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 André Baptiste, Sr. (Eamonn Walker). Jared Leto costars 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 realize 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.

Theatrical Release: Septermber 16, 2005

DVD Features:

Keep Case
Anamorphic Widescreen - 16:9
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Closed Captioned - (unspecified)

Nicolas Cage: American Actor
Ethan Hawke: American actor, REALITY BITES, TRAINING DAY
Jared Leto: Actor
Bridget Moynahan: Actor, THE SUM OF ALL FEARS/I, ROBOT
Ian Holm: British actor, THE LORD OF THE RINGS (2001)
Sammy Rotibi: Star, THE WOUNDED
Eamonn Walker: actor, ONCE IN THE LIFE

Andrew Niccol: Director

Philippe Rousselet: French Producer
Norm Golightly: Producer, SONNY (2002)

Andrew Niccol: Director

Antonio Pinto: Star, JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE NIGHT (2006)

Zach Staenberg: Editor

"Cage has excelled at playing gaunt-faced but sympathetic loners. He excels again here in a role that allows him to show his flair for deadpan comedy..."