Lord of War (2005)
Where there's a will, there's a weapon.
Yuri Orlov is a globetrotting arms dealer and, through some of the deadliest war zones, he struggles to stay one step ahead of a relentless Interpol agent, his business rivals and even some of his customers who include many of the world's most notorious dictators. Finally, he must also face his own conscience.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 16 September 2005 |
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Thriller |
| Director | Andrew Niccol |
| Starring | Nicolas Cage, Bridget Moynahan and Jared Leto |
| Runtime | 122 min |
| Rated | R |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 6.3/10 · Metacritic 62/100 · Rotten Tomatoes 62% · TMDB users 7.4/10 |
| Budget | $50 million |
| Box office | $73 million worldwide |
Where to watch Lord of War
Lord of War is streaming on Prime Video ($13.98 a month) in the US. If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Prime Video is $13.98 at list price.
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Rent or buy
You can rent or buy Lord of War on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch Lord of War in 22 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Andorra | In Andorra, Lord of War is available on Netflix for a month. |
| Argentina | In Argentina, Lord of War is available on Prime Video for $5199 ARS a month. |
| Bolivia | In Bolivia, Lord of War is available on Prime Video. |
| Brazil | In Brazil, Lord of War is available on Prime Video for R$19.90 a month. |
| Chile | In Chile, Lord of War is available on Prime Video for $6490 CLP a month. |
| Colombia | In Colombia, Lord of War is available on Prime Video for $24900 COP a month. |
| Costa Rica | In Costa Rica, Lord of War is available on Prime Video. |
| Dominican Republic | In the Dominican Republic, Lord of War is available on Prime Video. |
| Ecuador | In Ecuador, Lord of War is available on Prime Video for $5.99 a month. |
| Guatemala | In Guatemala, Lord of War is available on Prime Video. |
| Honduras | In Honduras, Lord of War is available on Prime Video. |
| Italy | In Italy, Lord of War is available on Prime Video for €4.99 a month. |
| Mexico | In Mexico, Lord of War is available on Prime Video for $99 MXN a month. |
| Nicaragua | In Nicaragua, Lord of War is available on Prime Video. |
| Panama | In Panama, Lord of War is available on Prime Video for $5.99 a month. |
| Paraguay | In Paraguay, Lord of War is available on Prime Video. |
| Peru | In Peru, Lord of War is available on Prime Video for S/25.90 a month. |
| San Marino | In San Marino, Lord of War is available on Prime Video. |
| Spain | In Spain, Lord of War is available on Netflix for €14.99 a month. |
| Uruguay | In Uruguay, Lord of War is available on Prime Video for $U249 a month. |
| Vatican City | In Vatican City, Lord of War is available on Prime Video. |
| Venezuela | In Venezuela, Lord of War is available on Prime Video. |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Lord of War runs 122 minutes, which is about how long it takes to realize the protagonist is the problem, not the solution. Directed by Andrew Niccol, it follows Yuri Orlov as he moves weapons through conflict zones while dodging Interpol and his own moral compass. Nicolas Cage plays the dealer with a charm that feels uncomfortably real, making the audience complicit in his success. The film treats global instability as a business opportunity rather than a tragedy, a perspective that lingers long after the credits roll. It is a sharp, cynical look at how easy it is to sell violence when the demand is high.
What the critics said
The critics found the opening sequence sharp but the rest of the film scattered. Rotten Tomatoes lists a 62% approval rating from 148 reviews, with an average score of 6.3/10. Metacritic assigns a 62/100 Metascore, signaling generally favorable reception. David Denby of The New Yorker called the intro "malicious wit," implying the audience is complicit in the trade. Rahul Hamid of Cinéaste agreed the opening effectively places violence at our doorstep. Praise for Nicolas Cage’s performance was common, though some felt the narrative drifted. McIntire called the shift in focus a "blatant bait-and-switch." It’s a smart film that occasionally forgets to be a movie.
How it did with audiences
The budget was $50 million. The worldwide gross landed at $73 million. That is a profit, though a modest one for a film about the global arms trade. In the United States, it pulled in $24 million, opening at number 3 behind Just Like Heaven and The Exorcism of Emily Rose. On TMDB, users rate it 7.4 out of 10. It made money, which is more than some weapons dealers can say about their ledgers.
What came next for the cast
Jared Leto traded the quiet dread of American Psycho for the chaos of Suicide Squad. Ethan Hawke moved from the intellectual tension of Gattaca to the apocalyptic noise of The Purge. Bridget Moynahan swapped the bar drama of Coyote Ugly for the bullet-hell of John Wick. Nicolas Cage went from the treasure hunt of National Treasure to the supernatural mayhem of Ghost Rider. The credits list what followed, not why it followed. Careers are not straight lines, just a series of left turns into different genres.
If you liked this
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Sources
- Lord of War on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q308681 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Lord of War” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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