CINEMA: Body of Lies
There have been a series of films dealing with America’s war on terror, espionage, counter-espionage and special rendition, and none of them have actually played well at the box office. Unlike the war in Vietnam, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq just don’t seem to have captured the public’s imagination in the same way. This is why Ridley Scott’s latest outing, although beautifully shot and very well acted, just never engages the audience’s interest (or emotions for that matter) enough to be truly successful.
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The story is set up as an older teacher/young pupil scenario with Russell Crowe playing the vastly experienced CIA veteran Ed Hoffman, who is firmly stuck behind a laptop in America’s suburbs, conducting the movements of young operative Roger Ferris (Leo DiCaprio) who is on the ground in the Middle East. While Ferris puts his life on the line time and time again, Hoffman masterminds his every move. Until, that is, the day Ferris decides enough is enough and takes things into his own hands by entering a pact with head of Jordanian intelligence Hani Salaam (an absolutely riveting performance by Mark Strong) who has his very own unique way of dealing with terrorists.
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As Ferris goes undercover ever deeper he risks not only his own life but those of the people around him including Aisha (Golshifteh Farahani) who acts as his social conscience.
Ridley Scott builds the tension slowly but surely as the cat and mouse game of espionage unfolds against gun battles, explosions, street fights and one rather nasty torture scene. It’s all grittily realistic with some extraordinary location work (actually shot in Morocco) but the narrative is never strong enough to make you really care for the characters.
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Having put on 50 pounds to play heavyweight Hoffman, Crowe certainly seems credible as the world-weary director of spooks, but DiCaprio still has the fresh-faced charm of a teenager and never really convinces as an agent on the ground. It is in fact Mark Strong as the charming and charismatic Hani who really impresses and comes out as the most memorable character, which is probably not what Scott had in mind. Dee Pilgrim
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