War, Inc. (2008)

Featured Audience Ratings

• John M

  
  John Cusack returns to Grosse Pointe but this time in iraq i mean turkestan. A funny movie, well acted, but not as good as some of Cusacks other work.

• Wahida K

  
  <center>They bring the War Home at your Order!</center> One of the really...well how to describe this Movie? Oh yes <i>Its political satire at its best.</i>

• Alexis N

  
  it was Grosse Point with out the plot.

• Conner R

  
  I did think it was funny in a low budget sort of way, but it is nowhere as good as Grosse Point Blank. John Cusack and Marisa Tomei were good, but Hilary Duff's incredibly horrible accent was enough to downgrade the entire movie. It was a little too messy, but I blame that mostly… More
  I did think it was funny in a low budget sort of way, but it is nowhere as good as Grosse Point Blank. John Cusack and Marisa Tomei were good, but Hilary Duff's incredibly horrible accent was enough to downgrade the entire movie. It was a little too messy, but I blame that mostly on the poor editing and amateuristic directing.

• xGary X

  
  In the near future corporations rule the world rather than nation states and disputes are settled by a heavily armed "arbitrator" played by John Cusack. The combination of black comedy and extreme violence and the presence of the Cusacks and Dan Aykroyd will be familiar to… More
  In the near future corporations rule the world rather than nation states and disputes are settled by a heavily armed "arbitrator" played by John Cusack. The combination of black comedy and extreme violence and the presence of the Cusacks and Dan Aykroyd will be familiar to anyone who has seen Grosse Point Blank. It's essentially a political satire, Turekistan being an obvious analogy for the events in the middle east; a kind of "Thank You For Smoking Guns". As political satire it has all the subtlety of a scud launcher, some of the physical comedy bordering on Zucker/Abrams territory, but it also has enough smart, witty and well observed dialogue to offend "patriots" everywhere and no doubt get everyone involved on the NSA's shitlist. The leads are all excellent, John and Marisa making a smart and sexy couple, Joan is hilarious as his company sidekick and Aykroyd once again supplies a memorable cameo. I couldn't help thinking it could've been a masterpiece if they'd shown a little more restraint, but the hit and miss comedy is on target far more often than off and it's nice to see an American comedy that's both intelligent and has something to say.

• Nate Z

  
  What is the point of this movie? I think I get it, at least get what they were going for. The military industrial complex is bad and can mislead countries into needless conflict just for corporate profits at the expense of human life. Sure, got that, then what the hell is with the… More
  What is the point of this movie? I think I get it, at least get what they were going for. The military industrial complex is bad and can mislead countries into needless conflict just for corporate profits at the expense of human life. Sure, got that, then what the hell is with the storyline of a Eurasian popstar (Hilary Duff) who has daddy issues? War Inc. is a farce but it doesn't have much of string to connect it all. It's all so scattershot, from lampooning politicians and corporations to squeezing in contrived romance and peculiar and almost nonsensical flashbacks with a fast-talking Ben Kingsley who sounds like he's doing an impression of Foghorn Leghorn. This movie feels like a collection of discarded scenes that someone pasted together. The movie's cynicism is almost repellent, and this is coming from a self-described cynic. It isn't the cynicism that bothers me but it's the lack of any bigger point. The satiric targets are all cheap and easy, which would be acceptable if the movie did more with the material. War Inc. is remarkably tone deaf when it comes to satire. The Duff sequences are superfluous and are begging to be scandalous, which then undercuts the movie's potshots about exploiting teenagers for sex. The movie just utterly collapses from the inside out by the end. The most memorable and headline-grabbing moment of War Inc. is when Duff drops a scorpion down her shorts. Does that sound like an enviable creative highpoint? Nate's Grade: C-

• _kelly .

  
  This is our generation's Dr. Strangelove, and like Dr. Strangelove, it isn't as funny now as it could possibly be in a few decades due to the fact that it is too close to painful reality. A must see for all citizens of the world.

• Dean L

  
  In the 21st century corporate America will own everything. everything will be branded and sponsored...even War. With ads taken out on the backs of tanks, battles being billed as corporate extravaganzas, the restructuring of the world falls to technology and corporate structure.… More
  In the 21st century corporate America will own everything. everything will be branded and sponsored...even War. With ads taken out on the backs of tanks, battles being billed as corporate extravaganzas, the restructuring of the world falls to technology and corporate structure. Layoffs will be real terminations if you get my drift. Originally I thought this film was an updated version of Grosse Pointe Blank (another favorite), but it is so much more. This film is being spoken of as political satire, but it is, in fact, the first attempt I have seen to put onto the screen some of my favorite genres of literature: Cyberpunk and Anti-consumerism. This movie is a shout out to some great authors like Neal Stephenson, Max Barry and William Gibson to name a few. Taking shots at everything that our capitalist nation holds dear this farcical look through the eyes of big business running the world is absolutely brilliant. The frenetic pacing, the fantastic characters, the shots fired at the media, politics, business, and sheer stupidity ring so true and strong...this movie is fantastic. I understand why it didn't get raves. Quite frankly I don't know a lot of people that watch films of this nature much less read the books (or read period). Do you know what I mean when I say "dystopia?" Watch and learn...and laugh. Brilliant performances by Cusack and Cusack, Kingsley, Aykroyd, Tomei, and even Duff to name a few. Watch this movie with an open mind and realize how and who tries to keep it closed. Laugh, because this movie is hysterical. While you are at it...check the scoville units because this one is on fire.

• Jon L

  
  It lacked the cohesivenessI was used to, but it was still an entertaining film.

• Chris G

  
  I like political satire when it's actually funny. This cross between Wag the Dog and Airplane falls on its ass terribly. This is pretty much propaganda to make you feel guilty about drinking Coke and worshiping Hollywood whores. The publicity with this film tries to rekindle the… More
  I like political satire when it's actually funny. This cross between Wag the Dog and Airplane falls on its ass terribly. This is pretty much propaganda to make you feel guilty about drinking Coke and worshiping Hollywood whores. The publicity with this film tries to rekindle the memories of Cusack's Grosse Point Blank, since he's playing a hitman again. Sadly, this film is no Grosse Point Blank. It's not even Point Break.

• Al S

  
  An instant classic. It's Lord of War meets Grosse Point Blank. A wickedly entertaing and uniquely original satire that is gripping, shocking and also very fun to watch. It goes with a seroius subject but gives it moments of levity to make it utterly enjoyable. It's… More
  An instant classic. It's Lord of War meets Grosse Point Blank. A wickedly entertaing and uniquely original satire that is gripping, shocking and also very fun to watch. It goes with a seroius subject but gives it moments of levity to make it utterly enjoyable. It's brilliant, compelling, thrilling and flat-out hilarious. An expertly crafted, sharply written and wonderfully performed. A piece of genious. An excellent film. It hits all the right notes with great laughs and explosive action. A cool and absolutely fun thriller lots of bullets and great lines. Smart, stylish and action-packed. An outstanding cast. John Cusack is magnificent, one of his best performances. Ben Kingsley is teriffic. Joan Cusack is outragious.

• Aaron N

  
  Brand Hauser: Look, we've already kicked the shit out of this place. What are we supposed to do? Turn our backs on all the entrepreneur possibilities? Business is a uniquely human response to a moral or cosmic crisis. Whether it's a tsunami or a sustained aerial bombardment,… More
  Brand Hauser: Look, we've already kicked the shit out of this place. What are we supposed to do? Turn our backs on all the entrepreneur possibilities? Business is a uniquely human response to a moral or cosmic crisis. Whether it's a tsunami or a sustained aerial bombardment, there's the same urgent call for urban renewal. John Cusack stars in a movie he helped write and produce. The movie is a political satire/dark comedy which also serves as a spiritual sequel to Gross Point Blank, one of my favorite movies, so naturally I wanted to like this film. It contains many of the same elements as "Blank," and while the movie puts a lot of stuff on the table to let the audience stew in concerning the satirical approach to a fictional Middle East situation and the ending goes way over the top, it has plenty of fun doing what it does and making me enjoy myself. Cusack is Houser, a hitman living in a fictional world where corporations sponsor war efforts. In particular, the country of Turaqistan has been taken over by an American corporation, Tamerlane. Houser is now hired by the former Vice President, played by Dan Aykroyd, to assassinate a figure living in the country. The Vice President: [about Omar] Son of a bitch is trying to build a pipeline through his own cheap fucking country. We didn't liberate Turaqistan to get hustled by some cocksucking fezzhead, Hauser. Terminate. You do that voodoo that you do so well. Houser's cover is a publicist with an assistant played by Joan Cusack holding up his identity for him. For his cover he is supposed to monitor the arrival of a Central Asian pop star, Yonica Babyyeah, played surprisingly well by Hilary Duff. Brand Hauser: We're excited to have you. Ooq-Mi-Fay Taqnufmini: Don't get too excited. Brand Hauser: I'm not that excited. Also in the area is a reporter played by a very good looking Marissa Tomei, whom Houser takes a liking to. Natalie Hegalhuzen: [upon hearing an explosion outside] When did they start attacking inside the Emerald City? Brand Hauser: I wouldn't call that an attack. [explosion goes off right outside office] Brand Hauser: Technically, that was a bombing. At least it sounded like it was. Not an attack, which would imply something else. As the film progresses, Houser goes through the motions of attempting to assassinate his target, juggling the two women currently in his life, and dealing with the personal demons involving his profession and past. As mentioned, it is very similar to Gross Point Blank, with the added bonus of political commentary. It will seemed like a full bag to many, containing a mix of both wit and seemingly absurd situations attempting to get across a message, but you know what? I enjoyed it. Hell if I want to take a stance on a position because of a movie, what matters is that I enjoyed myself. Natalie Hegalhuzen: Nice office. Marsha Dillon: It's bullet-proof. The movie has a lot of fun with its dialog, style, and approach to the subject matter. The cast is certainly a big part of its success. Cusack is as cool as he was as Martin Blank. Its good stuff. Ooq-Yu-Fay Taqnufmini: [referring to son] What if we publicly remove one of his testicles? Ooq-Mi-Fay Taqnufmini: Dad! Please! Brand Hauser: It's not an entirely unappealing suggestion, but I'm not sure if that really gets us where we want to go.

• Lorenzo v

  
  Its political satire at its best. There were some over the top scenarios but it didn't feel like dragging and I actually kinda loved it. John Cusack returns to his "Point Blank" persona as burnt out hit-man Brand Hauser who works for a former US vice president and for… More
  Its political satire at its best. There were some over the top scenarios but it didn't feel like dragging and I actually kinda loved it. John Cusack returns to his "Point Blank" persona as burnt out hit-man Brand Hauser who works for a former US vice president and for his latest assignment he travels to a fictitious Middle Eastern country aptly called Turaqistan (which either sounds like Iraq or Afghanistan) to punch the ticket of a Middle Eastern oil tycoon who is actually in the way of enterprising corporate giant (also fictitious): Tamerlane. I have no problem with the plot. I mean its really not meant for deep, deep thought and recollection. Its just some corporate moguls controlling a war torn country and a "solitary man" will adjudicate some unsettled things. There, that's basically the premise of the film. But its not all that, there is a should I say big twist near the end which involves Hauser's past and a really awesome fight sequence between Cusack's character and a bunch of 50 Cent wannabes. Hillary Duff steers clear of his poster-girl-for-chick-flicks image and makes a bold turn as Middle Eastern popstar Yonica Babyyeah and surprisingly, she was pretty good. She has come a long way since Lizzie McGuire and all is working well in her film career. Though her accent is quite ridiculous, its the acting, as a whole, that counts. Putting a scorpion down your holiest of holies? Now, that's some major improvement. War, Inc. is a political satire and a darn good one at that. 4/5

• Ken S

  
  An interesting premise with a mediocre execution.

• Martin B

  
  <b>War, Inc. </b>wants to be a political satire. It also wants to be <i>Grosse Point Blank</i> 2. More accurately, it feels like it's a political satire that they realized needed to be redressed as a GPB-like film if it were to be at all marketable.… More
  <b>War, Inc. </b>wants to be a political satire. It also wants to be <i>Grosse Point Blank</i> 2. More accurately, it feels like it's a political satire that they realized needed to be redressed as a GPB-like film if it were to be at all marketable. The result: they failed on both counts. Cusack has his moments, but even he can't save this from being probably the most disappointing film of the year for me. I really wanted to like this movie. But in the end, it was just forgettable. It's too bad really. This is the kind of role I enjoy Cusack most in, and failures like this will only drive him away from trying again in the future. The script is a mess, the production feels half-assed, and the pathetic direction was the nail in the coffin. I looked up the director and found out his previous credits are limited to episodes of tv shows like "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and the PBS Kids show "Fetch!" His lack of useful experience shows. One side note: I have to give Ben Kingsley credit for trying to vary his roles in recent years, rather than settle into the same stuffy roles he could easily sleep his way through, but his choices in doing so are a disaster - this, <i>Thunderbirds, Bloodrayne, Suspect Zero</i>... time to fire your agent, Ben.

• Mark A

  
  Silly, over-the-top, thinly veiled satire of the Iraq war. In the near future, war will be conducted entirely by mercenaries hired by a giant corporation. Into the maelstrom of a war zone, Hauser (John Cusack), a covert assasin, is assigned to take out a politician who stands in the… More
  Silly, over-the-top, thinly veiled satire of the Iraq war. In the near future, war will be conducted entirely by mercenaries hired by a giant corporation. Into the maelstrom of a war zone, Hauser (John Cusack), a covert assasin, is assigned to take out a politician who stands in the way of US interests (read corporate profits). Some funny moments, but overall too predictable and tries too hard to have a heart. Hilary Duff plays a not very talented singer from the war-torn country, looking for a way out and Marisa Tomei is an investigative reporter who provides the romantic distraction. Joan Cusack plays Hauser's assistant and is the straight up comic relief. Too many loose ends get tied up a little too neatly. Entertaining, but not much intellectual stimulation.

• Walter M

  
  [font=Century Gothic]"War, Inc" is a tepid satire about war profiteering that only occasionally hits the mark. In the wake of the first completely outsourced war, a hitman, Brand Hauser(John Cusack, recycling his depressed assassin shtick from "Grosse Pointe… More
  [font=Century Gothic]"War, Inc" is a tepid satire about war profiteering that only occasionally hits the mark. In the wake of the first completely outsourced war, a hitman, Brand Hauser(John Cusack, recycling his depressed assassin shtick from "Grosse Pointe Blank." It would have been much better if he had been playing a burnt out career businessman.), travels to recently liberated Turaqistan to dispatch oil executive Omar Sharif(Lyubomir Neikov), while posing as a producer of a local trade expo. So, you can see the level of wit on hand. But the problem is not really that it is not that funny. Unexpectedly, it spends too much time on a subplot about the nuptials of a local pop star, Yonica Babyyeah(Hilary Duff), and debating the sexuality of teenagers. Yes, this does get tied into the climax of the film but what that has to do with the price of gasoline is beyond me. There is some ironic product placement and non-ironic product placement(Read The Nation. It's a cool magazine.) which brings Marsa Tomei into the picture giving the best performance in the movie as a noncorruptible journalist, perhaps the last one left. So, there is a little material concerning press coverage but again not enough. But the action and fight scenes are totally wicked, though.[/font]

• Burger S

  
  Weird. They do have Popeye's in it though. Look for Dan Aykroyd playing a Dick Cheney type. Kingsley is pretty solid.

• Sol C

  
  The film is a huge misfire. It reminded me a lot of the films Gross Point Blank and Southland Tales. Cusack's character also reminded me of his character in Gross Point Blank. Cusack is one of my favorite actors and has done amazing work in other films, but not this one. I also… More
  The film is a huge misfire. It reminded me a lot of the films Gross Point Blank and Southland Tales. Cusack's character also reminded me of his character in Gross Point Blank. Cusack is one of my favorite actors and has done amazing work in other films, but not this one. I also found the film a bit predictable.

• Fascade F

  
  A truly senseless and ridiculous idea., of the salesmanship of war disguised within an assassination plot. This whole set up was so ridiculous that Brittney Spears ought to sue Hillary Duff for impersonating her in such an asenine way! See this crap if you dare!

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