Lord of War

Nicholas Cage seems to do the classic (although now somewhat uncommon) practice of making a highly commercial movie to pay the bills, followed by a more interesting, more arty film. Lord of War is one of those artier films, but it has the ability to cross over to audiences who don’t normally think of themselves as enjoying such movies. Think of it as the Goodfellas of gun-running.

Lord of War is a blend of comedy and drama, weighted on the dramatic side, telling the whirlwind story of how a boy from Brighton Beach became one of the world’s biggest arms dealers. The movie moves too fast for us ever to learn much about most of the characters, but the actors are mostly up to the cast, sketching out their characters in a few quick strokes that suggest hidden detail the viewer never gets to see.

In particular, Jared Leto plays Yuri’s younger brother who is tormented by the morality of their livelihood. Leto sinks his teeth into an arguably underwritten role and serves as the canary in the moral coalmine.

Cage is his typical mix of manic and obsessive in a role where both work, and Bridget Moynahan is radiant while still bringing gravity to her role later in the film.

The movie has no easy answers for the moral questions it raises.

A solid recommendation for fans of intelligent crime movies, Nicholas Cage and Bridget Moynahan.

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