Nicolas Cage continues to impress audiences and critics alike, with a recent 62% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes for one of his films attracting commendation from a notable mafia expert. Cage’s on-screen journey began in the 1980s with standout roles in classics like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Rumble Fish, and Moonstruck. His career took a significant turn when he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his remarkable portrayal in Leaving Las Vegas (1995), often regarded as his finest work of the ’90s. The decade also showcased Cage in high-octane action films such as The Rock, Con Air, and Face/Off.
In the subsequent decades, Cage’s filmography experienced a rollercoaster of acclaim and criticism, with popular hits like the National Treasure series contrasting sharply with the less favorable Ghost Rider films. However, the perception of Cage has shifted positively in recent years, particularly due to his performances in Pig, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, and Longlegs, all of which received significant critical acclaim. He is currently involved in numerous upcoming projects, one of the most anticipated being Spider-Man Noir, where he will reprise his role as the voice of the iconic webslinger from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Unexpected Acclaim for Nicolas Cage’s Lord of War
Cage Takes On the Role of an Arms Dealer
The 2005 film Lord of War showcases Cage in the role of Yuri Orlov, an international arms dealer, and draws inspiration from the infamous real-life figure, Viktor Bout. The film has generated a polarizing yet compelling critique, with an audience score of 85% contrasted by a lukewarm critical score of 62%. Despite this, a sequel is currently in development by the film’s original director and writer, Andrew Niccol, as Orlov’s arms dealings continue to unfold.
The cast also includes talented actors such as Ethan Hawke and Jared Leto, adding depth to the film’s narrative.
In a recent video shared by Insider, Joe Serio, a former CIA agent and expert on the Russian mafia, praised the film’s portrayal of historical events. Serio highlights the film’s setting in Brighton Beach, an area notorious for its Russian mafia activity. He confirms the film’s historically accurate depiction of violent extortion tactics employed by these organized crime groups. Below are his insightful remarks:
I love this scene from Lord of War. Nicolas Cage’s character is narrating his life and his introduction to the Russian mafia. Number one, it’s in Brighton Beach, and starting in the ’70s, Brighton Beach was the Russian mafia location. When Russian criminals moved from the Soviet Union, Brighton Beach was the first place to come because they knew other Russians here. It was places like Brighton Beach where they just grew out from there and very quickly they fanned out across the country.
That part about killing people, that whole scene is 100% legit. Extortion was probably the biggest thing that they did with those stores and those shops of innocent Russians. They threatened store owners, they collected extortion funds, they killed rivals, so for personal reasons, this is a great clip too.
My supervisor in Moscow when I was working with the National Police was the deputy chief of organized crime control for the entire Soviet Union, and he said to me, “Tell your FBI, tell your CIA that our Russian mafia problem is going to become your Russian mafia problem.”This is 1990, before the Soviet Union even collapsed.
When Nicolas Cage does the weapons deal, he saw with his own two eyes what’s possible and saw a niche, and he’s going to fill that niche. That’s all fine, that’s all good, but he did that deal in just some room. Back in Moscow, one of the places that was used for arms deals a lot was hotels, because the gangs control the hotels.
I would rate this pretty high. The Russian influence from the former Soviet Union coming to the United States, setting up in Brighton Beach, it’s all legit, 100%, nine out of ten.
Analyzing Joe Serio’s Insights
Future Prospects for Lord of War
Although Lord of War might not be the first title that springs to mind when considering Cage’s best work, Serio’s commendation of its precise depiction of the Russian mafia’s operations and arms trading illustrates its often-overlooked greatness. Cage’s compelling performance as Orlov is deeply informed by reality, paving the way for the sequel that promises to delve deeper into the complexities of the Russian mafia and arms dealing, all while capitalizing on Cage’s enduring star power and the real-world events that have shaped this narrative over the last two decades.
For more insights, refer to the source: Insider
Related Articles:
28 Years Later Trailer Reveals Zombie Character Identity, Not Cillian Murphy
13:57
Exploring a Forgotten 2006 Thriller With 34% That Highlights John Wick’s Biggest Missed Chance
13:54
Willem Dafoe Discusses Possibility of Green Goblin Returning in Tom Holland’s Spider-Man 4 and Future Marvel Cinematic Universe Films
13:51
Leave a Reply