Ethical Dilemmas In The Film Lord Of War

The film Lord of War tells the story of a man named Yuri Orlov, whose newfangled interest in weapons lures him and his brother into the dangerous realm of international arms dealing. Despite the emphasis on theatrics and suspense, the film focuses heavily on the ethical dilemmas that Yuri faces as he builds a life derived from his amassed wealth. While his thoughts may be hard to fully decipher at any given point in the movie, the ethical dilemmas he faces and how he is seen handling them provide insight into his character. To better understand Yuri and the ethical issues he finds himself engulfed in, his choices, their ramifications, and the identity he aligns himself with will be discussed. In addition, my interpretation of ethics in the …show more content…
Cognizance of morality remains the most apparent dilemma throughout this film, as Yuri self-identifies in various ways as time passes. Early in the film, Yuri is eager and seeks profit instead of morality. He becomes so apathetic that he likens himself to car and cigarette salesmen, pointing out that “both their products kill more people every year than mine.” To differentiate himself further, Yuri states that his product “… has a safety switch,” indicating how wrapped up he is in ideology (Lord of War). And while one could see Yuri’s argument, his inability to take into account the trail of blood the weapons trade leaves embodies the apathy that costs him his brother, his wife, child, and dignity. When a colleague in the government prevents Yuri from being tried for his actions, he finds his way back into the arms industry and continues to meet the seemingly insatiable needs of governments all across the globe. This behavior is indicative of a common thread throughout human behavior and decision-making – consequence. All too often, decisions are made after consequences play their part. When the dust finally settled and Yuri realized he had very little left to lose on the home front, his greed superseded the violence he enabled and went back to doing what he did …show more content…
Understanding the role that morals play in our everyday lives underscores how important it is to be aware. Awareness of ourselves, our friends, family, country, or world as a whole enables people to make the most informed decisions in an altruistic mindset that benefits all. Yuri Orlov, who built a life out of lies and deceit, exemplifies all that is unethical. His self-serving mindset takes the lives of innocent people and his decision to take a break from it all was to preserve the life that he didn’t deserve. When he lost all that he worked hard for, he reverted back to his desperate ways by selling weapons, simply because that was what he did best. The most valuable lesson an individual could take away from this film would be to act unlike Yuri in nearly every way. When we face hardships that threaten the constants in life, we must not stray from morality. The give or take that people engage in when things are uncertain creates rifts in our ability to assess right from wrong. Knowing the impact our decisions have on others provides us with a better opportunity to make the “right” choice, and this film recounts the story of a man whose greed caused him to lose nearly everything he once held