Film Review: Body of Lies (2008)
At the twilight of George W. Bush's presidency, when the US public had grown increasingly weary of the Iraq War and the Global War on Terror in general, films tackling these subjects had a tough time finding success, whether they took a critical approach that appealed to Hollywood limousine liberals or remained steadfastly jingoistic, as was the case with Ridley Scott's 2008 spy action thriller, Body of Lies.
The film is adapted from David Ignatius's 2007 novel, which draws upon the author's extensive experience as a journalist and columnist for the Washington Post. Ignatius's background in Middle Eastern affairs informs the narrative, providing a semblance of authenticity to the portrayal of espionage and counter-terrorism operations in the region.
The protagonist, Roger Ferris, is portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio, a CIA operative tasked with locating Al-Saleem (played by Alon Abutbul), the leader of an Islamist terrorist group responsible for a series of bombings across Europe. Ferris's initial attempts to track down Al-Saleem in Iraq are thwarted by his boss, Ed Hoffman (played by Russell Crowe), who operates from Washington, D.C., relying heavily on drones and high-tech surveillance rather than traditional human intelligence. This reliance on technology over personal insight becomes a recurring theme throughout the film. The narrative shifts to Jordan, where Ferris must collaborate with Hani Salaam (played by Mark Strong), the cunning chief of Jordanian intelligence. To draw Al-Saleem out of hiding, Ferris concocts a plan to create a fictitious terrorist organisation that would rival Al-Saleem’s own. Concurrently, he embarks on a romantic relationship with Aisha (played by Golshifteh Farahani), a Jordanian nurse.
While Body of Lies is set against the backdrop of the Global War on Terror, it largely delivers content that viewers could find in popular television series like 24 or Homeland. The film’s high-profile cast and substantial budget distinguish it from typical offerings in this genre; however, it does not elevate itself beyond conventional expectations. Ridley Scott’s return to Moroccan locations—previously used in Kingdom of Heaven—affords him an opportunity to reflect on the current state of a region he has explored before. Yet his direction is efficient but lacks remarkable flair or innovation.
While he does so in generally efficient, if not particularly remarkable, manner, part of the problem lies with the by-the-numbers script by William Monahan, which occasionally hints at providing a thinking man's spy action film that actually deals with serious issues related to America's global counter-terrorism campaign, such as ethics or strategy. Unfortunately, those avenues remain unexplored, and Body of Lies succumbs to cliches, including an unconvincing romantic subplot between an American man and a Muslim Arab woman.
While Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a solid performance, it isn't particularly memorable, and the same can be said of Russell Crowe, whose not particularly likable character appears very little in the film. However, Mark Strong steals the show as the Jordanian spy chief, a role apparently modeled on the real-life figure of Sa'ad Khair. Strong appears relatively little in the film but easily outshines the rest of the cast, much like his character, who gets results despite his methods being somewhat questionable to those viewers who believe that America's misadventures in the Middle East had more to do with democracy and human rights than with oil and geopolitical interests.
Overall, Body of Lies is slightly overlong, but a few interesting action scenes and a couple of solid performances make it more than passable for audiences seeking old-school entertainment and not expecting much from even such renowned directors like Ridley Scott.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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