Lord of War

Andrew Niccol, 2005 (8.6*)Nicholas Cage plays arms dealer and Russian immigrant Yuri Orlov, who learns early in life in Odessa that guns rule, and gun dealers make money. He eventually elevates himself up to a level that makes him a worldwide target for Interpol, with agent Ethan Hawke doggedly on his trail.

Cage deals with anyone with the money, for him it's just a business, a way out of poverty; his brother Jared Leto thinks otherwise. There are some major revelations here about how the major arms dealers operate, and their impact on hot spots around the globe. Cage is in his element here, cool and confident while dealing with some of the most dangerous people on the planet.

This has some exciting action as well as the feel of a Bond film, but it's based on a true story.