Not Perfect, but still pretty good.

Rating: 8/10 (4 February 2006)

While Lord of War isn't the perfect movie, it's still gets it's powerful political message across. Lord of War is the story of Yuri Orlov, a Ukrainian immigrant from Brooklyn who works in his family's failing restaurant. Unsatisfied with his slot it life (which he describes no better than Soviet-controlled Ukraine), Yuri witnesses an attempted assassination on a Russian mafia boss and changes his profession to arms-dealer, first starting locally then widening to every war zone on the planet between the mid 80s and 2000- during which he spirals into a haze of lies, drugs, pain, and guilt. While I didn't find Cage's performance particularly spectacular, it was enough to bring such a well written character to life. The other characters, while not especially developed, act as good foils to Orlov. I especially like Andre Baptiste, dictator of Liberia based on real-life Liberian dictator Charles Taylor.
Simply put, Lord of War has a clear message that it pushes at nearly every point in the movie when it's not developing the tragedy of Cage's character. If you dislike movies that harp on a single point on multiple levels, then this isn't for you. More so, if you don't agree with the point (which many won't, since it implicates the United States and several other superpowers in Yuri's wrongdoings), you won't like this movie. However, most students of history and politics will appreciate how the movie connects the last days of the Soviet Union and the continuing conflicts in parts of Africa with it's tirade against arms-dealing ( most of which is true, especially in Africa) even if they disagree with the moral. It's as much as an objective analysis as it is a cautionary tale.
The cinematography and direction is stylish and flashy, and can be compared with Michael Bay in someways. For some it might be a turn-off, but I say if you can do something outlandish with a camera and still have a good movie, do it. It never hurts to have a bit of flash, especially in a movie which has the potential to be quite visually dull.
The only negative criticisms I can find with the film are that, in some parts, a bit of plot development is needed, and that it has a tendency to generalize the issue of Africa. Sure, the continent has had it's share of corruption and violence, but not every coup or revolution in Africa has been bloody and not every government is corrupt. The movie redeems itself by making Yuri the true villain and by making a division between good, evil, and desperation in West Africa.
All in all, a powerful, highly enjoyable movie.