Lord of War tells the story of Yuri Orlov (Cage) over the course of two decades as he rises in the world of international arms dealing, from his roots as the son of immigrants in Little Odessa in the 80s through the fall of the Berlin Wall and the international arms boom of the 90s, by which time he is permanently on the speed dial of psychopathic African warlords. Through the years Yuri is doggedly pursued by both Interpol (personified by Ethan Hawke) and rival arms dealers (typified by Ian Holm), who are determined to destroy both his professional and personal life. Although its a work of fiction, and centred on a handful of characters, Lord of War is based in large part on the lives of several arms dealers.

Far from glorifying or demonising the arms trade, a very balanced approach is taken to the storytelling. The plot neatly unfolds around key events of the last 20 years that have affected the arms industry and introduces every conceivable argument associated with the arms trade along the way. The consequences of both action and inaction are explored, but moral judgement is left to the viewer - a move that is guaranteed to spark arguments among even the most like-minded of friends.

Part Scarface, part morality tale, part family drama, Lord of War is a unique and very brave feature in the modern political climate. Certainly not one to miss.