Starring: Ned Bellamy, Ben Cross, Joan Cusack, John Cusack, Ben Kingsley Directed By: Joshua Seftel Average Rating: Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen Label: FIRST LOOK PICTURES Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: October 14, 2008 Running Time: 107 minutes Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Product Description: Recreating his role as a hitman John Cusack gives a hilarious performance in War Inc . a political satire set in Turaqistan a Country occupied by an American private corporation run by a former U.S. Vice President (Dan Aykroyd). In an effort to monopolize the opportunities the war-torn nation offers the corporation's CEO hires Hauser (Cusack) to kill a Middle Eastern oil minister. Now struggling with his own growing demons the assassin must pose as the corporation s Trade Show Producer in order to pull off this latest hit while maintaining his cover by organizing the high-profile wedding of Yonica Babyyeah (Hilary Duff) an outrageous Central Asian pop star and keeping a sexy left-wing reporter (Marisa Tomei) in check.System Requirements:Running Time: 107 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/POLITICAL THRILLER Rating: R UPC: 687797121998 Manufacturer No: FLP-12199
Amazon.com: A wobbly mix of violence and sentiment, War, Inc. takes up where Grosse Pointe Blank left off. A conscience-stricken killer in the previous film, producer/co-writer Cusack now plays an international assassin. In Joshua Seftel's political satire, corporations operate like governments. In the volatile nation of Turaqistan, Cusack's hot sauce-addicted Brand Hauser sets his sights on Omar Sharif--the oil baron, not the actor (it's never clear why this is meant to be funny). As a cover, Hauser passes as the producer for an economic trade show with fellow operative Marsha (Joan Cusack) acting as his assistant. Trained by Southern smoothie Walken (Ben Kingsley) in his CIA days (depicted though flashbacks), Hauser now takes orders from an oily CEO (Grosse Pointe co-star Dan Aykroyd). Offing Sharif, however, turns out to be harder than expected. Hauser's obstacles include left-wing journalist Natalie Hegalhuzen (Marisa Tomei) and foul-mouthed pop tart Yonica Babyyeah (Hilary Duff, erasing innocent images of Lizzy McGuire). Cusack and his crew come up with a few clever ideas, but too many crass gags blunt their thesis about military contractors run amok. Pitched somewhere between Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove and Mike Judge’s Idiocracy, War, Inc. registers as more of a miss than a hit. On the plus side, Cusack and Tomei have a snappy rapport; it's the more over-the-top performers who look out of place, especially Ms. Cusack and Kingsley, though the latter's deft turn as a boozy hit man in the overlooked You Kill Me almost makes up for this misfire. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
A very important movie I've seen this when released and I would disagree with many of the reviewers who complain of the "disjointed" script. This movie is not confusing. It is extremely fast paced and can be watched several times to get all the jokes. The special effects are brutally effective and the underlying message very disturbing. The dark humor is right on, especially the bit where the Cusack's only friend is his Northstar roadside assistance system. The only complaint of the movie is how they fit Hillary Duff into the movie. It's a bit corny, but hey, it's Hollywood.
This movie is classic Cusack As a fan of Cusack's since Gross Pointe Blank, I am glad to see him back as a kick-butting hit man. This time he's taken his comedic touch up a notch in my opinion, plus the message is so pertinent, that you just can't go wrong. Like most American's I too thought the war was a necessary move but due to mismanagement and bad leadership it has turned into an utter failure. Cusack uses this political satire to show audiences how we are exploiting the middle east and profiteering from this illegal war. A classic Cusack performance spliced wit hard-hitting political satire make this movie truly provocative, a controversial masterpiece.
Classic Cusack! I came upon this movie by accident while I was visiting friends in Colorado (because, naturally, such a film won't be shown in ultra-conservative Georgia). I immediately fell in love with the dark humor and political satire as my favorite actor battled against his conscience, his bosses, and his hot sauce addiction. This movie is a fun watch for all, but particularly relevant to those of us who oppose the war. John Cusack hits it out of the park by finally saying what everyone's been too afraid to say. "War, Inc." is a MUST SEE!
War Inc is a must see... War Inc has an all star cast that includes John Cusack as Hauser a troubled assassin who has accepted a job of bumping off the figure head of a rival nation. To do this he must pose as a trade show coordinator hosting a Tamerlane Brand USA Expo in recently "liberated" country Turaqistan. On top of all this and with the help of his assistant (Joan Cusack) he has to juggle a headstrong reporter (Marisa Tomei) and the impending wedding of pop superstar Yonika BabyYea (Hilary Duff). War Inc is a film that will entertain a number of different audiences. On the surface the film plays much like a guy with girl troubles film but its the underlying theme that really makes it shine. Writers Mark Leyner, Jeremy Pikser and John Cusack weave a story that draws many parallels between what is happening on screen and in America today. One could easily view these larger than life characters as allegorical representations of the American Public, Capitalism, Big Business, Government, The Media...and so on. There is of course a good bit of the absurd, including but not limited to: fighting, licking and hotsauce drinking. Overall this film is ahead of its time for its candid statements about the geo political climate and its fun enough that you can still eat popcorn too. I hope you enjoy!
War, Inc. Best Dark Satire since Strangelove Who would think you could improve on the news? An American private contractor with its own army, complete with tanks that have Pizza Hut ads on them! But to call this company Tamerlane, Inc. shows a stroke of intelligence that is so rare in Hollywood.
The cast is magnificent; a special treat is Dan Aykroyd as an irrascible former US Veep and 'the viceroy' who speaks from an 'undisclosed location.' Wonder who those guys could be...
The backdrop is a war that goes on simply to destroy things so that we can let contracts to rebuild. Attendees to the 'Brand USA' trade show even get gift bags!
Sad to say, the movie seems to have limited distribution -- it was in a local art film house for a very short run.
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