Lord of War

Play trailer

Lord of War

R

2005

2h 2m

Drama

Action

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

62%

Tomatometer

148 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

The 20-year arms dealing career of Queens, N.Y., outcast Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage) serves as a window onto the end of the Cold War and the emergence of worldwide terrorism. He finds himself reassuring his more ethically challenged younger brother, Vitaly (Jared Leto), while adeptly sidestepping the pursuit of federal agent Jack Lawrence (Ethan Hawke). The globetrotting arms dealer also pursues the woman of his dreams, supermodel Ava Fontaine (Bridget Moynahan).

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

While Lord of War is an intelligent examination of the gun trade, it is too scattershot in its plotting to connect.

Read Critics Reviews

Dave Calhoun

Time Out

Aug 16, 2007

Niccol is no stranger to hot-button issues, but he outdoes his previous efforts by injecting this satire of war profiteering in the Halliburton age with a wicked arsenic wit.

Go to Full Review

Stephanie Zacharek

Salon.com

Oct 7, 2006

Even though Niccol sometimes puts unnecessary homilies in the mouths of his characters, he mostly pulls off the tricky feat of being direct and breezy at the same time. "Lord of War" skims along like a dance routine.

Go to Full Review

Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

Apr 1, 2006

3/5

Impressive performances, fascinating info-bytes and pertinent editorial, but in the end, it feels too much like an illustrated lecture.

Go to Full Review

Michael Clark

Epoch Times

Oct 16, 2023

4.5/5

Yuri is Mr. Niccol’s Michael Corleone from “The Godfather” trilogy (directed by Mr. Cage’s uncle Francis Ford Coppola). Both Yuri and Michael put “family” first with their words, but make them last with their deeds.

Go to Full Review

Allison Rose

FlickDirect

Jun 6, 2023

4/5

Cage has the bravado to pull off the role of the cocky dealer going toe to toe with rival dealers and dictators, not to mention Interpol.

Go to Full Review

Alberto Abuín

Espinof

Feb 12, 2020

A lazy movie that is interesting just at times. [Full Review in Spanish]

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

John C

@JohnCoch Jul 24, 2026

Lord of War is a bulletproof satire wrapped in a slick crime thriller. It knows that the most dangerous weapon in the room isn't always the one that fires, it’s the person clever enough to sell it. Nicolas Cage brings his trademark intensity to a character who can charm you in one breath and unsettle you in the next. With razor-edged humor, stylish storytelling, and a wicked sense of irony, it’s a smart, explosive look at ambition, greed, and the business of bad decisions.

See more

Ashequl I

@Tofa13 Jul 1, 2026

Lord of War features what is arguably one of Nicolas Cage’s absolute finest and most grounded performances as the charming yet cold arms dealer Yuri Orlov. The film does a masterful job exploring the terrifying, dark underbelly of international gunrunning, pulling back the curtain on the hypocrisy of major peace-keeping nations. Jared Leto delivers an exceptional, tragic performance as Yuri's morally conflicted brother. The screenplay is brilliantly written and packed with dark wit, though it tries to cram so much global history and character development into a short runtime that it occasionally feels breathless. Had this been expanded into a television series, it could have been an absolute masterpiece. Even with its fast pacing, the film’s powerful message and legendary ending make it an essential watch.

See more

Sam R.

@legomyeggo1215 Jun 26, 2026

Not a great movie. But one that will make you think. Lots of lessons to be learned here and also a great performance from nick cage.

See more

Jakob R

@RT04319002 May 31, 2026

Just rewatched this. Crazy how GOOD a lot of these early 2000s movies are in hindsight, especially. with the garbage being produced these days. Cage is brilliant, and there's not a dull minute, neither a cringe ending. Yes, could have a little more edge with the writing, but we won't complain in 2026!

See more

Tess J

@RT22064883 Mar 31, 2026

Such a brilliant film. The artistic take of some shots, monologues and re-wording (making the title so iconic) is pure brilliance. The mind of a geniuse and the art of a man. 10/10, easy top 5 movie of all time.

See more

ill 3

@RT25493494 Mar 23, 2026

Great entertaining movie but don't expect more for it. This isn't supposed to really give ideas of reasoning on the subject.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Andrew Niccol

Director

Nicolas Cage

Yuri Orlov

Jared Leto

Vitaly Orlov

Bridget Moynahan

Ava Fontaine

Ian Holm

Simeon Weisz

Ethan Hawke

Jack Valentine

Lord of War: Official Clip - Evil Prevails

3:21

Now Playing

Lord of War: Official Clip - Free Samples!

2:13

Now Playing

Lord of War: Official Clip - The Arms Bazaar

1:44

Now Playing

Lord of War: Official Clip - Meet President Andre

1:36

Now Playing

Lord of War: Official Clip - Emergency Landing

3:00

Now Playing

Lord of War: Official Clip - Rule of Law

2:09

Now Playing

Lord of War: Official Clip - A Good Brother

2:02

Now Playing

Lord of War: Official Clip - The AK-47

0:55

Now Playing

Lord of War: Official Clip - A Necessary Evil

3:29

Now Playing

Lord of War: Official Clip - Title Sequence: Life of a Bullet

3:00

Now Playing

View more videos

Unleashed

66%

75%

Unleashed

Watchlist

Typhoon

25%

47%

Typhoon

Watchlist

Tears of the Sun

34%

69%

Tears of the Sun

Watchlist

Lockdown

58%

78%

Lockdown

Watchlist

Rush

88%

88%

Rush

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

The 20-year arms dealing career of Queens, N.Y., outcast Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage) serves as a window onto the end of the Cold War and the emergence of worldwide terrorism. He finds himself reassuring his more ethically challenged younger brother, Vitaly (Jared Leto), while adeptly sidestepping the pursuit of federal agent Jack Lawrence (Ethan Hawke). The globetrotting arms dealer also pursues the woman of his dreams, supermodel Ava Fontaine (Bridget Moynahan).

Director: Andrew Niccol
Producer: Philippe Rousselet, Andrew Niccol, Nicolas Cage, Norman Golightly
Screenwriter: Andrew Niccol
Distributor: Lions Gate Entertainment
Production Co: Saturn Films, Entertainment Manufacturing Co.
Rating: R (Language|Drug Use|Sexuality|Strong Violence)
Genre: Drama, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 16, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 19, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $24.1M
Runtime: 2h 2m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings