Body of Lies

Body of Lies (2008)
Directed by Ridley Scott
Length: 128 minutes
Rated Rated R for strong violence including torture, and for language throughout


It seems for every great movie Ridley Scott directs, it is usually followed by a not-so-great one. Though you may not agree consider the following: Oscar winning Gladiator (2000) followed by Hannibal (2001); Black Hawk Down (2001) with Matchstick Men (2003) and Kingdom of Heaven (2003). Well now you can add Body of Lies to the list of bad "next movies" (in case you are wondering, 2007's American Gangster is the good preceding movie).

Based on David Ignatius's novel of the same name, Body of Lies is your typical "CIA agents trying to bring down the terrorists in the Middle East" flick. Leonardo DiCaprio (Shutter Island, Revolutionary Road) plays Roger Ferris, a CIA operative who is responsible for running field operations in the Middle East in order to capture known terrorists . Playing the role of the man-in-charge of it all is Russell Crowe (Robin Hood, American Gangster) as Ed Hoffman, the older, more experienced man behind the desk that attempts to maintain control of every operation from the safety of Langley, Virginia.

I will give Body of Lies credit for one major item that often plagues most modern spy movies; the story, while not the greatest, is easy enough to follow and never gets too convoluted. While there is plenty of back stabbing, secretive deals, and undercover double agents, the story remains relatively easy to keep track of and never gets too messy. Beyond that, I really expect better from Ridley Scott and this cast.

Scott has directed many classics throughout his long film career; perhaps that is why it is so maddening to me that his films typically go like a pendulum--good, bad, good, bad, etc. I don't expect an Oscar winning film every time he directs a film, but this movie is disappointing and a tad boring. The action, if you can call it that, is not memorable; the plot contains nothing original; and the acting could have been MUCH MUCH better. When I see that two of the biggest and best actors in Hollywood are slated to team up in a Ridley Scott film, I expect big things. Both DiCaprio and Crowe leave something to be desired. Both actors chose to utilize a southern accent for Body of Lies, which only raises the question of why? It never seemed to fit either character and at times proved to be a bit distracting. I could almost let it go with Crowe's character since he is the somewhat "racist" character, but I feel like this would only serve as a huge stereotype that a good actor would not lean on for a crutch.

I don't feel like I have wasted my time; I simply feel like this movie could have been much better. Look at more recent films such as Syriana (2005) to see an example of a good modern spy thriller. I can only hope that Scott's upcoming films can continue the trend of bouncing back after a disappointment.

Final Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars

Favorite Quote:
Roger Ferris: "You're a fat fucking piece of shit. We do this shit for a living. Go on a Goddamn diet!"