The first and most important rule of gun-running is: never get shot with your own merchandise.

“After the Cold War, the AK-47 became Russia’s biggest export. After that came vodka, caviar, and suicidal novelists.”…This DVD was sitting on the table at a friend’s house. I heard about this movie for about 3 seconds before it vanished into thin air. I’m sure some of you saw it, but most people didn’t. Let me tell you that you MUST see this film. Ask most people who have seen it (If you can find a person)..they will all say it was a surprisingly great film.

Nic’s character doesn’t know anything but a crappy family owned restaurant and a desire for something bigger and better- something necessary…something challenging…something that will make him a ton of money. He decides to sell weapons and soon finds out his personality, quick wit, ability to sniff out deals, and international connections, come in handy for the job- in fact he pisses off the best in the business.

Nic Cage doesn’t really focus on the morality, rather the money and success he is reaping. It’s those around him that point out fear, possible death, rejection and loss .  What if he lost his prized wife and son?  Is it all worth this only to have an empty, huge, downtown apartment?

One of his re-occurring clients is in Africa in the depths of hell where AIDS and murder is as common as a dirt road.  Africa really becomes a main focus because of the stark contrasts in factions, wars and violence.

Being chased by an Interpol agent, played by Ethan Hawke, does not phase Nic’s character because he has more than a million ways to trick and con the governments & embargo laws, etc.  Of course, it’s as simple as establishing relationships with key people;  key people that can be helpful and dangerous.  His brother Jared Leto decides to help him out on a few international sales calls although most of the time he’s got his head in a bag of coke. Leto becomes the mirror reflection of the deterioration happening on the inside of the violent countries – while being right in front of Cage’s face.

Money, greed, AIDS, violence- Nic Cage has found himself involved and responsible for the worst crimes in the world.  The film questions the necessity that the weapons represent, while at the same time, Nic is being called the LORD OF WAR. Is he? Is he really responsible for all the murder throughout the world because he sells guns? Does he pick sides? Can he continue to sell these weapons to developing countries and exploiting death, murder, rape and abduction? You know at some point Nic is going to see a reduction sauce forming out of his original ingredients…..and it’s going to change his life forever. “You know who’s going to inherit the world? Arms dealers. Because everyone else is too busy killing each other.”

What I really enjoyed about the film was the twisted ending (AWESOME) and the script is so good. This film teaches you the inside life of a weapons dealer, and who, what, when, why and how this is all happening across the world. Secondly, this film asks important questions that I had difficulty answering once I watched this film because of the benefits and losses the weapons create. Third, the acting was great and the cinematography, casting and plot was spot on. You’ll be surprised at what happens when Nic Cage simmers in his morality.

One of my favorite quotes:

“The reason I’ll be released is the same reason you think I’ll be convicted. I *do* rub shoulders with some of the most vile, sadistic men calling themselves leaders today. But some of these men are the enemies of *your* enemies. And while the biggest arms dealer in the world is your boss – the President of the United States, who ships more merchandise in a day than I do in a year – sometimes it’s embarrassing to have his fingerprints on the guns. Sometimes he needs a freelancer like me to supply forces he can’t be seen supplying. So. You call me evil, but unfortunately for you, I’m a necessary evil.”

Here is the script:

http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/l/lord-of-war-script-transcript.html