He sells guns... and he's making a killing.
Provocative 'thriller' about the gun trade that tries not to preach, but ultimately can't help itself. The narrative style makes for a rather jerky ride, but ultimately one well worth taking and the movie doesn't go for the cheap cop out at the end. Recommended even if, like me, you're not really a Nicolas Cage fan.
Jacket Blurb
To wage war, you need weapons, but where do go to get the guns, grenades, tanks and rockets you need to get the edge over your enemy? Meet Orlov (Nicolas Cage), international businessman and arms dealer to eight of the world's top ten war zones...
Film Review
It's not hard to see why Hollywood stalwarts Nicolas Cage and Ethan Hawke were drawn to this script from writer-director Andrew Niccol ('The Truman Show', 'Gattaca'). An intelligent, thought-provoking movie, even if it does arrive with 'Propaganda for Friends of the Earth' stamped all over it. The problem is that in not following the expected film structure, with most of the emphasis being on the spoken narrative, it jars in places. At times it feels like the director couldn't be bothered to let the picture tell the story or had to cover up for lack of footage or editing skills.
What saves it from being an average, run-of-the-mill movie is the way the script steers its way through its strong political message while trying at all times to convey the story without emotion or condemnation, encouraging the viewer to put aside their usual moral compass and ultimately make their own decision when the movie has finished. Director Niccol reveals on the accompanying commentary, he's liked most of the arms dealers he's met, despite an abhorrence for what they do, and what draws the audience in is the detached, unemotional attitude of the movie's protagonist Yuri Orlov. One can't help liking him - the story is told from his point of view after all, whilst simultaneously being revolted by his attitude to what happens as a result of his actions and which he takes no personal responsibility for. Those who disliked 'Constant Gardener' for its preachy tone should probably steer equally clear of this movie, but for most of us it's a thought-provoking and visually well-told tale.
The opening title sequence which shows the journey of a bullet from manufacture to final impact in a young African's head, has all the wow factor of a big budget Hollywood movie, and this illusion of a big budget picture is generally well maintained throughout the film's running time, thanks to an impressive display of weaponry that the producers and director managed to make use of (apparently for very little real cost).
Nicolas Cage is not an actor I have much time for - he lacks the dashing good looks and charisma of most of his Hollywood contemporaries and is one of those actors who always seems to be playing the same role - that of himself. As it happens, playing himself works nicely in this movie, and his dispassionate narration works powerfully to seduce the viewer into his character's lifestyle, which is necessary if we're not to sit appalled at what we're seeing him do on screen. That we care about the character and worry about what happens to him at the end of the movie is, I guess, a testament to the performance Cage turns in here, although the ending which doesn't take the expected route is entirely down to its director/writer. Ian Holm turns in his, as ever, effortlessly excellent performance as one of Cage's character's competitors, and Ethan Hawke excels as 'the good guy seen as the bad guy from the narrator's viewpoint' with a performance that helps to further confuse your moral compass.
DVD Review
The asking price is a steal, when the film's barely weeks out of the multiplexes and as good as this, and comes in at two disks (although there isn't much material on the second disk). However the DVD raises serious concerns for future packaging when it forces you to watch an advert for a chocolate bar before you can get to the main movie - and unlike the trailers for other movies that also play when inserting the DVD this is one feature that CAN'T be skipped. This is the first time I've seen this disgusting tactic used on UK DVDs and I hope it doesn't signal a trend for the future. (Note to marketing departments: I bought a Kit-Kat instead of a Mars bar as protest this lunchtime, and will continue to do so over the next few weeks!) There's a rather thin 'behind the scenes' featurette, endless cast interviews trying to give the same sound bites, some deleted scenes and a director's commentary. Overall it's pretty good value for money, although yet again I'm annoed at the lack of a chapter index insert leaflet - those prongs inside the DVD case are there for a reason, film companies!
Picture and Sound
The picture is anamorphic widescreen in its original 2.35:1 ratio. Contrast levels were a problem on my plasma and TFT screen, but otherwise the picture quality was excellent and this is a modern, digital transfer. The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is about par for the course for a movie that has a relatively low budget.
Director's Commentary
Director Andrew Niccol's commentary is of the 'dull and worthy' variety, with little real value, truth to be told. If he laments the problems of the low budget once, he does it a hundred times, and most of the commentary is explaining how scenes were shot in different locations from those planned, or months apart because of the budgetary problems of flying actors to South Africa, or trying to look like an action movie without having the finances one would usually expect.
Featurettes
The featurette Making of Lord of War is the usual 20 minute featurette that's a little less hard-sell than usual but noticeable for the fact that the writer/director/narrator appears to be doing a director's commentary thing and is shown on screen only in one or two stills photo's. Making a Killing: Inside the International Arms Trade is another 'worthy but dull' speaking-heads documentary about the arms trade, presumably paid for by movie sponsors Friends of the Earth. Thankfully short at about 15 minutes it serves as a useful introduction to the topic for those wanting background information. The Nicolas Cage interview is a car crash of an interview, done as part of the usual jamboree to promote the film, where the actor has to be polite, no matter how dumb the questions - and they really are dumb I'm afraid! The other interviews are very much repeat performances of the phrase 'I was attracted to a wonderful script' as given by one of the producers and each actor cast in the film, of interest only to those who like to see actors between takes trying to sell a movie. The deleted scenes add very little to the movie and are for the completist only.
Final Analysis
A film with an important message told in an innovative way. Somehow it fell a little short for this viewer, erring slightly the wrong side of the 'education vs entertainment' divide, although I'm struggling to pinpoint exactly why it is I feel that way! Definitely worth seeing, but doubts about the narrative structure give it a 'very good' rather than an 'excellent' rating from me.
The movie: 7/10 - Very good.
The DVD: 7/10 - Excellent value at the typical online price
