Unexpected docudrama

Rating: 4/10 (25 October 2005)

Reading the other reviews for this film it seems that either I missed the point or I was expecting something else. Apparently the film is based on actual events.
The film starts off as a monologue for the first twenty minutes or so with Uri Orlov talking about his life and how he got into the arms business. Eventually dialogue starts but throughout the film Uri also acts as storyteller.
If the film is trying to make a point it does so only partly: The Arms trade is bad and the people fueling the various global/local conflicts are bad but not nearly as bad as the major arms dealers: USA, UK etc. Yes we know that, what's new? The film is quite graphic and while it does show the horror war at the local level, fails to offer a solution - assuming there is one. The only solution would be a global ban on sales of any weapons that may be used in any conflict. Probably about as achievable as proving the existence of God. As Uri states; "If I don't do it somebody else will". His rival, when asked why he supplied both sides in the Iran/Iraq war replied: "Maybe I wanted them both to lose." Of all the conflicts covered, Liberia & Sierra Leone show the hopelessness of collapsed states run by powermad bloodthirsty lunatics. Until the Western powers stop dealing with and supplying weapons to the murderous leaders the conflicts will continue.
Not an enjoyable film or a particularly good documentary.