With the height of the political season upon us, it is hard to believe that a film dealing primarily with the role of US operatives in the war on terror could hardly function as “escapist” entertainment for millions of Americans. Perhaps that is what makes Body of Lies, from esteemed blockbuster director Ridley Scott so enjoyable. It manages to do what recent Iraq war themed movies left behind in the box-office dust have failed to do so miserably: To say something about the plight of war without being overly preachy. Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe star in this popcorn action thriller that is very entertaining despite stretching the limits of believability.
Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) is a covert CIA operative who has been sent to seek out and destroy a ring of terrorists responsible for the bombing of civilians. With the help of his boss back in Langley (Crowe), he devises a plan to infiltrate the network of terrorist mastermind Al-Saleem. Crowe, overweight and grey-haired in this movie, is seen back home thousands of miles away with an ear-mounted device almost permanently planted into his head, feeding instructions to his co-worker. He spouts out rhetoric regarding the harsh nature of their work ("which side of the cross are you on kid? I need nailers not hangers.") interjected by directions for his kids to help with the groceries or aim for the toilet, not the floor. Ferris also enlists the help of Chief of Jordanian intelligence, Hani Salaam. Soon the three main players develop operations that create a web of deception that makes stopping the true forces of evil a mix-up of right and wrong.
The film's biggest flaws come from the elements it doesn’t need. Despite Crowe and DiCaprio both being seasoned actors, they seem to be phoning in elements that neither of their respective characters actually demand. Can anyone tell me why Leo has a phony southern accent in this movie? And someone really ought to tell Crowe that they don’t just hand out Oscars for putting on 30 pounds, you actually have to be somewhat memorable on screen as well. Just ask DeNiro. The love interest for DiCaprio’s character brings virtually nothing to the story, and is merely manufactured into the plot to create stakes for a finale that is somewhat predictable. The qualms are relatively few and far between though for a film that doesn’t rely on power of believability. It’s a tight script with sharp action sequences and a plot that is pushed steadily along throughout that make this film worth seeing. Even if it means dealing with subject matter that still rings loud in our ears.
3/5
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