Can't decide what it wants to say...

Rating: 6/10 (28 May 2006)

I went into this film with high expectations after some positive reviews on IMDb and from fellow film buffs. I was a little disappointed. This film is not clear about what it wants to be. Is it an intelligent dissection of the arms industry and the moral issues or is it entertaining crime/gangster movie like Pacino's scarface. Sadly its neither and wavers between both ends of the spectrum.
Nicholas Cage is a great actor but hasn't given a real performance in years. This film is no different. And Jared Leto is just irritating as his junkie brother - especially towards the end when he starts getting a morality attack at the wrong time. The camera-work is superb though and flits between Ukraine, Manhattan and Africa quite well. I don't know if it was on location shooting or sets but they look really realistic. I won't call this a bad movie and it has several interesting ideas and some educating moments but its definitely not a classic or a film that can be lauded as highly intelligent. That would be giving it more credit than is its due.....