Body of Lies (B- or 3/4 stars)
Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a covert CIA operative working in Jordan & searching for terrorists in Ridley Scott's 'Body of Lies'. After uncovering info on Islamist terrorist Al-Saleem, Ferris devises a plan to infiltrate this terrorist network with the help of his boss back in Virginia, Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe). For extra assistance, Ferris requests help from Jordan's Chief of Intelligence, Hani Salaam (Mark Strong). What ensues is a shaky, untrustworthy, life-or-death alliance btwn. 3 very different men. And with the lives of many innocent(s) being put in danger, does this justify the cultural/moral/political outcome that they so desire? 'Body of Lies' is tense, taught, well acted, & jam-packed with intrigue. It's impressive, but I don't know if it's the kind of film I'd want to watch repeatedly.
Ferris & Hoffman are quite the CIA team. Hoffman does all the maneuvering (on his cell phone, from his house, loading his kids in the car for school, from his Langley office, watching above from real-time satellite images, etc. All really cool stuff). And Ferris is the man out in the field. He knows his contacts, he knows the Middle-East. He can get from one country to the next with relative ease. The duo's latest operation has them going after Al-Saleem. Thinking he's in Jordan, Ferris goes to the country's Chief of Intelligence, Hani, hoping for some assistance. But Hani is an acutely cunning & manipulative man who agrees to Ferris' request on 1 condition: "Don't Lie to me". Jumping from European country to Asian country, back to USA, & over to Asia again, this film jet sets us on Ferris' mission.
Ferris has good intentions; is aggressive; wants to do the best thing for America in this global war. But as mentioned in a quote at the very beginning of the film, even the best of people will sometimes emulate the tactics of the enemy in order to beat them. This comes back to bite Ferris in the ass several times throughout the film (when he steals an innocent architect's online information for purposes of smoking out Al-Saleem ... when he thinks an innocent-enough relationship with a Jordanian nurse (a pretty Golshifteh Farahani) couldn't possibly put her in danger, etc.). From car chases & shoot outs through the streets/deserts of the Middle East, to watching Hoffman nervously observe things from afar, 'Body of Lies' offers a wild, dense wealth of energy & information for its viewers.
Let's talk about the performances first. Leo DiCaprio is incredibly solid, here (as he is in almost every picture). There's just a focused intensity about him that translates very well onscreen. But I'd like to see him do some lighter fare in the future. Russell Crowe is stellar; his usual charismatic, all-knowing self. He makes a few cracks at the situation at hand (to lighten OUR load as we watch the heavy-duty stuff). Probably the performance of the movie is Mark Strong as Hani. I found him incredibly impressive as a handsome, sleek, but terribly dangerous figure (in the grand scheme of things). The cinematography & editing are, perhaps, the film's strongest aspect(s). Visually, I very much so enjoyed 'BoL'. But some of the minor issues I have with the film involve its narrative.
'BoL' is the type of movie that requires complete mind engagement for its entire 2 hours. If you miss 1 minute, you'll likely be lost (at least for a little while). If you're not up for this type of film, DON'T pay to see it. The dialogue & coinciding action is at such a level that you could lose your way and be frustrated in getting things back, so to speak. This is a serious film about current events, politics, war. It's smart & complex. Either sign on, or go watch Beverly Hills Chihuahua. But when all is said & done, I DO think this movie is a bit over-ambitious. It wants to be a spy film, a terrorist expulsion, a CIA tale, a meditation on Mid-East politics, a character study, a love story, an action extravaganza, etc. I just think some breathing room was needed (in spots). I enjoyed 'BoL' as I watched it; which is requisite & essential to any movie-going experience. But now, I feel just a bit unaffected (emotionally). Good movie; not one of Ridley Scott's best, though.
Ferris & Hoffman are quite the CIA team. Hoffman does all the maneuvering (on his cell phone, from his house, loading his kids in the car for school, from his Langley office, watching above from real-time satellite images, etc. All really cool stuff). And Ferris is the man out in the field. He knows his contacts, he knows the Middle-East. He can get from one country to the next with relative ease. The duo's latest operation has them going after Al-Saleem. Thinking he's in Jordan, Ferris goes to the country's Chief of Intelligence, Hani, hoping for some assistance. But Hani is an acutely cunning & manipulative man who agrees to Ferris' request on 1 condition: "Don't Lie to me". Jumping from European country to Asian country, back to USA, & over to Asia again, this film jet sets us on Ferris' mission.
Ferris has good intentions; is aggressive; wants to do the best thing for America in this global war. But as mentioned in a quote at the very beginning of the film, even the best of people will sometimes emulate the tactics of the enemy in order to beat them. This comes back to bite Ferris in the ass several times throughout the film (when he steals an innocent architect's online information for purposes of smoking out Al-Saleem ... when he thinks an innocent-enough relationship with a Jordanian nurse (a pretty Golshifteh Farahani) couldn't possibly put her in danger, etc.). From car chases & shoot outs through the streets/deserts of the Middle East, to watching Hoffman nervously observe things from afar, 'Body of Lies' offers a wild, dense wealth of energy & information for its viewers.
Let's talk about the performances first. Leo DiCaprio is incredibly solid, here (as he is in almost every picture). There's just a focused intensity about him that translates very well onscreen. But I'd like to see him do some lighter fare in the future. Russell Crowe is stellar; his usual charismatic, all-knowing self. He makes a few cracks at the situation at hand (to lighten OUR load as we watch the heavy-duty stuff). Probably the performance of the movie is Mark Strong as Hani. I found him incredibly impressive as a handsome, sleek, but terribly dangerous figure (in the grand scheme of things). The cinematography & editing are, perhaps, the film's strongest aspect(s). Visually, I very much so enjoyed 'BoL'. But some of the minor issues I have with the film involve its narrative.
'BoL' is the type of movie that requires complete mind engagement for its entire 2 hours. If you miss 1 minute, you'll likely be lost (at least for a little while). If you're not up for this type of film, DON'T pay to see it. The dialogue & coinciding action is at such a level that you could lose your way and be frustrated in getting things back, so to speak. This is a serious film about current events, politics, war. It's smart & complex. Either sign on, or go watch Beverly Hills Chihuahua. But when all is said & done, I DO think this movie is a bit over-ambitious. It wants to be a spy film, a terrorist expulsion, a CIA tale, a meditation on Mid-East politics, a character study, a love story, an action extravaganza, etc. I just think some breathing room was needed (in spots). I enjoyed 'BoL' as I watched it; which is requisite & essential to any movie-going experience. But now, I feel just a bit unaffected (emotionally). Good movie; not one of Ridley Scott's best, though.