Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4250 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-04-03
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 117 minutes

Synopsis
Based on actual events, this black comedy-drama stars Nicholas Cage as international arms smuggler Uri Orlov. The story follows Uri from his humble beginnings as a Soviet immigrant in 1970s Brooklyn and peaks with his involvement in selling off the stockpiled arsenal of post-Cold War Ukraine to among other top clients the sadistic African dictator Andre Baptiste, Sr. (Eamonn Walker). Jared Leto co-stars as Uri's little brother Vitaly, whose conscience and a burgeoning cocaine problem get in the way of business. Ethan Hawke is good as a sanctimonious Interpol agent with a vendetta against Uri, but the film's biggest dose of onscreen gravitas comes from Walker, whose Baptiste seethes with a heavy, serpent-like malevolence. Written and directed by Andrew Niccol, the film makes fine use of the brisk stream-of-consciousness narration style that Martin Scorcese brought to the true crime genre with 'Goodfellas' (1992), and a near constant flow of action and classic rock songs that ensure a speedy, riveting ride through three decades of global carnage. Cage, who coproduced, lets his patented oddball magnetism slowly change polarity, until viewers realise they've been led into a moral quagmire by falling for his self-delusory spiels about supply and demand, making this one of the bravest and most jet-black comedies of its decade.

Customer Reviews

A Chilling Movie
The whole tone of this movie is set by its unusual and shocking opening - the story of a bullet from its manufacture to its final resting place in a child's skull. It is a simple idea which reminds you throughout the film of the REAL consequences of the world wide arms trade.
The movie is about arms trader Yuri Orlov (Nicholas Cage) who is also the narrator. His career unfolds from sordid beginnings as a small time gun dealer to one of the worlds largest private merchants of death. Based upon a real life character, Cage's performance is an effective mix of comedy, irony and a chilling `matter of factness'. At no time does this movie descend into sentimentality or moralising. This glimpse into the murky world of an arms trader as seen through the eyes of Cage's devious and amoral anti-hero is a powerful experience.

Harvester of sorrow
For me this is a true story of an ever booming weapons industry. In the film a Yuri Orlov supplies every army with every weapon they need. An interpol agent who pursues his every move has to release him after cathing him because of his powerful friends. As told in the film the biggest arms dealers are the leaders of the US, England, France, China etc. So when they want to supply arms clandestinely they need freelance arms dealers. The film is shockingly realistic. Especially the situation after the break up of the Soviet Union offers opportunity to arms smugglers. Africa is full of armed movements craving for weapons. In the film Charles Taylor of Liberia is portrayed with an alias perfectly by Eamonn Walker.

Very interesting topic
The opening scene of this film shows just how close to the edge of controversial this is going to be. Its a fabulous ride through the world of arms dealing.

Went to see it in the cinema, not really knowing what to expect. Walked out knowing I had to own the DVD. I've since shown it to many friends and they agree, as entertainment value its fab, but as talking points about the human condition, its very much up there with Michael Moore documentaries.

Entertaining, funny, tense, and a ride and a half - watch it.