Cage as an actor is like Costner...too laid back

Rating: 7/10 (29 September 2005)

in most films to involve me much in what he does. That being said, he does a pretty good job here as his all mind no emotion approach to his arms-running "job" is right for the central character of this horrifying film subject. It's not often that money over lives is shown so graphically to be of such greater importance to the depraved people doing it that whatever happens to the world as a result means absolutely nothing to them....they would merely say, "it's a business, like any other." As with most Nick Cage films it doesn't survive close scrutiny for details and realism, but it is a good non-stop action film about one of the lowest forms of human activity, about one step above or below child porno/sexual slavery. And, neither have any regard for human life.
As most others have detailed the film's plot and, alas, its outcome, most of what is left are the emotions evoked by the film's subject, that of private-business arms-running to wherever in the world there is a bloody "war" and big money to be made off of it. The main question is.....It does make obscene money and is grossly immoral, but does anything it does or causes make an ant's toenail difference in the big world picture? Some would say no, others would say it makes every difference. These strong arguments can be made either way, as some might say, "if I don't do it someone else will, so what?", and on the other side, "it just brings us that much closer to the Appocalypse".
We alive now probably will never know the eventual true cosmic cost of this seemingly heinous activity or whether it has a cost the world truly cares about, but it may suffice to say that violent human behavior through history has been forbidden and/or supported in every human endeavor, including religion past and present. But, who can say with authority that it means much to the world in the long run, or if there will be a long run as a result? Some would say it makes no difference to the world as we are all worm food in the end, and the recycling of our bodily energy is all the world cares about whether it is too early or too late or now or whenever, just so it gets done and allows the earth to go on doing what it does best to survive.
But, it is really aesthetically and spiritually worth living in a world that coldly pragmatic, with no other importance for us than to feed the eternal earth recycle? Most on this earth would say no. Thus enters religion, and the other side of the meaning of life issue for most of us. This eternal conflict was the main thing I thought of as the film credits rolled. For that reason, this terrifying film was worth seeing.
Which side are you on?