History YMMV / LordOfWar

* SignatureScene: The opening credits, charting the life of a bullet from the bullet's perspective, from the factory to the transport to the gun, ending up fired into a (child) soldier's head, remains the most memorable and famous part of the film.

* CriticalResearchFailure: The opening shows an ammo factory purportedly in Ukraine making brass-cased 7.62x39mm and packing the finished cartridges by dumping them in the crate and nailing the lid on. Soviet Bloc 7.62x39mm ammo is lacquered steel cased and is packed in 20 round cardboard boxes which are sealed in metal cans. Also the lids are secured with screws, not nails.

%%* {{Anvilicious}}: SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped, granted, but the critics felt the film became a little ''too'' preachy at the end.

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: In spite of its preachy ending, it showed the Military-Industrial Complex's role in the continuation of arms dealing operation along with its influence among powerful nations to prevent its end from blocking or delaying those who would stop arms trade as reflected with Yuri's businesses thriving for quite a long time without anyone to stop him.

* HarsherInHindsight: Yuri was inspired to go into the gun trade in part due to his father claiming he got into the restaurant business because "everyone needs to eat" and thus they'd be set for life. After witnessing a shootout, Yuri realized the same applied to guns. In 2020, thanks to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic, the indoor dining industry is on the verge of collapse worldwide, while the demand for guns is still going strong. Sadly, Yuri proved to be even smarter that his father.

* SignatureScene: The opening credits, charting the life of a bullet from the bullet's perspective, from the factory to the transport to the gun, ending up fired into a soldier's head, remains the most memorable and famous part of the film.

* TomatoSurprise: At the end of the movie, it's revealed Yuri [[spoiler:sells weapons for the American government to maintain deniability, which keeps him from going to prison.]] If you're vaguely aware of international affairs and the USA's role in them, you'd take it as a given that Yuri would not be living in the USA (who would certainly know who he was) without USA intelligence deeming him more useful than not (note that he's shown supplying the Mujaheddin, a CIA operation in real life). If you don't understand anything about international affairs, this could be a surprising reveal.

* TomatoSurprise: At the end of the movie, it's revealed Yuri [[spoiler:sells weapons for the American government to maintain deniability, which keeps him from going to prison.]] If you're vaguely aware of international affairs and the USA's role in them, you'd take it as a given that Yuri would not be living in the USA (who would certainly know who he was) without USA intelligence deeming him more useful than not. If you don't understand anything about international affairs, this could be a surprising reveal.

* CriticalResearchFailue: The opening shows an ammo factory purportedly in Ukraine making brass-cased 7.62x39mm and packing the finished cartridges by dumping them in the crate and nailing the lid on. Soviet Bloc 7.62x39mm ammo is lacquered steel cased and is packed in 20 round cardboard boxes which are sealed in metal cans. Also the lids are secured with screws, not nails.

* TomatoSurprise: At the end of the movie, it's revealed Yuri [[spoiler:sells weapons for the American government to maintain deniability, which keeps him from going to prison.]] If you're vaguely aware of international affairs and the USA's role in them, you'd take it as a given that Yuri would not be living in the USA (who would certainly know who he was) without USA intelligence deeming him more useful than not. If you don't understand anything about international affairs, this could be a surprising reveal.

* {{Anvilicious}}: SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped, granted, but the critics felt the film became a little ''too'' preachy at the end.

* RealityIsUnrealistic: A few of the AK-47s used in the film were actually a similar looking Czech gun called the vz. 58. The guns were also all real. It was cheaper to rent a truckload of real guns than prop guns.

%% Bring Complete Monster examples to this thread before adding any: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=6vic3f9h1cy5qivsenw8llok&page=1. Check the FAQ first to see what would qualify characters for the trope, and if there has been previous discussion on the work.
%%

* AssPull: Yuri working as a proxy for the US government, giving them PlausibleDeniability and him a GetOutOfJailFreeCard. Despite detailing his rise as an ArmsDealer, this is never shown, mentioned or even hinted once.
** Also keep in mind he's seen multiple times working with an Oliver North {{expy}}. Southern got him out less because they needed him right then but because Yuri also still has the goods on Iran-Contra - probably including evidence implicating the then-President's father. It's pure blackmail in the end which is why they pay him off.

** It can be averted as Yuri did mention he sold to every army except the Salvation Army.

* AssPull: Yuri working as a proxy for the US government, giving them PlausibleDeniability and him a GetOutOfJailFreeCard. Despite detailing his rise as an ArmsDealer, this never shown, mentioned or even hinted once.

** Also keep in mind he's seen multiple times working with an Oliver North expy. Southern got him out less because they needed him right then but because Yuri also still has the goods on Iran Contra. This probably including evidence implicating the then President's father. Its pure blackmail in the end which is why they pay him off.

* RealityIsUnrealistic: The AK-47s used in the film were actually a similar looking Czech gun called a vz. 58. They were also all real. It was cheaper to rent a truckload of real guns than prop guns.

* SignatureScene: The opening credits, charting the life of a bullet from the bullet's perspective, from factory to transport to the gun, ending up fired into a soldier's head, remains the most memorable and famous part of the film.
* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: In spite of its preachy ending, it showed the Military Industrial Complex's role in the continuation of arms dealing operation along with its influence among powerful nations to prevent its end from blocking or delaying those who would stop arms trade. Consider that difficulty in enforcing arms trafficking by a country, let alone a community, this is understandable.

** Subverted as Yuri did mention he sold to every army except the Salvation Army.

** Subverted as Yuri did mention he sold to every army except the salvation army.

%% Bring CompleteMonster examples to this thread before adding any: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=6vic3f9h1cy5qivsenw8llok&page=1. Check the FAQ first to see what would qualify characters for the trope, and if there has been previous discussion on the work.

* NightmareFuel: Look at the poster on the main page. And many, many times in the movie itself!