Supplying the world with destruction

Yuri Orlov came to the United States from the Soviet Union when he was a young boy. His family opened a restaurant and supplied the economy with something it always needs; food. After Yuri witnessed a Ukrainian mob boss kill two assassins he decided he should supply the economy with another thing it always needs; guns. So he makes his first sale, partners with his brother Vitaly, and quickly rises to the top. Gun running becomes Yuri’s one and only profession and he is extremely good at it.

The set-up of Lord of War begins with a straight on close-up of Yuri Orlov. As he begins to explain the importance of guns in the world the camera pulls out and we see Yuri standing in a war-torn town with millions of bullet casings scattered all over the ground. Yuri says that 550 million firearms are in circulation worldwide. Right away we know that the movie is going to be about guns and that Yuri is probably going to be a gun runner.

Then the screenplay takes us to Yuri’s American life where his family lives and owns a restaurant. Yuri, however, wants more in his life… a better way to get rich. He decides he has what it takes to sell guns and thinks that the danger he faces will outweigh the riches to come. After the inciting incident of the Ukrainian mob moss killing the two assassins and making Yuri realize there is money in guns, Yuri’s dramatic need turns into the desire to become the best gun runner.

A quarter of the way through the script Yuri encounters his first confrontation that moves the story into the second act of the film. While shipping a very large boat load of guns a special agent pulls him over and searches the boat. Despite a tip off, Agent Valentine is unable to pin Yuri to any crimes because he couldn’t find the guns on the boat. Yuri is very good at covering up his tracks and evading authorities. Valentine will stay hot on Yuri’s trail because he knows Yuri is up to no good. Also in the first quarter of the script Yuri pursues the girl of his dreams, Ava Fontaine, who he will quickly fall in love with and marry.

Yuri quickly rises to the top and becomes one of the best gun runners in the world. He now has government officials, foreign war lords, and a vast arsenal of dirty authority figures on his side. He is nearly unstoppable to anyone besides Agent Valentine. At the end of Act 2 two events become the second plot point(s) that will take the story to the third and final act. First, his wife and son leave him amidst all his lies and his brother is killed during their final deal. Yuri left the business temporarily so that his wife wouldn’t leave him. But when his job comes calling again, he can’t resist. So he sets out with his brother and makes one final deal. In the process his wife finds out what he is doing and leaves him for good. His character made a big change and took a new focus on life when he decided to stop pushing guns. This change however was short lived because he just couldn’t stay away from it. Then Vitaly, his brother, is killed during the last deal.

This brings us into Act 3. During the resolution Valentine finally captures Yuri and ensures him he will be locked up for good. Yuri has only disappointment to give Valentine yet again. He ensures Valentine that a high ranked government official will come and let him go because the American government needs people like Yuri to do their dirty work. Low and behold this government official comes and lets Yuri go. This is the resolution of the story and, in being a free man again, Yuri decides to continue doing what he does best, sell guns.

Written by: Andrew Niccol