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Body of Lies

Buzz says:   MPAA Rating: R
Current Showtimes: No showtimes available

It’s your typical Ridley Scott film; an intense plot that attempts to comment on a greater social issue, lots of cursing, some blood, stuff blowing up, and of course, Russell Crowe. But Scott’s newest action thriller Body of Lies drags you into a whirlwind of falsehoods, causing you to wonder who, if anyone, you can really trust.

Based on the novel by former Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, Body of Lies follows CIA operative Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he makes his way through Jordan, where he is on the hunt for terrorists that have been bombing civilian locales around the globe. During his search, Ferris discovers information regarding the terrorist mastermind Al-Saleem (Alon Aboutboul), and decides to target him specifically, receiving aid from his boss, Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe), who communicates most of his instructions via cell phone, as well as the Chief of Jordanian Intelligence, Hani Salaam (Mark Strong). What starts off as a seemingly simple good guy versus bad guy plot, soon becomes a complex string of occurrences that forces you to question who can truly be trusted and who is not hesitating in the slightest to initiate a fusion of lies and deceptions.

With Body of Lies, the Oscar nominated Scott, who has directed well-known films such as Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, and, most recently, American Gangster, once again proves that he knows exactly what he’s doing. His method of directing is incredibly impressive, with larger than life explosions and effects and unbelievable camera angles, which gives his film a flair very unique to his style. It is true that oftentimes Scott does tend to go a little overboard in his flashiness, and you find yourself suddenly wondering, “What just happened?” But once you figure it out, you’re good to go, and you can fully appreciate the art behind Scott’s work.

I’ll admit, while watching the film I sometimes found myself slightly confused, trying to piece together a string of scenes, making sure I knew who was who and what the situation was, all while attempting to make wild predictions as to what would happen next. But once I finally figured out how to weave between the film’s numerous deceptions and situations, I actually found that I was really invested in the plot, and all in all I ended up really enjoying it. I was even surprised at the handful of scenes that made me laugh out loud, something I was definitely not expecting.

Other than the occasional slow-paced scenes, and I promise they’re pretty rare, I have no complaints. Body of Lies is an intellectual and thought-provoking film that not only combines a great cast with a great director, but also presents the issue of power and its potential to corrupt the true nature of those that invest their strengths in the gaining of that power. It truly emphasizes the lengths to which individuals will go for certain authority, regardless of what’s at risk, and their inability to premeditate the repercussions of their actions on their way to get it.