the film [Lord of War] reminds of Blood Diamond which I adored (I think I gave it a 10).
While i also liked Blood Diamond quite a bit, which i gave a 9/10 to, i think Lord of War (10/10 (one of the few films i would classify as a masterpiece). there is not a single film out there that i could CLEARLY choose over it) is definitely the better/more entertaining film if you ask me.
but i did notice on my first viewing of each film i liked Blood Diamond more but Lord of War grew stronger and stronger with each viewing and now it's one of my top top films.
Lord of War is just great. some nice moments in the film, has a great (original) soundtrack which really adds to the mood/tone of it. it's solid visually. plus i like how it all plays out. nice ending (even though it did not end happy) as i liked the scene with Cage/Hawke at the end etc etc.
p.s. Andrew Niccol is definitely my favorite non-big name director out there. i am looking forward to his 'In Time' which is due out Oct of this year which i suspect will be comfortably in my Top 10 of 2011 and probably Top 5-ish.
and still, I find LoW a bit ... empty. Somehow a bit clinical. A clean, surgical film project. Although the film shows to a certain extent the blunt reality: Aids in Africa, gun trade, violence, etc.
On the other hand, I didn't find Blood Diamond "empty". But what is the difference between those 2 films? Why is LoW empty?
Well as was already said... Lord of War does not end on a happy note where as Blood Diamond pretty much does.
i think that's probably what gives you that 'empty' feeling. (but i also think that's part of what makes it great)
----------
My Vote History ...
http://imdb.to/b5rrNh----------
reply
share
Mandy_Whitsands
14 years ago
I don't like happy endings either, ... well at least if they are forced. So that didn't bother me at all. I was speaking about the whole movie, not just the ending.
Again, I find it somehow surgical and empty ...
I think now I know why it feels so empty. It's the little things in life, which are important and make it complete.
It doesn't feel real. It gives me the impression that director/writer had studied the topic a bit, but has never had real-life experiences in that field. The film all but shouts out loud "hey, I have been written by middle/upper class men on a safe desk far, far away, trying hard to picture what's going on out there in the real world" ...
The topic is real.
But it is told in a very naive way.
case in point:
11 out of 22 people found the following review useful:
An allegory wrapped up in lies passed off in a deception., 23 August 2008
Author: Alex-Tsander from United Kingdom
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
The Lord of War.
[...] litany of wild factual errors and blatant un-truths. Indeed, some of these are of such magnitude that they even render the production's perspective invalid as a metaphor, let alone something that can be taken literally. Moreover, there are few "cues" to indicate to the unwitting that this is not meant to be taken at face value as a depiction of anything in reality.
This is illustrated by the way that the Cage character is shown being pursued around the globe by Ethan Hawkes "Interpol agent" and his gun toting team. There is no such thing in the real world as an "Interpol agent". Interpol is an information and liaison exchange, it does not employ investigators or field officers of any kind, let alone ones armed to the teeth whizzing into foreign territories around the globe. The "Interpol agent" and his team could, however, be interpreted as a metaphor for the real life pursuit of arms-traders which is an office-based, data-chasing operation by that agency. But there is nothing to indicate to anyone unaware of these facts that the gung-ho "Interpol agent" and his gang are not based in any reality. Therefore, far from operating in the realms of metaphor, it simply becomes a lie.
[...]
reply
share
knish2
14 years ago
I think it was the narration, there was to much of it. It puts you as a viewer to much 'outside' the story and you experience the film to much as an observer in stead of empathizing with the characters.
reply
share
MrAlxT
13 years ago
Some actions of the story are developed rapidly. Details that would make movie more deeper are missing. You don't have that "feeling of fullness" that you have, when you watch "Scarface" or even "Blow" for example. But on the whole "Lord of War" is pretty damn good movie.
*Excuse me if I'm using some words in a incorrect form or place, I will start learning English soon.
reply
share