Although there is a feeling that this subject has been covered before, Body of Lies is a good thriller that benefits from the steady direction of Ridley Scott and the acting talents of Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Body of Lies features a screenplay from William Monahan (The Departed and Kingdom of Heaven) based on the novel by David Ignatius. It also features great camera work from director of photography Alexander Witt (American Gangster and Casino Royale) and editing from Pietro Scalia (Hannibal Rising, Black Hawk Down and Gladiator).
Along with Crowe and DiCaprio, the film features solid performances from Mark Strong (RocknRolla), and Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani – who plays DiCaprio’s love interest and provides viewers with a look at the cultural world where the film is set.
The film is familiar (think a Jason Bourne movie or Don Cheadle's Traitor), but still manages to hold your interest and provide some thrills. At times, it is a cat and mouse game between the two stars (even though they work on the same team), and towards the end it becomes a commentary on how far we will go to feel safe in an unsafe world.
DiCaprio handles the role of Roger Ferris – a CIA operative who is the best at what he does. He knows how to get into the hot zones, find the terrorist, and work the foreign relations. He is handled by his boss CIA veteran Ed Hoffman (Crowe), and often argues with him over the difference in how a situation should be run.
Hoffman has a brash style of dealing with foreign officials, and prefers to bully his way through a situation to get to his target. He often doesn’t think twice about burning the people working for him or how his behavior could put their lives in jeopardy. He also moves through the film sporting a soft accent, and is clearly a loving family man (even if he advises Ferris never to have kids because of the hassle they cause).
The film is a bit hard to follow at first as Scott and company quickly introduce us to the bad guys, the good guys, and gets the plot moving forward. A terrorist cell is bombing their way through Europe and Hoffman is determined to stop them before they can hit the U.S.
He tasks Ferris with the assignment and sends him to Jordan to work with the government’s head guy on this matter. Hani (Strong) is known for capturing terrorist and for getting information by any means needed. Ferris knows the only way to get Hani’s help will require truth and no double dealings. He also knows Hani will kill him if Hoffman pulls any of his tricks.
While tracking down the terrorist, Ferris also meets Aisha (Farahani) – who works in a local clinic. He is instantly drawn to her, and finds he must cross the cultural boundaries if he has any hope of developing a relationship with her.
At times, this part of the story drew more of my interest than the terrorism plot. I wish Scott could have spent more time developing her character, and Farahani does an excellent job of being the woman caught in the middle.
She likes Ferris, but knows there is something dangerous about him. She also knows her family will not approve of her dating an American. Their relationship is put to the test towards the end of the film, and becomes a breaking point for how far Ferris is willing to go to find the terrorist.
DiCaprio and Crowe do amazing jobs in this film, and really work well together. After hearing some negative comments about the movie and the two stars, I had my doubts about how much I would enjoy watching the film and even put it off for a bit.
Both actors use different accents in the film and alter their appearance (DiCaprio sporting jet black hair and a beard at times, Crowe looking heavier than normal and wearing what I hope was a wig). However, I didn’t think these little changes killed the movie at all. I think the accent and weight really helped sell Crowe’s character, and the two stars do come off as friends or people who have worked a long time together.
There is a level of trust between the two men, but both seem willing to sell the other out by the end of the movie. When DiCaprio is forced into a bad situation, you aren’t completely sure it isn’t Crowe’s character (who is willing to go as far as he has to “do the right thing”) setting him up for the fall. Even as the credits roll, there is doubt of the film’s outcome.
This is an action/thriller film, and Scott makes sure to pack it with intense scenes and in-your-face action. Just like Black Hawk Down, the action scenes look and feel real (there is a great scene early in the film where DiCaprio and an associate raid a terrorist house).
Blu-ray’s1080p picture makes the film look even better, and it also sounds amazing during the gun battles (although there aren’t too many). This is solid release for the Blu-ray format, and the picture really helps sell the grit and dirt of the locations.
The Blu-ray comes with decent special features including a look at key sequences from the film; exclusive BD Live features; commentary from Scott, Monahan and Ignatius. There is also a look at the film’s themes and message through a discussion with Crowe, DiCaprio, and Scott, and a few deleted scenes.
Body of Lies doesn’t break any new ground in the slew of similar theme movies that have come out lately, but it is still worth taking the time to watch. Crowe and DiCaprio deliver the kinds of performances you expect from the two Hollywood heavyweights, and Scott knows how to craft this kind of film.
Body of Lies [Blu-ray] is now available at Amazon . Visit the DVD database for more information.
Your Talkback on this Story