Review of Body of Lies (2008) by Movie K — 22 Dec 2015

Quite well done thriller about terrorism. Leonardo DiCaprio is a CIA field operative in enemy zone. He can speak Arabic well too. His handler is Russell Crowe. Leo get to meet a man who wants safety from USA if he reveal info to CIA.

He is a terrorist who knows alot and assign to be suicide bomber which he is afraid. After telling him a safe house location, Leo attack along with his local Arab friend. Leo manage to salvage a bit of burned CDs and paper but their car over turn.

Helicopter rescue him but not his friend. The powerful terror leader Alon Aboutboul activate another bombing in Europe. Base on new info, Leo is deploy to Jordan and has to work with the local powerful security commander Mark Strong.

On paper it look like sharing of info with CIA but Russell is hiding many details. A safehouse with many people going in and out is suspected. Mark caught a small fry in the group and makes him his mole.

Leo make friend with a nurse Golshifteh Farahani and likes her gradually. One of the Arab agent wanted to abduct a person from there but escape. Mark is unhappy of their procedure. Leo has no idea as well.

The safehouse is burned and Mark want Leo out of Jordan. Leo got an idea which is to make believe another powerful terrorist which will likely get the attention of Alon to contact him. So they source for a small fry with terror links to an innocent architect.

Russell get a secret tech expert Simon McBurney to assist. After hacking into the account, they create a bombing in a US military base. Alon is impress. The architect receive many emails praising his act.

Mark likes Leo and thru Russell invite him back to Jordan. He let Leo see the architect info but he didn't tell Mark its a creation by him. After Alon capture the architect, the situation is exposed.

Golshifteh is missing and Leo receive a phone call from the terrorist. He was brought into Syria and stranded in a desert. Russell send drone to monitor but the terrorist are smart. They make sand storm to cover the tracks and after bringing Leo in the car, the different cars drive in different directions and Russell don't know which to tag.

Alon want to film Leo torture and death. Leo saw the mole which is recruit by Mark. Before he is about to get execute, troopers barge in and saved him. Alon is captured in his car. Mark actually is the one who "capture" Golshifteh and call him.

She didn't receive any harm from real terrorist. Leo is relieved. He decline an office desk job from Russell and go back to find Golshifteh.