Review: Body of Lies

Nov 21 2008 by Barbara Hodgson, The Journal

IN the war on terror, there are no winners, only victims.

In the upper echelons of power in the United States, men in suits make decisions which could cost innocent lives: collateral damage deemed necessary to track down those behind atrocities.

Opening with an explosion, this film channels fears about the anti-terror fight into a routine spy caper, enlivened by the directorial brio of northerner Sir Ridley Scott. He grafts some adrenalin-pumping action sequences on to the disappointingly linear plot, including the bombing of a Dutch market place. Viewers of a nervous disposition should look away.

CIA supervisor Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) co-ordinates activities of agent Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio), who is authorised to use extreme force to ensure the safety of America.

Together, they pursue the head of a terrorist cell responsible for bombings across Europe. The closer they edge to their target, the greater the chance of civilians and US operatives being caught in the crossfire.

To achieve his goal, Roger aligns himself with the head of Jordanian intelligence (Mark Strong).

But his romance with a Jordanian-Iranian nurse exposes him, and the terrorists seize their chance. The romance is a crude plot device to facilitate a torture scene. There is nothing subtle about the film. DiCaprio is lacklustre, but Crowe impresses as a man juggling family with nationally vital decisions.