BODY OF LIESMain Players: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, et al.
Calling the shots: Ridley Scott
Running time: 128mins
What's it about? CIA operative Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) is the man on the ground. He is essentially undercover making friends and enemies a like while trying to take down terrorists in the Middle East. Ed Hoffman (Crowe) is the man back in Washington giving all the orders, without emotion or consideration, for the "greater good". When they get close to a big name they've been after they need to figure out a way to trust each other and others involved to take him down.
What did I think? There has been a lot of movies about terrorism in the Middle East. So much so that "in'shallah" and "halal ahkbah" (apologies for the spelling) are so commonly used. The thing that sets this movie apart is the actors and directors.
Say what you will about Ridley Scott. He is a masterful storyteller. The plot is fairly complex and in the wrong hands it could have been a muddled mess. Scott handles it very well making it rather easy to follow. He carries on the same style from 'American Gangster', almost having the same feel just VERY different subject matters. That would also contribute to how much you like this film; Cops and criminals or Terrorists in the Middle East.
Russell Crowe, who gained a lot of weight to play this role, is solid as always. He and Scott have worked together so many times, I'm sure it's almost like second nature. Leonardo DiCaprio, continues his trend of mature roles and is as reliable as ever. I did however feel as though Crowe was a little underutilised and DiCaprio has been better. Mark Strong, who plays Hani, played it by the numbers.
For you action seekers though, there aren't enough set pieces to keep you entertained. The action sequences that it does have is incredible. It's a very solid espionage thriller and so watch it like one.
It's an enjoyable movie but it never reaches a peak that you expect it to reach and is just consistent through out.
3.5 out of 5.
1 comment:
Apparently Ridley Scott enjoys working with Russell Crowe; and he likes to make movies that raise international awareness (i'm thinking Blackhawk Down and Kingdom of Heaven)... that's a good thing i'd say
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