are also the permanent members of the UN Security Council.
- First release year
- 2005
- Runtime (minutes)
- 122
- Production countries
- United States; Germany
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Andrew Niccol
- Writers
- Andrew Niccol · writer
- Cast and characters
- Nicolas Cage · Yuri Orlov; Jared Leto · Vitaly Orlov; Ethan Hawke · Jack Valentine; Bridget Moynahan · Ava Fontaine; Ian Holm · Simeon Weisz; Eamonn Walker · André Baptiste Sr.; Sammi Rotibi · André Baptiste Jr.; Eugene Lazarev · Dmitri Orlov
- Genres
- crime drama; crime thriller; political; war drama
- Themes
- war crimes; arms trafficking; moral ambiguity
- Tone and mood
- serious; tense
- Setting
- Various locations including New York City, Ukraine, Africa, and the Middle East during the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.
- Premise and plot tags
- based on actual events; anti-war
- Franchise connections
- Lords of War
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews, with praise for the opening sequence and Nicolas Cage's performance, but criticism regarding its focus and character development.
- Awards and nominations
- Special Mention · Excellence in Filmmaking · Win
- Production trivia
- The production used 3,000 real Kalashnikovs.; A sequence featured 50 T-72 tanks provided by a source in the same country.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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