LORD of WAR > Atop a Hillside in Liberia Overlooking an Impending
MORALITTY IN: LORD OF WAR
> Atop a hillside in Liberia overlooking an impending village massacre once the arms deal settles, Nicolas Cage's Yuri pleads to his conscience rattled brother Vitaly (Jared Leto), "It is none of our business!" Writer and Director Andrew Niccol's "Lord of War" is all about the big business of war, and the cost of selling one's soul. That lost soul is Yuri Orlov played masterfully by Nicolas Cage. Cage as Yuri also narrates the story. Niccol sets the warped and dark tone in the opening sequence of the manufacture of a bullet to its final destination—so to speak. Yuri comments that there is one firearm for every 12 people in the world. So the question is "How do we arm the other eleven?" Niccol's "Lord of War" is not so much a clever indictment of humanity, rather an acknowledgment of perhaps humanity's darker nature. In a poignant and chilling realization for Yuri (Cage) he says, "They say that 'evil prevails when good men fail to act.' It should be 'evil prevails'." I don't think this is cynicism on Niccol's part, rather only stating what is so given all of history and now. He certainly makes us think from the inside out.
Yuri Orlov (Cage) is from a Ukrainian family in Little Odessa, NY. As a young man he has an epiphany witnessing a Russian mafia hit. Being an arms dealer is the path to success. He finds that he also has an innate gift for his chosen profession. He enlists his brother Vitaly (Leto) into the business. "Lord of War" traces the Orlov brothers over the course of 20 years—through the end of the Cold War to the advent of terrorist threats and dictatorships in third world countries. Yuri truly becomes the Lord of War supplying arms to anyone and any country for a profit. He also acts as an independent agent for undisclosed countries supplying arms to "freedom fighters". One gets the drift. Yuri eventually hits his stride and becomes very successful and very wealthy. He marries his trophy bride, supermodel Ava Fontaine (stunning Bridget Moynahan), has a son, and living in a luxury apartment in Manhattan. All the while he eludes the grasp of Interpol Agent Jack Valentine (very good Ethan Hawke), by keeping three steps ahead. Predictably Yuri's world comes crashing in upon him. In a powerful scene with Ava who purposely ignores what her husband really does for a living, Yuri has a conscience meltdown.
The actors in "Lord of War" are great. Nicolas Cage is such a powerful and versatile actor. I don't think any other actor than himself, could enroll sympathy as arms dealer Yuri. Cage gives Yuri a subtle detached edge and an expert in context. Cage knows he is in morally bankrupt position, and he uses his smarts and sense of humor to rationalize that he only supplies the weapons to men who do evil. Yuri is the ultimate poster child for "Guns don't kill people. People kill people." Jared Leto is surprising as the coke head brother, who eventually cops to the monster he has become—the counterpoint to Yuri. Bridget Moynahan is deceivingly powerful as Ava, the former model aware that her asset of being pretty is fading, and closes her eyes to what her husband does until it is too late. Moynahan is stunningly beautiful and has distinctive grace and vulnerability. Ethan Hawke as Jack Valentine is the intrepid idealist saving the world from the likes of Yuri. Hawke is very strong and compelling.
> Andrew Niccol's "Lord of War" ends and the world continues on. The echoes of Yuri voice, just "evil prevails" is a chilling and poignant reminder. Nicolas Cage is brilliant as the lost soul in "The Lord of War". "The Lord of War" is one the year's best.
Here’s what the distributor says about their film: “A wily arms dealer dodges bullets and betrayal as he schemes his way to the top of his profession, only to come face to face with his conscience. But it’s not easy to leave a life of girls, guns and glamour when nobody wants you to stop, not even your enemies.” After spending over two hours with the “Lord of War” it caused me to appreciate all of the wonderful things that have been given to us by the Lord of Life. These positive thoughts were not directly inspired by what I saw in the film, but surfaced as a reaction in order to counter the sadism and evil presented throughout the story. After being overloaded with such hostility, some kind of recovery was needed to bring hope back into my mind.
Ukrainian immigrant Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage) moved with his family to “Little Odessa” in Brooklyn, New York when he was six years old. Growing up with no vision or direction, one day Yuri witnesses a gun shoot out in a restaurant and suddenly becomes interested in firearms. Yuri has now found his passion for life and he not only begins to sell guns, but also establishes himself as one of the premier suppliers of firearms in almost all of the war torn areas of the world. Yuri is shown to be human in many ways, but becomes more of a machine than any of the weapons he sells.
Probably every reason a movie is rated R is present in this film. There is a fair amount of foul language, including the f-word, as well as instances of violence and sex. Since the movie revolves around gun selling, it is correct to predict that they are used—and used on people. Some of these moments are very explicit and bloody. Also explicit are some of the sex scenes, as well as some scenes that involve nudity. Furthermore, there are a handful of scenes depicting characters using narcotics, particularly moments when characters are snorting cocaine.
One redeeming scene shows Yuri in a hotel room after he has just made a deal with African warlord Andre Baptiste Sr. (Eamonn Walker). In his room are two women who have been given to Yuri as a gift, and they are dancing very seductively. It’s obvious Yuri can have his way with them, but even though he is tempted, he refuses their offer. Yuri says he can’t, and we can infer it is because he has recently married his Dream Girl, Ava Fontaine (Bridget Moynahan). Unfortunately, while Yuri has this moment of fidelity, it is unfortunate to not see that this is something consistent with his character.
Speaking of Yuri’s character, the most challenging part to watching this film is that fact that you have to spend two hours with an unsympathetic character. Aside from the aforementioned scene where he avoids temptation, Yuri is not a likeable guy. He lies to win Ava. He loves guns and does not care how the guns he sells will be used. He also fails to realize how detrimental he is to his family. He justifies everything he does, but none of his reasoning really excuses his immoral behavior. There are good characters throughout the film, but they are predominantly sideline characters that only appear from time to time. We don’t spend nearly as much time with them like we do with the warlord Yuri.
Having an unsympathetic character isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however. It can be good to be challenged through this kind of storytelling. However, there is something else about this film that does not sit right with me. While the movie boasts at the end that it is “based on real events” so much of the movie did not ring true. I felt seduced into thinking it was a good movie, when after evaluating the movie, it was really good production value more than anything else. Many common movie conventions are used, and a lot of scenes played out very predictably. For instance, watching Yuri recruit his brother Vitaly (Jared Leto) for “one more job” after Vitaly has gotten his act together was a huge indicator of the coming tragedy. And Yuri meeting Ava and how he wins her was just too far fetched to even enjoy.
It is hard to know exactly behind making a movie like this. It seems it could be highly charged with a political agenda, and for that reason has skewed the entertainment value. And it is fine to be challenged, but not in such a conventional way. For this reviewer, I cannot see much reason to spend time watching this one.
LAW ABIDING CITIZEN
“Justice at any cost.” Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) is enjoying family time with his wife and daughter when their home is abruptly invaded, and all are bound, gagged, stabbed and then left for dead. Clyde is the only survivor.
The young hotshot prosecutor, Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), enters a plea agreement that sentences one of the two killers to death row and the other to just a few years. Nicks boss Jonas, the District Attorney (Bruce McGill), had warned him that he first needed to explain the ‘deal’ to the grieving father. Clyde’s disapproval of our flawed justice system sets the stage for what will follow.
Ten years later, both criminals are brought to a gruesome and painful end, not by the Philadelphia criminal justice system but by Clyde. Clyde is soon arrested, but his lack of surprise and acceptance makes one suspect that even his arrest is just part of a bigger plan.
Amazingly, from behind bars Clyde is able to continue systematically eliminating both those who were a part of the original miscarriage of justice, as well anyone who now stands in his way, all the while still taking the time to point out to us how our system fails to dispense ‘real’ justice every day.
Objectionable Content
The violence is intense and ranges from implied to graphic, including a horrific stabbing scene in jail. The rape is not strictly shown, and though the camera does cut away, there is little doubt as to what is taking place, in order to make it a gut wrenching experience. Another scene concerns the sawing of a living person’s body parts, that again takes place off camera and is later shockingly repeated, via DVD, in front of a child.
There are two scenes of nudity, the first focused on the semi-nude form of a prostitute in the killer’s apartment, and the second is Clyde’s backside as he strips completely before his capture.
The language is very foul, with over 30 uses of the ‘F’ word staple, along with variations of the slurs/curses ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘S’ most common in ‘R’ rated movies. The Lord’s name is taken in vain on several occasions and is never said in either praise or thanks.
You would think that Clyde had purposely assumed the role of God, and you would be right. From his vantage point, there is no one to correct these wrongs, and, in referencing to what he has planned, he says “It’s gonna be biblical.” The film is steeped in existentialism as God does not appear to play a role in anyone’s life.
At one point, the Mayor of Philadelphia and Nick are arguing over the situation when she stops and asks for a Bible. Were they actually going to turn to the Word of God for guidance? No, she needed it for a ‘swearing-in’ of office. There, in a nutshell, was both the problem and the answer. It was right in front of them, and they didn’t realize it. While our laws are undeniably based on Judeo-Christian values and precepts, we have, in the practice of law, devolved our system to the point where almost anything can be justified, or defended, and, in the process, many treat God’s book as just another prop.
Lessons
The prosecutor, Nick, is all about advancing his career, and a near perfect conviction rate is key to this. He cannot comprehend the truth which Jesus spoke of when he said “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).
In a particularly telling scene, Jonas, contemplating the system and their hand in bargaining with killers, asks if ‘we brought this on ourselves.’ Nick quickly responds, “Absolutely not.” Nick’s pride prevents him from accepting the truth, and as the apostle Peter writes, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).
The criminals that started this drama are utterly reprehensible and portray the violent extreme of so many in this fallen world who “…live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on Earthly things” (Philippians 3:18-19).
Vengeance is the constant throughout the movie, and the consequences are a lesson that, sadly, is not learned by film’s end by even the prosecutor. We, as Christians, should know better than these characters, for God’s word instructs us, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19).
The movie’s pacing was well done. The acting was only fair, due no doubt to the one dimensional script, as we have seen better from both Foxx and Butler. A higher than normal amount of “suspension of belief” is required from the audience in order to accept both Clyde’s incredible talents in mayhem and destruction and how far he goes to extract his “justice at any cost.” It should also be noted that, remarkably, there are no good guys in this movie.
Yes, the film is at times very exciting and suspenseful, and the audience can’t help but sympathize with Clyde’s motives. However, “Law Abiding Citizen” is only a so-so effort, and, with the offensive material and no redemptive payoff (especially by the prosecutor), it is hardly a positive or edifying movie. While primarily geared for less discerning teens/young adults, if you are part of the mature and older crowd that enjoys this type of film, you will probably cheer alongside them, but you may just feel guilty about it later.