Not your ordinary shootem-up.

This past Sunday I went to see Lord of War staring Nicolas Cage. It got a decent 55% on RT, and that puts it well within my threshold. I’ll keep my rambling short, because the movie isn’t that complicated.

Basically Cage plays Yuri Orlov, a Ukrainian who, as a child, immigrated with his family to the US. After having little opportunity for profitable ventures, he sees an opportunity to make money off others’ violence. He becomes a gun seller. The rest of the movie covers expanding his business from local gangs to worldwide arms dealing in weapons of all types, and the consequences of his profession.

Some people don’t like Cage that much. They have problems with his rather somber face, but I’ve known people that looked like that. Therefore it doesn’t bother me as much. I will say that his rather unemotional expressions fit this character quite well.

As for the movie itself, there have been a lot of action movies about “good guys” going after gun runners and taking them down. This is one of the first movies I’ve ever seen that depicts the path a person took to get into the profession, and why the profession exists. Don’t get me wrong, it in no way glamorizes what Cage does. It makes the audience realize what a nasty business it is, and that it won’t stop any time soon. Some people would watch the movie and say, “I know all that already.” But truth be known, a lot of people don’t know that.

I say it’s a decent movie at a matinee price, if you like a little action, drama, and politics, but don’t expect Oscar material. When I doubt, wait for the DVD.