AlthoughRidley Scottis largely regarded as being one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his output in the 21st century hascertainly been more mixed. Scott has an unparalleled ability to create massive historical epics that require extensive production design and research, but the story and characterization within ambitious projects likeExodus: Gods and Kings, Robin Hood,House of Gucci,andGladiator IImay have fallen short. However, Scott is also a very versatile filmmaker who is always willing to take on different genres, showing that he is still willing to learn new tricks after a lifetime in the business.Leonardo DiCaprioandRussell Croweteamed up in Scott’s underrated espionage thrillerBody of Lies, which was the first time that the two Academy Award-winning stars had shared the screen with one another since theSam RaimiWesternThe Quick and the Dead.
Hollywood has been understandably hesitant to make films centered on the conflict in the Middle East, as the controversial nature of the war means that taking any stance could risk alienating an audience. However, Scott has never been a filmmaker who bowed down in the wake of divisive content, andBody of Liesisamong the most overtly political films that he’s ever made. Although it is filled with loaded commentary on the haphazard nature of the conflict,Body of Liesis a unique war thriller that shows the evolution of espionage and combat.
What Is ‘Body of Lies’ About?
DiCaprio stars inBody of Liesas the CIA field agent Roger Ferris, who travels to Jordan in search of the elusive terrorist Al-Saleem (Alon Abutbul), who may be plotting an upcoming attack. By offering shelter and potential asylum to the linguist Nazir (Mehdi Nebbou), Ferris believes that he can gain the necessary information, but he’s also forced to abide by the orders of his superior, Ed Hoffman, who is played by Crowe. Although Hoffman monitors the situation from a remote location in which he utilizes surveillance technology, he assumes command of the situation and gives Ferris information regarding another field agent, Bassam (Oscar Isaac). However, Ferris’ on-the-ground missionmeans that he can examine evidence that isn’t shared by the intelligence community,as it becomes clear that there is a discrepancy between the CIA, Jordan Intelligence, and other secret operatives in the area. When every agencyis lying to cover up their own activities, the terrorists can take advantage of a blind spot and launch a brutal attack.
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Body of Lieseffectively shows the frustrations of modern warfare, as it requires communication between different parties that must reach complex decisions in order to fit within the parameters of legal and political agreements. Even though Ferris is monitoring an active situation in which any lost time could be dangerous, Hoffman is more discerning in his orders, as he knows that he would face consequences if he accidentally disrupted another covert mission.Scott does an excellent job at using surveillance technology that was relevant at the timeand often uses point-of-view shots to examine how a drone operator would observe the situation. Although this is the type of cinematography that would seemingly age into irrelevance in a few years time as the technology evolved, Scott makes it clear that he is representing the world as it looked whenBody of Lieswas released in 2008. At the time of its release, it was a cutting-edge take on ongoing events, butBody of Lieshasheld up rather well as a time capsuleof what global politics looked like during the secondGeorge W. Bushadministration.
‘Body of Lies’ Is One of Ridley Scott’s Most Underrated Films
Scott’s experience making great action sequences speaks for itself, butBody of Liesis able to unpack the complex ethics of the situation.Ferrisis an intriguing characterbecause he wants to strike out on his own in order to do the right thing but fears that he is only being fed a bit of the information necessary to his mission; the film considers just how much collateral damage may be necessary in order to prevent an even deadlier incident and shows how it may be impossible to come out entirely clean from such an inherently dangerous conflict. Although Hoffman may be easy to characterize as a manipulative overseer,Crowe suggests that he is merely a product of the system and is abiding by ordersin the way that he is trained. Even if he understands that secrecy is more important than compassion, Hoffman does empathize with Ferris' situation and begins to question his orders when he is provided with new information.
Body of Liesis devastating in how inconclusive it is, as Scott shows that the film’s events are merely a microcosm of a larger issue that cannot be solved with just one operation. Even if the film is not based on true events, it mirrors many similar news stories that would become even more prominent in the wake of its release. Scott is so renowned for classics likeAlien,Blade Runner,andGladiatorthat it is often easy to forget the sheer length of his career, butBody of Liesis aninventive take on the espionage genrethat features two of the industry’s greatest actors at the height of their powers.
Body of Lies
