Show all (5)"Body of Lies" is based on "Washington Post" columnist David Ignatius' 2007 novel about a CIA operative, Roger Ferris, who uncovers a lead on a major terrorist leader suspected to be operating out of Jordan. When Ferris devises a plan to infiltrate his network, he must first win the backing of cunning CIA veteran Ed Hoffman and the collegial, but perhaps suspect, head of Jordanian intelligence. Although ostensibly his allies, Ferris questions how far he can really trust these men without putting
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"Body of Lies" is both terrifying and comforting.
It succeeds as few movies do in bringing home the frightening notion that terrorists do not intend to stop their murderous campaign until every person on Earth either converts to their way of thinking or is killed.
At the same time, it shows the impressive technology one certainly hopes is available to combat them and track them down, particularly high-resolution video from spy planes.
These conflicting ideas -- that we're both threatened and safe -- are not the film's main point, but it is the part of the movie that works best. The main point, that the people running the American response to terrorism do not understand the realities of the people actually fighting it, is weaker.
It suffers because the story trajectory is too vague; at times, the story treads water with random incidents, waiting until it is time for the climactic showdown between the CIA and the head terrorist. And when it comes, this climax is disappointing.
Leonardo DiCaprio (Full review)