---
title: "Lord of War"
year: 2005
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/lord-of-war"
fi1m_id: "lord-of-war"
imdb_id: "tt0399295"
tmdb_id: 1830
wikidata_id: "Q308681"
fi1m_score: 65
critics_score: 57
critics_reviews: 14
published: "2026-09-25T01:27:49.306173+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-25T01:27:50.382553+00:00"
region: "AT"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Lord of War (2005)

Directed by Andrew Niccol · 2h 02m · Crime, Drama, Thriller

## Identity

Lord of War

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/lord-of-war
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** lord-of-war
- **IMDb ID:** tt0399295
- **TMDB ID:** 1830
- **Wikidata ID:** Q308681
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0399295/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1830, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q308681

**Fi1m score: 65** · Critics 57 from 14 reviews

*In a sentence:* Nicolas Cage could sell a weapon and make the receipt sound like an alibi

> Andrew Niccol’s arms-trade satire has a bracing opening and a persuasive salesman in Nicolas Cage. Its humour keeps us interested, but the thin characters and laboured storytelling limit how strongly it makes its case.

## Synopsis

A bullet travels from manufacture to its victim. Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage) makes his living selling weapons, pursuing profit in the international arms trade. The people around him include Vitaly Orlov (Jared Leto), Ava Fontaine Orlov (Bridget Moynahan) and Jack Valentine (Ethan Hawke). Yuri wants the rewards of the business without taking responsibility for what his customers do with their purchases. His dealings belong to a larger trade in which powerful countries are also implicated, and the consequences of a sale reach people who never had a say in it.

## Review

*Lord of War* is a sharp, uneven black comedy, worth considering for Nicolas Cage rather than for its crime story. Andrew Niccol, who writes and directs, wants us to enjoy the company of an arms dealer long enough to notice how readily we accept his excuses. Cage makes Yuri Orlov watchable even when the screenplay gives him little more to do than explain his business. The problem is that the explanations keep coming after we have understood what sort of man he is.

The opening follows a bullet from manufacture to its victim. We were horrified by it, because we have been encouraged to follow the bullet as a product before being confronted with the person it reaches. Zach Staenberg’s editing makes the distance between production and harm seem short, and the sequence makes its point with a directness the dialogue seldom matches. That is a difficult standard for the rest of the film to meet, and Niccol keeps trying to improve on it with more information.

Cage’s persuasive ease is the film’s most reliable pleasure. Yuri can be amusing without becoming someone we admire, and the performance allows us to understand the appeal of a man whose work ought to repel us. Niccol does not have to make him likeable, but he does need to find something beyond the self-interest established at the outset. Too often Yuri seems to have been retained to present the research, with his character left much where we first found it.

The supporting work from Jared Leto as Vitaly Orlov and Bridget Moynahan as Ava Fontaine Orlov is welcome, but neither character makes Yuri much more interesting. Ethan Hawke gives Jack Valentine useful firmness, though the film remains organised almost entirely around its leading man’s appeal. Each encounter seems to arrive with a point to make about Yuri, leaving too little room for anyone else to surprise us. The international reach of the story cannot disguise how narrowly it draws these people.

Amir Mokri’s cinematography gives the business an attractive polish, and the danger of enjoying the images is part of the film’s appeal. Jean-Vincent Puzos’s production design reinforces that gloss, though Niccol sometimes seems too pleased with how good the whole enterprise looks. Antonio Pinto’s music leaves less of an impression; it cannot provide the emotional involvement missing from the thinner dramatic passages. The second half is less involving, however briskly Staenberg tries to move it along.

The film is on firmer ground when it points to the complicity of powerful countries in the arms trade. That gives its anger somewhere useful to go beyond one man’s conduct, although the insistence with which Niccol presses the case can become tiring. A crime satire is allowed to make a crook entertaining; the more serious weakness here is how often we are told what to think after the images have already done the job. Choose it for Cage and the uncomfortable humour if the subject interests you, but expect the lecture too.

*Fi1m score 65, published 25 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews are mixed, with praise clustering around Nicolas Cage’s morally unsettling performance, the inventive opening credits and the film’s willingness to confront the arms trade. The sequence following a bullet from manufacture to destination draws approval even from critics who find the rest less persuasive. Supporters see a pointed, entertaining black comedy, while several less enthusiastic reviews still credit its visual flair and disturbing detail about the weapons business.

The divide is wide over whether that forcefulness makes for convincing drama. Reservations centre on uneven tone, an overloaded story and a central character whose appeal can undermine the condemnation of his trade. The AV Club regards the film’s account of powerful countries’ complicity as clear-eyed and forceful; Slant Magazine sees hypocrisy in its treatment of Yuri. The Independent’s objections extend to the portrayal of Africa, which it finds stereotyped and opportunistic.

## Straight answers

**Is Lord of War worth watching?**

*Lord of War* is worth considering for Nicolas Cage’s persuasive arms dealer and its uncomfortable humour; we score it 65 out of 100. We recommend it to viewers interested in arms-trade satire, with reservations about thin supporting characters and a screenplay that keeps explaining what its images have already made clear.

**How long is Lord of War, and what is it rated?**

*Lord of War* runs 2h 02m. It is a crime and drama film.

**Where can I watch Lord of War in Austria?**

*Lord of War* is not on any streaming or rental service in Austria at the moment. It is available in 14 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Lord of War, and is it suitable for children?**

*Lord of War* has a UK 15 certificate and is not suitable for children under 15; its opening follows a bullet from manufacture to its victim. We found that sequence horrifying because it turns an apparently impersonal manufacturing process into human harm, so squeamish viewers should approach with care despite the film’s black humour.

**How does Lord of War compare to The Third Man?**

*Lord of War* is the more laboured crime satire; we recommend [*The Third Man*](https://film.one/film/the-third-man) as the more gripping account of compromised people and profitable harm. Cage’s persuasive salesman gives *Lord of War* its uncomfortable humour, but its repeated explanations limit the drama, while *The Third Man* offers a mystery with a central character we find easier to care about.

**What should I watch after Lord of War?**

After *Lord of War*, try [*The Third Man*](https://film.one/film/the-third-man) (1949, Fi1m 92): For another sharply written account of compromised lives and profitable misery. Then [*The Wages of Fear*](https://film.one/film/the-wages-of-fear) (1953, Fi1m 90): Dangerous work and disposable lives, with the suspense this film sometimes lacks; and [*War Dogs*](https://film.one/film/war-dogs) (2016, Fi1m 55): Another arms-dealing business venture, with youthful bravado adding to the moral queasiness.

### Reviews we read (14)

- **The AV Club**, Keith Phipps (90/100, inferred): Phipps finds the film a bracing, forceful political entertainment that leaves a lasting impression. He especially praises its opening credits and its clear-eyed argument about the complicity of powerful countries in the arms trade. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/lord-of-war-1798201121)
- **Total Film**, Total Film (4/5): The review calls the film a compelling, rewatchable blend of purpose and plot, despite a slightly less exciting second half. It particularly praises Nicolas Cage’s charismatic, morally unsettling performance as Yuri Orlov. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/lord-of-war-review/)
- **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (70/100, inferred): The critic treats the film as an entertaining, pointed satire of the arms trade. He singles out its sharp satirical premise, while finding its execution less fully successful. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/16/movies/guns-are-evil-everybody-should-have-one.html)
- **Time Out**, CT (65/100, inferred): The available text gives a positive impression of the film’s opening, but does not reveal the review’s overall verdict. It singles out the sensational sequence tracing a bullet’s journey from factory to destination. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/lord-of-war)
- **Screen Daily**, Brent Simon (64/100, inferred): The page identifies this as a review, but its text is unavailable here. The critic’s verdict and any specifically praised or criticized element cannot be determined. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/lord-of-war/4024436.article)
- **Radio Times**, Sloan Freer (3/5): The review calls the film a sleek, confrontational black comedy that takes a cynical swipe at the arms trade. It praises the film’s precise execution and its forceful condemnation of those who profit from weapons. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-me02cr/lord-of-war/)
- **Variety**, Robert Koehler (55/100, inferred): Koehler finds the film ambitious and politically daring, but says its uneven tone and overloaded story weaken its impact. He praises Nicolas Cage’s performance and the film’s energetic handling of its international subject. [Read](https://variety.com/2005/film/reviews/lord-of-war-1200523480/)
- **Empire**, Kim Newman (50/100, inferred): Newman finds the film thoughtful and impressive but ultimately more like an illustrated lecture than an involving crime story. He praises the performances, striking opening sequence and pertinent information about the arms trade, while faulting its lack of excitement and an unappealing central character. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/lord-war-review/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (40/100, inferred): Turan finds the film forceful in its subject matter but ultimately hampered by an unconvincing, dramatically weak story. He praises its visual flair and the disturbing factual detail it reveals about the arms trade. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-sep-16-et-lord16-story.html)
- **Slant Magazine**, Nick Schager (1.5/4): Schager judges the film a misfiring, hypocritical critique that glamorizes its arms-dealing protagonist while condemning him. He singles out Yuri’s shallow characterization and the film’s weak moral argument as central flaws. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/lord-of-war/)
- **The Guardian**, Philip French (35/100, inferred): French finds the film morally serious and often funny, but ultimately unconvincing and lacking social and political complexity. He praises its striking opening sequence tracing a bullet’s journey and Nicolas Cage’s performance. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2005/oct/16/features.review3)
- **The Independent**, Jonathan Romney (20/100, inferred): Romney judges the film a lost opportunity, weighed down by self-importance and laborious storytelling. He especially faults its stereotyped, opportunistic portrayal of Africa and its overblown visual metaphors. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/lord-of-war-15-320304.html)
- **Eye for Film**, John Gallagher (85/100, inferred): Gallagher finds the film hard not to like and compares it favorably to Traffic, but funnier. He singles out its inventive opening, which follows a bullet from manufacture to its victim. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/lord-of-war-film-review-by-john-gallagher)
- **Den of Geek**, Mark Pickavance (3/5): Pickavance likes the film and its serious message, though he says it is not Cage’s best work. He praises the supporting cast, while criticizing the Blu-ray’s grainy presentation and autoplay promotions. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/lord-of-war-blu-ray-review/)

## Details

- **Director:** Andrew Niccol
- **Director:** Andrew Niccol
- **Screenplay:** Andrew Niccol
- **Cinematography:** Amir Mokri
- **Editor:** Zach Staenberg
- **Music:** Antonio Pinto
- **Production design:** Jean-Vincent Puzos
- **Costume design:** Elisabetta Beraldo
- **Producer:** Philippe Rousselet, Andreas Grosch, Teri-Lin Robertson
- **Cast:** Nicolas Cage as Yuri Orlov; Bridget Moynahan as Ava Fontaine Orlov; Jared Leto as Vitaly Orlov; Ethan Hawke as Jack Valentine; Eamonn Walker as Andre Baptiste Sr.; Ian Holm as Simeon Weisz; Sammi Rotibi as Andre Baptiste Jr.; Tanit Phoenix as Candy
- **Runtime:** 2h 02m
- **Release (Austria):** 16 February 2006
- **Genres:** Crime, Drama, Thriller
- **Budget:** $50 million
- **Box office:** $73 million

## Where to watch in Austria

Not streaming, renting or buying in Austria at the last check.

Also available in: AR, BR, CA, CL, CO, ES, FR, GB, IE, IT, MX, PA, UA, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Thank You for Smoking* (2005): Another fluent salesman explains away the damage, with sharper comic timing.
- *The Third Man* (1949), Fi1m 92: For another sharply written account of compromised lives and profitable misery. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-third-man.md)
- *The American Friend* (1977): For murkier criminal dealings, divided loyalties and a less comfortable friendship.
- *The Wages of Fear* (1953), Fi1m 90: Dangerous work and disposable lives, with the suspense this film sometimes lacks. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-wages-of-fear.md)
- *War Dogs* (2016), Fi1m 55: Another arms-dealing business venture, with youthful bravado adding to the moral queasiness. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/war-dogs.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/lord-of-war