Lord Of War — Oscar

Lord Of War

Directed by Andrew Niccol

Photographed by Amir Mokri

2005

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Jared Leto

Although I don't often praise Nicolas Cage, I do have to say I really did enjoy his performance as Yuri Orlov in Lord of War. The film is about how Orlov came to be a powerful international arms dealer. It deals with the grey zone in which gun runners operate and the toll the lucrative occupation takes on their lives. The opening sequence of the picture is both innovative and extremely well executed. It shows us the "life" of a bullet", starting at its fabrication, taking us through the many fingers and crates it goes through before finally completing it's duty, kill. Another great performance in the film was Leto's. He plays the younger brother who becomes ill with cocaine addiction after receiving it as a payment for a gun shipment. The film's power comes from its realism, showing us the dark side of money and power, not everything that glitters is gold. In Colombia there is a saying that literally translates to "God won't punish you with sticks nor whips, but with your own skin." I think this applies exquisitely to this narrative, because although Orlov gained everything he wanted, money and power, through maleficent means, he lost everything he wanted to get it for, his family.