Overview
A gripping tale of ambition and moral conflict in the world of arms dealing.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- sardonic
- cynical
- propulsive
- crime movie night
- political thriller double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Nicolas Cage’s charismatic performance and the film’s sharply conceived opening, while finding its political argument uneven and overly preachy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Yuri Orlov repeatedly prioritizes wealth, status, and market expansion over family loyalty and human consequences.
The bullet-manufacturing opening and Yuri’s witty narration make the viewer feel implicated in the commercial chain of violence.
Yuri’s arms trade flourishes through warlords, dictators, and the shifting international order of the late Cold War and post-Cold War period.
The opening bullet’s journey from manufacture to battlefield establishes the film’s central critique of firearms commerce.
Films like Lord of War, and why
Scarface
shared crime drama structure, morally compromised protagonist, and critique of corruption surrounding illicit power
The Constant Gardener
shared arms dealing, geopolitical cynicism, and thriller treatment of international criminal networks
Blow
shared sardonic crime storytelling, charismatic antihero, and morally corrosive pursuit of wealth
Syriana
shared political thriller atmosphere, international criminal enterprise, and bleak critique of institutional hypocrisy
Movie Details
- Director
- Andrew Niccol
- Release Date
- 2005-09-16
- Runtime
- 122 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (5566)
Cast
- Nicolas Cage
- Bridget Moynahan
- Jared Leto
- Ethan Hawke
- Eamonn Walker
- Ian Holm
- Sammi Rotibi
- Tanit Phoenix
- Shake Tukhmanyan
- Jared Burke
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Lord of War about?
- A charismatic Brooklyn arms dealer builds a global weapons empire while family ties, law enforcement, and his own conscience threaten to expose its human cost.
- What is Lord of War like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Lord of War as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Lord of War violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Lord of War as brutal.
- What did critics think of Lord of War?
- Critics broadly praised Nicolas Cage’s charismatic performance and the film’s sharply conceived opening, while finding its political argument uneven and overly preachy.
- Which films are like Lord of War?
- Films with a similar feel include Scarface, The Constant Gardener, Blow, and Syriana.
- How long is Lord of War?
- Lord of War runs 122 minutes.
- Where can I watch Lord of War?
- In United States, Lord of War streams on Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel.
